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It’s not just that I live in Idaho; I’ve always loved potato salads. I love the flavors, the textures. I love the versatility. I love that you can make it ahead and that it keeps well.
Maybe there’s a reason that we moved to Idaho.
Free E-Cookbook
Today you find a free e-book dedicated just to potato salads. In putting this book together, we tried to display the versatility of potato salads. You’ll find a wonderful array of potato salads in this free e-book like roasted potato salad, German potato salad, bacon and potato salad, and a sweet potato salad.
There are meals on the deck, summer picnics, The Fourth of July, and family reunions. They all need potato salads. This book will keep you stock with ideas all summer.
Get your free e-book, “Nothing But Potato Salads: A Collection of Unique Potato Salad Recipes.”
There’s even a section about keeping your potato salad safe on a hot summer day.
Only $10! Get this set of nifty set of three Candy Apple Red Mixing Bowls for only $10!
How to Make German Potato Salad
German potato salad is made with a vinaigrette and served warm—though we find cold German potato salad to be just as good. The vinaigrette is usually made sauce-like by cooking it with potato starch, corn starch, or flour.
If you are not familiar with German potato salad, give it a try.
This traditional potato salad is made with sliced potatoes and plenty of bacon mixed with the potato slices. It is a very good version of the original.
Ingredients
1 pound new red potatoes
6 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon corn starch
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped green onions
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook the potatoes in salted water until they are tender but still firm. Cool them in cold water. Thinly slice the potatoes and set them aside.
2. Cook over the bacon over medium heat until evenly brown. Let the bacon cool on paper towels to absorb the grease. Pour the grease from the skillet. With kitchen shears, cut the bacon into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the corn starch, sugar, water and vinegar to skillet and cook over medium heat until dressing is thick.
4. Add the potatoes, bacon, and green onions to the skillet and stir to coat. Cook until just warmed through.
Confetti Roasted Potato Salad
We usually use russet potatoes for our roasted potatoes salad—though we prefer new red potatoes for traditional potato salad. In this recipe, green beans and red peppers are roasted with the potatoes. It is made with a vinaigrette and a touch of grated cheese.
Ingredients
2 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup green beans, snipped into pieces
1 bell red pepper cut into slices
olive oil for the pan and to spray on the potatoes, about 1/4 cup
salt and pepper
Make a vinaigrette with:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried, crushed basil or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 or 3 tablespoons of grated Romano cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a baking sheet or pizza crisper with cooking oil using a mister. Place the potatoes on the sheet. With the mister, spray the potatoes with olive oil until covered. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bake for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are no longer hard but not completely baked. Add the green beans and red peppers and continue baking until done. Remove to a bowl.
3. Make the vinaigrette by mixing the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, vinegar, garlic, sugar, mustard, and basil together. Toss the potatoes in the vinaigrette and sprinkle cheese. Serve chilled.
Bacon and Potato Salad
This is a scrumptious potato salad—nothing too exotic but a great combination of flavors. The dressing is made with half sour cream and half mayonnaise. The tang comes from chopped sweet pickles and balsamic vinegar. This recipe is a keeper.
Ingredients
6 to 8 new red potatoes
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 small sweet pickles, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 strips bacon, cooked to a crisp and crumbled
Directions
1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cube and steam the potatoes until tender.
2. Make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, sour cream, onion, pepper, pickle, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil together. Taste the dressing and add more seasoning or vinegar if desired.
3. Gently toss the cooled potatoes with the dressing. Sprinkle with the crumbled bacon and chill.
Caribbean Sweet Potato Salad
There are a number of versions of sweet potato salad existing in cyberspace. Some are made with a combination of white potatoes and sweet potatoes and some with sweet potatoes only. We like ours the best. It’s made with sweet potatoes, corn, and red onion. The surprise ingredient is peanuts. The dressing is made with lime juice, ginger, and a clove of garlic.
This is an adventuresome salad but if made with enough spark from the dressing, it is very good . . . and good for you.
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes or yams
1 can corn kernels, well drained
1/4 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 fresh squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons prepared mustard, preferably Dijon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cucumber pieces, peeled and 1/2 inch diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
Directions
- Steam the sweet potatoes in the microwave until cooked but still slightly firm. (You can steam them in the shell wrapped in plastic wrap.) Let cool and then peel and cube into 3/4-inch pieces. Add the corn and onion.
2. For the dressing, mix the lime juice, mustard, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and olive oil.
3. Toss the vegetables in the dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, add the cucumber and peanuts.
About the Author
Dennis Weaver has burned food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He and his wife Merri Ann are the founders of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho and he is the author of How to Bake: The Art and Science of Baking available as an E-book.
Dennis and Merri Ann live in Rigby, Idaho. They have five wonderful children and six beautiful granddaughters.