How Long to Boil Potatoes for Potato Salad? Should they be peeled? Here’s a guide to different styles of this classic dish.
Would you like to make potato salad? You can fly it if you know one thing: how long to cook potatoes! Interestingly, there are a few nuances to cooking potatoes: whether to cook them whole or sliced, and whether to peel them or leave the skin on. It all depends on the type of potato salad, so here are the best practices for each type!
How long to cook potatoes for potato salad
The cooking time depends on the size of the cut potatoes. For the potato salad We recommend cutting medium to large potatoes into large chunks before cooking. After cooking, cut them into bite-sized pieces: this way the potatoes will cook more evenly and stay together. You can dice the potatoes before cooking if you like (although there is a risk of them becoming mushy), or cook them whole (which takes longer).
- Boil large diced potatoes 8 to 15 minutes, until fork is tender. Then peel as you like.
- Boil baby potatoes or diced potatoes about 10 minutes, until the fork is soft.
- Cook large whole potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Then cut into small pieces.
Do the potatoes have to be peeled for the potato salad?
It depends on the type of potato salad you are preparing! Here is a golden rule:
- For a creamy American potato salad, use Yukon Gold potatoes. Quarter before cooking, then peel after cooking by tearing them with your fingers: they slip instantly! Then cut into bite-sized cubes.
- For a French red potato salad, use small red potatoes. Cook them whole and then cut them in half after cooking: no need to peel them!
- For the German potato salad, Recommendations vary. Some recipes use red-skinned potatoes and keep the skin, others state that the potatoes should always be peeled. It is yours!
Potato Salad Recipes
Check out the recipe for our favorite creamy potato salad below! There are as many potato salad recipes as there are home cooks in the world. Here are some of our favourites:
The description
Here’s how to make the best potato salad recipe! This American-style salad is creamy and classic: maybe even better than grandma’s.
- 3 Pound Yukon Gold Potatoes*
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, shared
- 3 large sticks of celery
- 5 Spring onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup sweet cucumber relish (or chopped dill pickles)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard (or 2 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon Dijon)
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- Boil potatoes: Quarter the potatoes, leaving the skin on. Place them in a large saucepan filled with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, 8-12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and rinse under cold water. Allow to cool slightly, then use your fingers to remove the skin and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place the potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix and let stand 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the salad: Halve the celery sticks lengthways, then slice thinly. Cut the spring onions into thin slices. Chop the red onion. Chop the dill.
- In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, Greek yogurt or sour cream, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, celery seeds, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Add potatoes, celery, scallions, red onions, and sweet cucumber relish and stir until well combined. For best results, refrigerate 2 hours before serving. Can be kept in the fridge for 5 days.
Remarks
*Variety is important here: Use Yukon Gold or Gold potatoes for best results.
- Category: garnish
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: How long to boil potatoes for potato salad,
