Key Ingredients For This Recipe
Thin-Skinned Potatoes
For this recipe, we use waxy and thin-skinned potatoes. If you are not sure what that means, here is a brief explanation of the different kinds of potatoes.
- Waxy Vs Floury: There are two types of potatoes, waxy and floury. Waxy potatoes are those that have thin skin and creamy flesh. Floury potatoes have thicker rougher skin and fluffy interiors (think Russet Baking Potatoes.)
- Why Not Russets: While that fluffy interior makes for an awesome baked potato, it doesn’t work well for potato salad. They are too dry and starchy.
- Examples of waxy potatoes are: Fingerlings, Youkon Gold, Red Bliss, Purple Potatoes, White Chef’s Potatoes etc. Any of these waxy thin skinned potatoes would work for this potato salad. The only thing you need to know is that you have to cut them into 1 1/2 inch chunks.
I leave the skin on the potatoes because it increases the fiber and nutrients in each serving, making this a little healthier.
Oil and Vinegar
Instead of mayonnaise, we used olive oil and vinegar. I like the flavor of red wine vinegar best in this recipe. It is bright and acidic and goes great with herbs and sweet-tasting potatoes.
Whole-Grain Mustard
To emulsify the dressing and add flavor, I used whole-grain mustard. You can also use brown deli mustard if you cannot find whole-grain style mustard.
Fresh Herbs
The combination of parsley, dill and chives works really well in this salad. You can use finely minced scallions instead of chives if you like. Feel free to add another tender herb to the mix if you like. Basil is also a yummy addition, and a small amount of tarragon would also be good.
We do not recommend using woody herbs such as rosemary or thyme as they are too assertive in this salad.
Celery Hearts
I love adding the pale yellowish-green center of a head of celery to potato salad. (Try my German Potato Salad and you’ll see what I mean!) Include the frilly leaves too because they are slightly bitter, which balances all the other flavors.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
After trying this salad, I tasted it and it needed a little something. I added in finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and they make all the difference! They are savory and salty and pair so well with the tart dressing, creamy potatoes, and fresh herbs. They’re umami!
Try to find them in a jar with oil for the best texture. At the store, they are usually with Italian ingredients or with jarred pickled items.
Both the sun-dried tomatoes and the celery are great when they’re finely chopped because they cling to the potatoes and add to the flavor and texture in each bite. They’re a really nice flavor and texture boost!
Seasoning
Potatoes really soak up a lot of seasoning, so you have to add more salt than you think you’ll need. I also like to add a pinch of sugar to potato salad to bring it all into balance. Without the sugar, the flavor of this combo can come off as slightly bitter, so I found a tiny bit of sugar really helped to balance that out. It doesn’t taste sweet at all, but makes the bitter taste fall away. Only 1 teaspoon is needed and optional if you are following a sugar-free diet.