Classic French-Style Potato Salad (2024)

FAQs

What is French potato salad made of? ›

Undercooking or Overcooking The Potatoes

→ Follow this tip: The potatoes should be cooked so they're soft, tender, and creamy. Cook them until they are just tender when pierced with a fork. Depending on the type of potato and size of the potato cubes, this will take between eight and 12 minutes.

So, the two-hour rule (one hour for temperatures above 90°F) applies to all potato salads, whether mayo, vinegar, yogurt, or mustard-based.

Yes, potato salad gets even better if left to sit overnight in the fridge. The flavors combine and the potatoes absorb more of the seasoning/dressing, making for a more flavorful experience.

Waxy potatoes are generally considered the best for classic potato salad because they retain their shape, you don't have to peel them, and they have a smooth texture. People who prefer a creamy potato salad that soaks up dressing like a sponge, though, opt for a starchy potato.

If you'd like to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush before you cook them. Once you've either scrubbed or peeled your potatoes, cut them into bite-size chunks, place them in a large pot, and cover them with water.

Excess starch can make potatoes gummy or gluey.

Rinsing potatoes with cold water prior to boiling helps remove excess starch. Rinsing with hot water immediately after boiling can remove even more starch. Cutting potatoes before boiling does remove excess starch.

How to Boil Potatoes for Potato Salad. Waxy potatoes can be cooked whole or cut, with or without the skin. Starchy potatoes should be cooked whole with the skin on, then peeled and cut after they're cooked. Select medium Russet potatoes, not large ones, to ensure the skin doesn't split while cooking.

Vinegar helps boiled potatoes hold their shape

The presence of acid in boiling water can retain structure-providing carbs in potatoes, so they don't break down and soften as easily as they would in a pot of boiling water sans vinegar.

Just like regular potato salad you have up to five days to consume it, if stored properly. Is it safe to eat week-old potato salad? The USDA doesn't recommend consuming potato salad that's more than five days old.

Does mayonnaise go bad in potato salad? ›

Opened mayonnaise lasts for up to two months, which means it isn't the ingredient that causes potato salad to spoil. It's actually the potatoes. Being a root vegetable, they sit in dirt for a long time and that dirt often harbors bacteria.

“When foods 'go bad,' this is an indication of declining quality, not safety.” After your picnic or BBQ, your best bet is to toss any leftover potato salad if it's been outdoors for an hour or more. Any leftovers that have been kept at refrigerated temperature can be stored for about three to four days.

If you are using a mayo- or cream-based dressing for your salad, it's important to wait for the potatoes to cool before you start dressing them. What happens if you don't? Well, mayo is sensitive to high temperatures, so the mayo will melt if the potatoes are too hot.

A typical salad served in French bistros, the Salade Parisienne features salad greens topped with potatoes, cubed cheese, sliced mushrooms, ham slices and hard-boiled eggs – all bathed in a tangy French vinaigrette.

Ingredients For

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, white wine vinegar, Burgundy mustard and salt. Whisk it all together. Then, gradually add the oil while continuing to whisk. It is important to add the oil little by little, especially at the beginning.

Make Potato Salad Dressing: Combine egg yolks, mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Combine: Pour dressing over the potatoes. Add chopped egg whites, celery, onion, and pickles. Stir well then cover and refrigerate for a few hours until ready to serve.

While potatoes—the primary ingredient in french fries—are a lower-calorie, low-fat food, french fries are usually high in fat, calories, and sodium. If you include them in your diet, it's smart to consume french fries in moderation or to use a cooking method that reduces the fat and sodium content.