The potato salad I grew up on in Canada was made with boiled eggs and nearly drowned in a creamy sour cream and mayonnaise dressing. To my Mom’s credit, she cut all that richness with loads of sliced radishes and green onions. Some of my best food memories are her packed picnics at the lake: cold fried chicken and potato salad.
That salad is—sorry—not what this recipe is about (I’ll post it when I’m feeling decadent).
Out of adult necessity for a lighter diet, I started looking for a healthy potato salad recipe and landed on the French-style version: warm potatoes dressed in vinaigrette instead of mayo. I first came across it in the UK, watching Delia Smith on the BBC. This recipe has grown out of her “Warm Potato Salad with Lemon and Chive Vinaigrette” from her 1993 cookbook, “Delia Smith’s Summer Collection”.
French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic is also a perfect make-ahead side. You toss the vinaigrette through the potatoes while they’re still hot, then refrigerate overnight so the dressing can properly absorb. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they only get better as they sit.
Let me step it out for you: my French potato salad recipe.
French-style potato salad ingredients
The ingredients list for this French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic is meant to be a guide only. As I’ve said, leftovers are not an issue. And if I’m having lots of people through the house over a few days, I’ll always plan to serve this easy make-ahead potato salad.
With 1.5kg potatoes there are at least 8–10 serves.
- 1.5kg ‘chat’ potatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 large lemon
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
In Australia, the term ‘chat’ potatoes is not a reference to a potato variety, but the equivalent of what other countries call ‘baby’ potatoes. They can be any number of varieties but are harvested when they’re small and generally boil or roast well. As the skin is so thin, I always choose to leave the skin on.
Prepare the lemon and garlic vinaigrette
Crush the garlic clove into a small bowl. Zest the lemon into the bowl, then add the salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard. Squeeze in the lemon juice and whisk until everything is well combined. Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, whisking as you go, until the vinaigrette looks slightly thickened and cohesive.
Alternatively, you can blend the vinaigrette ingredients in a small food processor or blender.
The vinaigrette for this French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic is not meant to have the usual acid-to-oil balance of a lettuce salad dressing. You’re aiming for roughly equal parts lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, and for it to taste very salty and well peppered. Those flavours mellow as the dressing is absorbed by the hot potatoes.
Set the vinaigrette aside until required.
Cook the potatoes, then dress them hot
Wash the potatoes, but don’t peel them.
If you’ve chosen fairly even-sized potatoes, there’s no need to cut them up before cooking. See my tip below for how to keep mixed sizes cooking evenly for this French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic.
Have a large sealable container ready—big enough to hold all the cooked potatoes.
Boil the potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water, keeping the water at a gentle boil to protect the thin skins from splitting. Once the potatoes are in, add 2 sprigs fresh mint to the boiling water.
Boil for at least 5 minutes before you start checking. A fork or skewer should slide through a potato with essentially no resistance. I start checking the smaller potatoes first, then remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer them straight into the sealable container.
Once the last potato is in the container, pour over the vinaigrette and gently toss while the potatoes are still hot. Alternatively, seal the container and turn it over a couple of times to coat the potatoes evenly.
I like the aesthetics of this French-style potato salad served with whole baby potatoes. But there’s a trade-off between aesthetics and flavour. If you want the lemon and garlic vinaigrette to absorb more efficiently, cut the hot potatoes into large chunks or thick slices as they come out of the pot and go into the container (carefully). You can go either way.
Refrigerate overnight and serve
All this French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic needs next is at least 6 hours in the fridge to let the flavours of the lemon and garlic vinaigrette properly soak in. Then it’s just a bit of simple décor and your overnight potato salad is ready for the table. I’ve used society garlic flowers (also known as wild garlic) and a little extra coarsely ground black pepper. Snipped chives or finely sliced green onion also look great.
Perfect with a Greek inspired lamb meal
I’ve written up this French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic as part of my ‘how I cook lamb’ series because it pairs perfectly with a Greek-inspired roast leg of lamb meal. I serve this make-ahead potato salad alongside my creamy Greek tzatziki sauce and my butterflied leg of lamb with Greek-style lemon and oregano finishing sauce. The tzatziki pulls double duty as a sauce for the lamb and, maybe more importantly, it quietly takes the edge off any regrets about choosing the ‘healthy’ potato salad instead of your favourite creamy version.
French-style Potato Salad (no mayo) with Lemon and Garlic
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Large pot
- Large sealable container with lid
- Microplane (optional)
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg ‘chat’ potatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 large lemon
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
Make ahead note:
- This French-style potato salad (no mayo) with lemon and garlic needs at least 6 hours in the fridge (overnight is ideal), so plan to make it the day before you want to serve it.
Prepare the lemon and garlic vinaigrette:
- Crush 1 large garlic clove into a small bowl.
- Zest 1 large lemon into the bowl, then add 1 tablespoon sea salt, 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and whisk until the mixture is well combined.
- Drizzle in extra virgin olive oil, whisking as you go, until you have roughly equal parts lemon juice and olive oil and the vinaigrette looks slightly thickened.
- Set aside until the potatoes are cooked.
Cook the potatoes:
- Wash 1.5kg chat potatoes but do not peel them.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a gentle boil, then add the potatoes and 2 sprigs fresh mint. Boil for at least 5 minutes before you start checking.
- The potatoes are ready when a fork or skewer slides through with essentially no resistance.
- Start checking the smaller potatoes first and remove them as they’re done, then keep cooking the larger ones until tender.
Dress the potatoes hot:
- Have a large sealable container ready. As the potatoes finish cooking, transfer them straight into the container.
- Once the last potato is in, pour over the vinaigrette and gently toss while the potatoes are still hot. Alternatively, seal the container and turn it over a couple of times to coat evenly.
- If you want maximum absorption, cut the hot potatoes into large chunks or thick slices as they go into the container; if you prefer the look of whole baby potatoes, leave them whole.
Refrigerate overnight and serve:
- Refrigerate the potato salad for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight, to let the lemon and garlic vinaigrette soak in properly.
- Before serving, toss gently again, then finish with a little extra coarsely ground black pepper and a simple garnish of your choice (society garlic flowers, snipped chives, or finely sliced green onion all work well).
One Response
A very easy recipe for the family cook. The flavours are delicious! Left overs for our next meal. A great side for a family bbq and bring a dish!