Two dressings give this potato salad double the creaminess and richness of your average potato salad.
Drizzling the still-hot potatoes with vinegar so that it soaks in and infuses them with a bright acidic tang – that’s old news. But whisking the vinegar together with olive oil to make a vinaigrette – now we’re talking. While the vinegar adds all its zippy flavor, the olive oil coats the potatoes and turns their outer layer sort of sticky/soft. When the second, mayonnaise-based dressing comes along, the olive oil grabs onto it and pulls it in, so that the potatoes aren’t so much covered with dressing, they are in the dressing and the dressing is in them.
Achieving the perfect texture is not just about the two dressings, it’s about the potatoes, too. First, make sure to use the right kind of potatoes. Any waxy, thin skinned variety will do – anything you’d use for mashed potatoes. Don’t use bakers such as russets, which are too mealy for salad.
Some potato salad recipes call for cutting the raw potatoes into bite-sized pieces and cooking them just until tender but still firm enough to hold their shape. That keeps the potatoes chunky and distinct in the dressing, which is not the effect I’m going for. Instead, I cut the potatoes into medium-large pieces – about 2 to 2½ inches in diameter is ideal. At that size, by the time the center of each piece is tender, the outside edges will be falling-apart soft. The hot potatoes are then roughly sliced before being tossed with the dressings. So you end up with about half the potatoes in slim, soft slices that practically melt in your mouth, and the other half completely dissolved in the dressing to form a thick base that’s not unlike the consistency of mashed potatoes.
The add-ins are classic: celery for crunch, red onion and parsley for bright flavor and a hint of color, and hard boiled eggs for another layer of softness and creaminess.
Making this ahead and what to do with leftovers:
- The salad needs a couple of hours to cool and chill before serving so plan to start at least 3 hours ahead.
- Potato salad keeps for 5 days so make it further ahead or keep leftovers within that time frame.
This recipe is adapted from American Picnic Potato Salad in the New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
Double-Dressed Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds waxy potatoes such as red-skinned or Yukon Gold
- 3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) white wine vinegar
- 3/8 cup (6 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 3/8 teaspoon Morton’s), plus additional
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, cut into 1½-inch lengths
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal, about ½ cup of slices
- 1 cup mayonnaise, plus additional
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
Directions
- Step 1 Peel the potatoes and cut them into medium-large chunks, dropping them as you go into a large pot filled with cold water to a depth that will just cover the potatoes once they’re all in. (Cut large potatoes into 4 quarters, medium ones into thirds and smaller ones in half. Two and ½ inches is an ideal size but the most important thing is that all the pieces be about the same size so they cook in the same amount of time.) Add a small handful of kosher salt.
- Step 2 Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat down to medium high keep the water at a gentle boil until the potatoes are done but not falling apart. (A fork inserted into the center should meet no resistance – test several pieces.) This should take 20 to 25 minutes.
- Step 3 Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, olive oil, ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt (or 3/8 of Morton’s) and pepper in a measuring cup or small bowl.
- Step 4 When the potatoes are done, drain them into a colander. Carefully pick up each potato chunk with a large slotted spoon and transfer it to a cutting board. Roughly slice the potatoes (approximately ¼- to ½-inch thick but no need to be exact, as they’ll be falling apart) and scrape the slices and shards into a large bowl. Add in any soft pieces of potato left at the bottom of the colander.
- Step 5 Working quickly, whisk the vinegar/oil mixture to blend it and pour it over the hot potatoes. Stir gently to make sure all the potatoes are covered with the dressing. Set the potatoes aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
- Step 6 Toss in the sliced red onions and celery. Stir together 1 cup of mayonnaise with the mustard, and gently fold in this second dressing.
- Step 7 Gently fold in the parsley and eggs. Don’t worry when the egg yolks and whites get separated from each other, it’s going to happen. Just be gentle.
- Step 8 Chill the salad for at least 2 hours. Give it a stir, taste and adjust the seasonings. As the salad has cooled the potatoes will have absorbed some of the dressing, so add more mayonnaise if needed.
