11 Ways to Make a Better Potato Salad

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No picnic or barbecue spread is complete without potato salad. Many people think of the dependable crowd-pleaser as the simplest of recipes, but it’s easy to make little changes that create

big flavors. We spoke to three chefs, who shared their secrets for taking your potato salad from humdrum to “oh yum!”

Waxy potato varieties have lower starch levels, helping them retain their shape when cooked. Jeff Armstrong, executive chef of Goldfinch in San Diego, is a fan of fingerling potatoes, though

Red Bliss or baby Yukon Golds work equally well. Cut them into uniform bite-size pieces to ensure chunks cook evenly and are easy to eat.

Kristin Beringson, executive chef of Henley in Nashville, likes mixing potatoes with other root vegetables, such as parsnips, sweet potatoes and rutabagas, which add different flavors and

colors to the salad. Make sure to steam each vegetable separately, as each will have a different cook time.

“The skin adds something pretty to a potato salad, as well as chew and toothsomeness,” says Beringson, who likes using red-skinned potatoes to incorporate a pop of color. “Plus, you save the

time you would have spent peeling them,” notes Armstrong.

Beringson recommends steaming potatoes because you won’t have to undertake the potentially hazardous task of lifting a weighty pot of scalding water and pouring it out in the sink. And

steaming doesn’t waterlog potatoes, allowing their natural flavor to shine, adds Armstrong. Steam them on the stove top in a large pot filled with roughly one inch of water and fitted with a

steamer basket.

If you’re making mayonnaise-centric potato salad, let the spuds cool before adding mayo to prevent it from becoming an oily mess. Conversely, vinegary potato salads should be mixed while the

potatoes are still warm to allow the acidic flavors to permeate the potatoes completely.

Kelsey Barnard Clark, chef-owner of KBC Eatery in Dothan, Alabama, likes using mayonnaise because it adds viscosity, helping hold the potato salad together. She prefers Duke’s or Hellmann’s

brand mayonnaise. “They both have a very clean, pure flavor,” she says. Armstrong says to steer clear of homemade mayo, since it relies on raw eggs, which could pose a food safety issue.

7. Add vinegar

While mayonnaise works as a binder, vinegar works as a flavor enhancer. Clark recommends using red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar to add acid into the equation.

Another option is to use freshly squeezed lemon juice to insert a bright, citrusy tone into your potato salad.