This 'Double Potato Salad' Is Fit for Any Backyard Party

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Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Potato salad is one of those foods I really only love one way—it’s the way my mom makes it. It’s a simple concoction of russets, onions, celery, mayo, and mustard, with a smattering of seasonings, and chunks of boiled eggs. It’s perfect. Other salads out parading their sweet pickle relish, olives, or bacon can take a hike. (And trust me, I love bacon.)

Recently though, my stubborn potato outlook was challenged. An account I follow posted something intriguing: a salad with boiled and roasted potatoes. I set out to try it, and I’m happy to report that this is a fantastic way to explore something different for a person who’s not interested in doing so.

I forget what exactly Yotam Ottolenghi called his dish, but I keep referring to it in my head as “double potato salad.” His was beautiful and polished—a salad of lightly dressed boiled potatoes, and crisp, roasted baby spuds scattered over the top. I don’t remember what the dressing was, or any other ingredients. I was transfixed by the idea of having a potato salad with a potato garnish. And with that, I made his stylish salad something a bit more “backyard.”

Choose the right potatoes

The key to making this salad great is to use the right potatoes. Since they’re getting different treatments (one will be boiled and the other roasted), it’s best to choose varieties that perform well under these conditions. I recommend waxy potatoes, like fingerlings or Yukon Golds. Their flesh holds up better to boiling, and they won’t break apart as easily when you toss them with mayonnaise. However, if all you have are starchy russet potatoes, don’t let that stop you. Like I mentioned, my mom always uses russets. Just don’t overcook them, and they’ll mostly hold their shape.

For the roasted toppers, I chose colorful red baby potatoes. They roast quickly in the air fryer because of their petite size and deliver a pleasant sweetness to balance out the salty and rich salad.

Here are some highly rated tools to help you make the potato-iest salad:

Cuisinart 6-quart Pot with Cover

Table Concept Mixing Bowls with Lids

How to make double potato salad

1. Prepare the potatoes

For boiling, peel the potatoes and cut them into approximate 1-inch chunks. Add them to a pot and cover them with water. Bring the water up to a gentle boil and let them cook for about 10 minutes. To test for doneness, pierce one of the largest chunks. The knife should easily cut through to the center. Drain and rinse the potato pieces. Allow them to cool.

For roasting, cut the baby potatoes in half and put the halves into a bowl. Spritz or drizzle them with a teaspoon of cooking oil and a few pinches of salt. Toss the potatoes in the bowl to evenly coat them in the oil. Put the baby potatoes in the air fryer set to 375°F for five to seven minutes, or until crisp and browned on the edges. Let them cool to room temperature.

2. Mix in the other ingredients

Put the boiled potatoes in a mixing bowl. Stir together the chopped celery, minced onion, mayonnaise, mustard, seasonings, and a chopped boiled egg. Scatter the roasted potatoes over the top of the salad along with roughly chopped parsley. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

This salad has all of the nostalgic goodness of a classic, mayonnaise-forward potato salad, and the roasted potato toppers add a welcome texture and subtle sweetness. I think the double potato element and fresh chopped parsley makes this potato salad certifiably fancy, so go ahead and serve this at your niece’s graduation party or your finest barbecue.

Double Potato Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

6-8 baby red creamer potatoes, halved

1 teaspoon cooking oil

½ teaspoon salt

1 rib celery, diced

¼ small red onion, minced

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 boiled egg, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Cut the Yukon Gold potatoes into 1-inch cubes and add them to a pot. Cover the potatoes in water and bring it up to a boil. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cool the potatoes.

2. Add the halved baby potatoes to a small bowl and drizzle them with the cooking oil. Add a half-teaspoon of salt and toss it all together to coat the potatoes in oil. Put them in an air fryer set to “air fry” at 375°F for 5 to 7 minutes or until crisp and browned on the edges. Allow them to cool

3. Put the boiled potatoes in a serving bowl. Add the celery, red onion, mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and egg. Stir gently until well-combined. Scatter the roasted potatoes over the top along with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge to chill.

Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Staff Writer

Allie has been Lifehacker’s Food Writer since 2021. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Ithaca College in drama and studied at the Institute of Culinary Education to earn her diploma in Pastry and Baking Arts. Allie worked professionally as a private chef for over a decade, honing her craft in New York at places like Balthazar, Bien Cuit, The Chocolate Room, Billy’s Bakery, and Whole Foods. She spent evenings as a chef instructor, and also earned a master’s degree at Hunter College for teaching English. Allie’s YouTube channel, Thainybites, features recipes and baking tricks. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

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