Fresh and packed with herbs. Creamy and eggy. Earthy and heavily spiced. These potato salad recipes meet whatever your definition of ‘best’ might be.
Potato salad is one of the most subjective foods. One person’s creamy dream is another’s claggy nightmare. The crunchy base of lettuce that appeals to one
The recipes below run the full gamut of what counts as a potato salad. From quietly confident combinations set on simply dressed greens to more-is-more combinations designed to “knock your socks off”, these spud salads are all subjectively spectacular.
Choose one that aligns with your go-to flavour profile or try something new.
This unfussy, crowd-pleasing meal has it all. Salty bacon, sweet capsicum, crunchy cos lettuce and a light creamy dressing. Choose small new potatoes that can be boiled whole, so you don’t have to prep them at all.
This supremely delicious potato salad by Canadian chef Matty Matheson bursts with flavour thanks to the fact it is twice dressed. Lightly crushed warm spuds first soak up a punchy mix of vinegar, mustard, bacon and three types of herbs before being finished with a dollop of cream cheese loosened with robust wholegrain mustard. And yes, a dose of red onion AND spring onion. If it sounds like a lot that’s on purpose. Known for his decadent recipes, Matty says this hero dish will “blow the socks off anyone who eats it”.
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The most squarely salad-like of the recipes in this collection, peppery rocket dressed simply in a classic vinaigrette forms a sharp bed against which buttery gem potatoes and crunchy nuts shine.
One for people who can’t abide mayonnaise-based dressings. Cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric are among the warm spices used to dress cauliflower and potato in plenty of piquant colour. Meanwhile sultanas act as little pops of sweetness. Serve this earthy beauty as part of a larger spread or elevate it into a whole meal with the inclusion of a protein.
Transport your tablemates to Spain with this quintessential Iberian tapas dish in which a bold tomato sauce is spooned over crispy chunks of potato and sizzling chorizo. If you make the vivid Salsa Bravas up to three days in advance the flavours will meld together, and you can have this party starter ready to serve in just over 30 minutes.
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Advertise with NZME.Sweet and juicy red grapes meet squelchy salty capers in Eleanor Ozich’s healthy take on the classic dish, the result is perfect for high summer eating. The ingredients, such as a fresh minted yoghurt dressing, are suitably light but it comes together simply, meaning you spend less time in the kitchen.
Boiling is the cooking method most frequently used to prepare tubers for inclusion in a salad, but Angela Casley goes one step further here, gilding crushed taters with a shower of parmesan and finishing in the oven until golden and crispy. Served on a bed of garlicky pea puree alongside crunchy cucumbers and golden pinenuts, this eye-catching plate delivers indulgence and vibrancy in equal measure.
Razor-thin slices of aniseed-y fennel, ribbons of subtly sweet courgette and juicy pomegranate seeds make for a refreshing riff on a classic spud salad. This lightness, paired with the green and red touches mean this would make a wonderful addition to any Christmas Day menu.
Egg salad and potato salad unite in this sunny meal that eats like summer on a plate. Avocados, eggs and mayonnaise deliver a good dose of creaminess undercut by sweetness in the form of ripe corn off the cob and a zesty honey dressing. This is destined to be spooned on a plate next to some sort of barbecued meat and eaten within eyeline of a beach or pool.
Potatoes might not get top billing here, but they play a crucial role in this recipe from Dutch recipe writer Janneke Philippi. Tossed through a bed of hearty couscous and marinated artichoke hearts, fudgy cubes of roast sweet potato give a wonderful sweetness to a bowl otherwise characterised by terrifically tart tastes.
This bowl of spring showcases two of the season’s most anticipated produce: snappy asparagus and delicate new potatoes. In comparison to their larger cousins small new potatoes get harvested young, before their natural sugars have converted into starch, resulting in a sweeter flavour profile. Spicy chorizo provides flecks of fiery contrast.
