Is it better to boil the potatoes whole or cut up for a potato salad?

When making potato salad, always chop the potatoes first before adding them to the pot to boil. If you boil the potatoes whole, the exterior will be too soft and crumbly.

Why do the potatoes need cold water before boiling?

This helps remove excess starch, which allows the potatoes to cook more evenly and avoid gummy, mealy texture.

How do you keep potatoes from getting mushy?

Use cold water when filling the pot! This way the water and potatoes have a chance to warm up together, which prevents the outside from cooking faster than the inside.

How long does potato salad keep for?

You can store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Light Creamy Potato Salad

Description

This Creamy Potato Salad recipe uses quick pickled cucumbers, fresh dill, and a lightened-up creamy yogurt dressing, elevating traditional potato salad with refreshing tanginess.

Ingredients

Units

Quick pickles

2 cups cucumbers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (or use apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or red wine vinegar)
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
large sprig of fresh dill

For the Salad

2 pounds potatoes (yukon gold potatoes or/and red potatoes skins left on)
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup red onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayo
3–4 tablespoons pickle brine (from the quick pickles) *see notes
1 tablespoon dijon mustard (use yellow mustard if you prefer)
1/2 salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh dill

Instructions

Make quick pickles- Slice cucumber into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring to a boil vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Fill a pint jar (or a bowl) with garlic, mustard seeds and fresh dill, add the cucumber. Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the top. Set aside. *See notes.
Cook potatoes- Put chopped potatoes and salt in a large pot and cover by about an inch with cold water (see notes). Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and let cool to room temperature.
For the potato salad dressing- In a large bowl, mix together yogurt, mayonnaise, pickle brine, dijon, salt and pepper.
Mix it together- Add onion, celery, dill and cooled potatoes to the dressing. Mix and refrigerate 1 hour or up to one day. Refrigerate the quick pickles in their jar separate from the salad (or taste first and if you like a milder pickle add them now-my preference!).
To serve, mix the pickled cucumbers in with the salad. Adjust seasoning adding salt, pepper or more pickle brine as desired. Sprinkle with more fresh dill and chopped chives.

Notes

Cold water allows for a gradual temperature increase, providing consistent texture and doneness throughout the potato.

Cooking the potatoes in salted water adds a lot of flavor, and since you are not using the liquid, the sodium content will not be equivalent to the 2 teaspoons the recipe calls for.

The quick pickles can be made a few days before, the longer they cure the stronger the pickle flavor. However, for this salad I prefer them made fresh to retain some of the cucumbers freshness. 1 hour is perfect. Adjust to your taste!

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4 days in a sealed airtight container.

If using russets, peel first. Russet potatoes will break down a little producing a creamier salad.

Feel free to add a couple of hard-boiled eggs!

If using regular canned pickles reduce the pickle brine to 2 tablespoons.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 199
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 335.1 mg
Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 32.9 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 6.3 g
Cholesterol: 9.8 mg