Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
The Best Potato Salad Recipe
The very best potato salad is made by dousing scorching potatoes with French Dressing in order that they take within the flavour earlier than tossing in a creamy dressing. Full with important add-ins: bacon, cucumber and celery. Each chunk is perfection!
Desire no mayo? Attempt German Potato Salad, Crimson Potato Salad with Charred Corn, Lemon Potato Salad and Wickedly Delish Candy Potato Salad.
This can be a potato salad recipe given to me by the mom of a good friend. To respect her privateness, let’s name her Mrs B.
The very first time I heard how Mrs B makes her potato salad, I immediately knew that this was one that might stand out from the gang of hundreds – hundreds of thousands – of potato salad recipes “on the market” on the planet large internet.
The factor that makes it so particular is pouring French Salad Dressing over the recent boiled potatoes. By dressing whereas scorching, they take in the French Salad Dressing flavour relatively than simply coating them. Which implies, flavour contained in the potatoes not simply on the skin.
Mixed with the creamy bitter cream-mayonnaise dressing, salty bacon, and contemporary bursts of celery, cucumber and onion, each mouthful is the proper chunk!
The opposite factor I actually like about this potato salad is the dressing. Whereas I really like a creamy dressing, I discover utilizing solely mayonnaise too greasy. However I additionally don’t need to skimp on dressing. There’s nothing worse than a dry potato salad!
The answer: break up the richness of mayonnaise by combining with bitter cream. I exploit a 50/50 ratio.
The addition of tang and trace of zing from a dab of Horseradish Cream additionally helps to chop via the richness. It’s non-compulsory however provides an additional little something-something to it.
And don’t overlook, all this mingles along with the French Dressing the potatoes are soaked in!
After a creamy no-mayo model? Do that Creamy Yogurt Potato Salad Dressing – it’s terrific!
Right here’s what it’s essential make the perfect potato salad on the block!
The potatoes and add-ins
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Potatoes – Potatoes differ extensively in texture when cooked. For potato salad, I like to make use of starchy (floury) and all-rounder potatoes which grow to be comfortable and fluffy when cooked and are a sponge to soak up the vinaigrette. The sides of the potato cubes mash up a bit when tossed with the dressing (no one needs sharp-edged cubes of their potato salad!) and the floor turns into a bit of ragged so the creamy dressing clings to each floor
Starchy/all-rounder potato sorts:
– Australia: Sebago (dirt-brushed widespread potatoes), Coliban (white pores and skin potatoes widespread at supermarkets)
– US: Russet, Idaho and Yukon gold
– UK: Maris Piper, King Edward, and RussetWaxy potatoes, alternatively, don’t take in flavour almost as properly and have a firmer texture when cooked. Whereas the potato cubes will maintain their form extra completely when cooked with sharp minimize edges, the floor is slippery so the dressing doesn’t adhere to it as properly.
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Celery and cucumber – Welcome freshness! The celery is sliced finely so that you get comfortable crunch but it surely turns into floppy relatively than stiff sprigs protruding. And the cucumber is finely diced relatively than the everyday slicing so that you get nice comfortable juicy little crunchy pops. Love!
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Uncooked onion (finely minced) – This cuts via the creaminess of the dressing and provides nice delicate contemporary flavour into the entire salad. The truth that it’s finely minced relatively than simply chopped or sliced helps – higher dispersion all through the entire salad plus you get the juiciness too. It type of takes the place of garlic which I put in “the whole lot” however is a bit of harsh on this specific potato salad.
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Bacon – Important for a basic potato salad!
Dressing 1: The French Dressing
That is the dressing the recent potatoes take in! The unique recipe shared with me by Mrs B used retailer purchased French Dressing which is an possibility. Nonetheless, I simply make my very own – right here’s all you want:
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White wine vinegar – The basic vinegar used for vinaigrette however will be substituted with apple cider vinegar, sherry or champagne vinegar (final resort: plain white vinegar).
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Olive oil is the oil of alternative. The higher the standard, the higher the flavour!
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Dijon mustard – For flavour and thickening.
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Water – Lacking from the photograph! 🙂 I exploit simply 1 tablespoon of water to stretch out the dressing, relatively than extra oil (merely for well being causes).
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Garlic – flavour!
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Sugar – Only a contact, which takes the sting off the tang a bit too.
Dressing 2: The creamy dressing!
As famous proper up entrance, I like my potato salad good and creamy however I discover simply utilizing mayonnaise is overly heavy. So I exploit a 50/50 bitter cream/mayo mixture.
(Reminder – mayo free model right here!)
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Mayonnaise – Entire egg mayo is finest as it’s creamier and fewer tangy than bizarre mayonnaise. Available today in grocery shops (it should say “complete egg mayo” on the label).
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Bitter cream – Full fats please! Yogurt can be utilized as an alternative however bitter cream does have a creamier mouthfeel.
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Horseradish cream – That is pickled contemporary horseradish which has a zingy spiciness like wasabi. As a result of it’s pickled, it’s vinegary. So this provides each a touch of spicy heat and tang to the dressing.
When you’re fortunate sufficient to have contemporary horseradish, use half the quantity and add a few teaspoons of vinegar.
IMPORTANT! Creamy potato salads actually are higher made with starchy potatoes for texture and flavour, however you really want to take care to not overcook else they’ll crumble an excessive amount of when tossing. Waxy potatoes could be simpler to make use of as a result of they maintain their form….however the consuming half is just not nearly as good! I’ve performed quite a lot of potato salad consuming in my time to reach at this conclusion.
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Begin in chilly water – Cook dinner minimize potatoes beginning in chilly water. By no means begin potatoes in boiling water else they’ll prepare dinner an excessive amount of on the skin earlier than the within cooks and crumble when tossed!
Examine incessantly – As soon as the water comes as much as the boil, begin checking at 4 minutes and each 30 seconds thereafter. As quickly as you possibly can pierce a potato with nearly no resistance, drain instantly. They are going to proceed cooking with the residual warmth.
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French Dressing – Shake French Dressing components in a jar till mixed.
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Creamy Dressing – Combine the components in a bowl till clean.
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Soak scorching potatoes – Gently switch the potatoes in a bowl and pour over the French Dressing. Toss very gently utilizing a rubber spatula. Minimal tosses simply to coat, then put aside for at the very least 2 hours for the potatoes to chill and take in the dressing. We’re primarily marinating the potatoes right here. You understand that is going to be good!
The cooled potatoes are additionally much less fragile much less prone to breaking once we combine with the remaining components.
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Add-ins – Add the cucumber, celery, onion, a lot of the bacon and all of the creamy dressing. Toss gently till blended via. If time permits, put aside for just a few hours or higher but in a single day, to let the flavours meld collectively. However truthfully, even if you happen to serve it right away, it should nonetheless be the perfect potato salad of your life! 🙂
This potato salad will final 4 to five days within the fridge, and it simply will get higher with time. Make it as soon as, and will probably be a staple in any respect gatherings for years to return. I’ve by no means strayed from this recipe for the reason that second I attempted it!
And as closing proof of how nice this potato salad is, even my mom who’s a die-hard Japanese Potato Salad devotee couldn’t cease consuming this. That’s simply concerning the highest reward you will get.
Thanks Mrs B! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb potatoes peeled and cut into 2cm/ 3/4" cubes (Aus – Sebago, Colban; US – Russet, Idaho Yukon; UK – Maris Piper, King Edward) (Note 1)
- 2 tsp cooking / kosher salt , for cooking potatoes
- 250g / 8oz streaky bacon
- 1/2 cup French Dressing – homemade (below) or store bought (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup cucumber, finely diced (1 x 15cm/6" cucumber, cut lengthwise and remove watery seeds first)
- 1 cups celery, finely sliced diagonally (~ 2 ribs)
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely minced , ~ 1/2 onion (Note 3)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise , preferably whole-egg
- 1/3 cup sour cream , full fat (sub yogurt)
- 1 tbsp horseradish cream (or horseradish relish) (Note 4)
- 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp water (for volume, rather than more oil)
- 1/2 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 garlic clove , finely grated or minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- French Dressing – Shake ingredients in a jar until well combined.
- Cook potatoes (CAREFUL! Note 5) – Put potatoes and 2 teaspoon salt in a large pot of cold water. Turn the stove on. Once the water is simmering, cook for 4 minutes or until the potatoes are JUST cooked (still bit firm in the middle) – they will keep cooking with residual heat. Drain immediately (gently!).
- Douse hot potatoes! Carefully transfer potatoes into a large bowl and pour over French Dressing. Gently toss to coat then set aside for 2 hours so potatoes absorb the dressing and cool (less fragile).
- Crispy bacon – Lay half the bacon in a cold non-stick pan. Turn onto medium high and cook until golden (the fat will melt as the pan warms up so it cooks in its own fat). Turn and cook the other side until golden. Drain paper towels, repeat with remaining bacon. Once cool and crisp, chop into small pieces.
- Creamy Dressing – Mix ingredients in a bowl until combined.
- Toss – Add creamy dressing, celery, cucumber, onion, and most of the bacon. Toss gently to combine.
- Serving – Serve garnished with remaining bacon. If time permits, I recommend setting aside for a few hours, or even better, overnight, to give the flavours a chance to meld. But still amazing served straight away! Always serve at room temperature, not fridge cold.
Notes
With many thanks to Mrs B, my friends’ mother who first introduced me to the game-changing French-dressing-doused-potatoes method!
1. Potato – use starchy/floury or all rounders rather than waxy ones as they will absorb and take in flavour better. They also slightly “mash” on the edges which is exactly how potato salad should be, in my opinion. Nobody wants to bite into flavourless bland potato chunks with sharp edges and slippery surface!
Read in post for notes on potato variety and why starchy is best.
2. French Dressing – Used to add flavour inside the potato pieces and this is what makes this potato salad so much better than the standard versions! The vinegar in the dressing also cuts through the richness of an otherwise very creamy dish.
3. White onion – Not as harsh as brown onion. Sub with 1 large eschallot (US: shallot) ie French onion, or 1/2 cup red onion or 1/3 cup brown onion finely minced.
4. Horseradish cream – Pickled fresh horseradish that adds a bit of wasabi-like spiciness and vinegar, balances richness of dressing (doesn’t make it spicy). If you are lucky enough to have fresh horseradish, use half the amount and add 2 teaspoons vinegar. Can skip and just add 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar.
5. BOILING POTATOES – Take care as we are using starchy/floury potatoes which will crumble too much if overcooked. We want the edges slightly “mashed” once mixed with dressing (potato pieces should not have sharp corners!) but if they are overcooked they will break too much.
Start checking at 4 minutes and check every 30 seconds. Drain even if they still a touch too firm because they will keep cooking.
6. Leftovers will keep for 4 to 5 days. Always serve at room temp – creamier and you can taste the flavours better!
Nutrition per serving assuming 8 servings. This factors in 2 tablespoons of bacon fat discarded.
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