Memorial Day is approaching, and so is potato salad season. No picnic or backyard barbecue is complete without some rustic and endlessly versatile dishes. Each potato salad is beautiful in its own way, whether it’s topped with chopped pickled peppers like snowflakes, a dollop of mayonnaise, or a salty bacon crumble. Here’s what Eater staff has been watching all summer.
Michael Solomonov Zahaf
Although I still have a childhood dislike for mayonnaise, I still prefer potato salad to taste like potatoes. I first came across this recipe for Pickled Pepper Potato Salad by Michael Solomonov in Zahab Recipe book. This side dish was a sleeper hit on the table with everything from pomegranate lamb to sumptuous halloumi. It’s easy to make, and the pickled peppers (the recipe calls for sifka, but I use jarred peperoncini) give the equation plenty of character. It’s delicious either cold or at room temperature. It will also find a place at my table this weekend when I host a spring patio party. — Missy Frederick, City Director
Eric Kim, New York Times Cooking
One of my basic introductions to Korean food was in the form of vinegary potato salad, or gamja salad. Gamja salad is served in the form of compact ice cream scoops as part of the many rotating banchans served at Korean barbecue restaurants, Seolleongtang and Sundubu outlets. And Pocha. Eric Kim’s performance provides the same sweet-sour flavors, crunch, and subtle layers of fat that keep my hand up for refills at these restaurants. Dice cucumbers and your favorite alliums (I usually use shallots or scallions), quickly blanch carrots, and boil potatoes and eggs for a 30-minute BBQ or party side dish. . We use plenty of Kewpie and add a little rice vinegar, salt, and pepper to round out the flavors. — Nicole Adleman, City Manager
all recipes
Personally, I believe that potato salad should have mayonnaise, but everyone has one or two people in their life who don’t like mayonnaise – unfortunately I married one of them. –That’s where the classic German potato salad comes in. Warm potatoes and tender bacon, most people would agree. The pieces are dipped in a tangy, mustard-flavored dressing, and are especially delicious with lots of herbs like parsley and dill. You may be tempted to leave out the sugar in this recipe, but don’t. A little sweetness is needed to balance the richness of the bacon with the acidity of the vinegar. — Amy McCarthy, reporter
J. Kenji López-Alt, Serious Eats
There are many reasons why potato salad can go wrong. Some of the worst include undercooked potatoes, a complete lack of seasonings, and of course, too much mayonnaise. This version by J. Kenji López-Alt avoids all the common pitfalls while staying true to the potato salad you’d make at a backyard barbecue or birthday party. A few key changes make all the difference: starting the potatoes in cold water for more even cooking, venting the potatoes to let them steam and cool completely before dressing, and incorporating rice wine vinegar for acidic contrast. The result is a mayonnaise-drizzled, herby potato salad you’ll want to eat again and again. — Rebecca Rowland, Deputy Editor
Liz Mew
One thing that most potato salads lack is texture. For this reason, I’m not a fan of classic potato salad (too much mash & mayonnaise for me) and tend to prefer versions that start with grilled or roasted potatoes. So you can imagine my interest when I saw this crunchy smashed potato salad made by content creator Liz Miu. Miu uses tater tots, which she crumbles and bakes to create maximally crunchy, lumpy cubes. She tosses the cooked potatoes with an herby mayonnaise and Greek yogurt base. While this take on potato salad isn’t as addictive as the classic, I do appreciate the variety of textures, although Miu cautions that it can get soggy after a while. And because the tater tots can go in the air fryer instead of the oven, this recipe is quick, hands-free, and produces significantly less dirty dishes. — By Bettina Macalintal, Senior Reporter
Kitchenista diary
As a child, I was lucky enough to have a mother who won gold at something called the potato salad game. She was often asked to bring her own recipes to her gatherings, and it was a source of pride for her to arrive with large bowls that quickly disappeared. Since she hasn’t made her favorite potato salad in years, she can’t remember the exact ingredients or quantities because she previously committed this dish to memory. Thankfully, I fell in love with Angela Davis’ (aka Kitchenista) potato salad years ago. I’ve always trusted Davis’ instincts, and the combination of skin-on red potatoes, red onions, hard-boiled eggs, dill pickles, dill weed, and a little mustard and mayonnaise solidified that trust. . Like its egg salad cousin, potato salad is also quite forgiving when you add or subtract celery salt or use anything other than Old Bay seasoning. Over the years, I’ve tweaked the recipe, but no matter how much I deviate, the serving container ends up coming home empty. Be sure to subscribe to Kitchenista’s Patreon, as it’s a well-organized stockpile that’s sure to come in handy for more than just this summer’s staples. — Mona Holmes, Reporter
