Easy French Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

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A simple vegan French potato salad recipe made with a tangy grainy Dijon mustard vinaigrette and fragrant fresh herbs. Chives, thyme and parsley make for a lovely marriage of flavors but feel free to add in some dill, tarragon and even salty capers. No mayo, no gluten!

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French Potato Salad

Easy like Sunday morning, this is a fabulous authentic Provencal side dish you can prepare in advance and proudly bring to any holiday party. Wait till you get there to combine the potatoes with the dressing, then make it all pretty with some fresh herbs and edible flowers.

The Potatoes:

Yukon gold potatoes work best here, they slice nicely without falling apart. The red skin potatoes, purple heirlooms, fingerlings or baby goldens would work great as well, you’ll just need to cut them in half to expose their flesh to the vinaigrette. Just in case you feel they might be absorbing a little too much of the dressing you can always add an extra light drizzle of olive oil or veggie broth and give it a gentle toss.

The Mustard Vinaigrette:

French Dijon mustard is the only way to go here, and in my honest opinion the grainy variety is the best. Creamy or grainy just don’t skip the main ingredient of the classic French dressing.

The Herbs:

Fresh chives, thyme and parsley are the Holy Trinity when it comes to herbs in my book. However you can get a little creative here using fresh dill, tarragon, basil and even rosemary instead.

You see, having super tasty French food at home on a Tuesday is no big deal, there are no excuses not to enjoy a lovely potato salad any day of the week!

Vegan and gluten-free, this salad pairs perfectly with a meaty vegan burger, this mushroom lentil loaf, green bean tomato salad, cucumber tomato salad + these vegan bbq ribs.

Potato Salad Add-Ins:

  • steamedgreen beans
  • salty capers
  • vegan tempeh bacon bits
  • sweet green peas (steamed)
  • tangy cornichons, roasted red peppers or artichoke hearts
  • thinly sliced radishes
  • sprinkle with toasted nuts like pine nuts, walnuts or pepitas
  • avocado.

watch how to make it:

  1. Cook the potatoes.
  2. Prepare the dijon dressing.
  3. Gently toss everything together.
  4. Adjust seasonings and dive in!

P.S. As always, If you make this recipe please come back here to rate it, snap a photo and tag us with #VeggieSociety on Instagram. ~ Florentina Xo’s

Easy French Potato Salad Recipe (8)

5 from 2 votes

Easy French Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

A simple vegan French potato salad recipe made with a tangy, grainy Dijon mustard vinaigrette and fragrant fresh herbs.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:15 minutes mins

Total Time:25 minutes mins

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Scrub and rinse the potatoes well, add them to a large pot and cover with water by an inch or so. Add the bay leaves and a good sprinkling of salt. You want the water to taste like salt water. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 15 to 20 minutes until tender but still al dente. Use a knife to check for doneness after 12 minutes. If the knife comes out easy with very little or no resistance then the potatoes are done.

  • Drain the potatoes and discard the bay leaves. Allow them to cool completely while drying off in their own steam. Once cool enough to handle gently peel and discard the skins. They should easily come right off.

  • Use a sharp knife and slice them into 1/4 inch slices. Transfer to a large bowl and allow them to cool even more.

Prepare the Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette:

  • Whisk together the olive oil with the dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, parsley, thyme or tarragon and chives. Reserve some of the herbs for garnish. Season to taste with a little sea salt then pour it over the sliced potatoes.

  • Using a spatula gently fold the dressing into the potatoes until nicely coated. Adjust seasonings with more sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve at room temperature garnished with more fresh herbs like chives and tarragon.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 5g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 29.2mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 6.6mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: French

Keyword: French Potato Salad, plant based, potato salad, vegan,

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Florentina

Plant-Based Recipes:

Easy French Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is French potato salad made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 9 Yukon Gold potatoes.
  2. ½ cup vegetable oil.
  3. ¼ cup tarragon vinegar.
  4. ¼ cup beef consommé or vegetable broth.
  5. ¼ cup chopped green onions.
  6. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
  7. 1 teaspoon salt.
  8. 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.

How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

To keep your salad from falling apart into mush, it's important to use the best potatoes for potato salad. Skip the russet potatoes and use a waxy variety instead, like Yukon gold, red potatoes or fingerlings. Learn more about which types of potatoes you should use for different recipes.

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

There's no reason at all, so my advice is to leave the skins on. The skin on a potato adds a nice texture and flavor to the potato salad and it's also the healthiest part.

What is the best type of potato to use for potato salad? ›

Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad. They do cook at different rates so be sure to adjust cook time depending on which type of potato you select.

How to make potato salad martha stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

What are all the ingredients for potato salad? ›

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

What not to do when making potato salad? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Potato Salad
  1. Using The Wrong Type of Potato.
  2. Not Starting The Potatoes in Cold Water.
  3. Cooking Potatoes in Unseasoned Water.
  4. Undercooking or Overcooking The Potatoes.
  5. Not Dressing The Potatoes at The Right Time.
  6. Our Favorite Potato Salad Recipes.

Should you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling for potato salad? ›

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

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

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Which is better for potato salad, russet or idaho? ›

What to look for: White and Yukon Golds are reliable in-between potatoes to always have around. Starchy: For potato salad, you'll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.

How long do you boil potatoes for? ›

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

Can you cook potatoes in advance for potato salad? ›

When you factor in the other ingredients (such as mayonnaise) this reduces the usable shelf life even more. Because of this combination, I suggest cooking the potatoes on Saturday afternoon, refrigerating, then finish prepping the potato salad that evening or Sunday morning and consuming within two days.

What is French salad made of? ›

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

This Classic French Salad recipe, containing potatoes, beans, cooked eggs, tomatoes, olives and tuna, is inspired by the classic French Niçoise salad.

What is French mayonnaise made of? ›

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.

Are French potatoes healthy? ›

French fries contain a significant number of carbohydrates. These molecules provide energy to your body, but too many carbohydrates can cause high glucose levels and lead to type 2 diabetes. This food also contains a large portion of fat, including 4.24 g of monounsaturated fats and 1.66 g of saturated fats.

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