Potato Salad With Arugula & Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Arugula

by: Merrill Stubbs

May31,2011

4.4

10 Ratings

  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 6 to 8

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

About ten years ago, I came across a recipe for a grilled potato salad in an issue of Cooks Illustrated. I was intrigued by the grilling technique, and it was the first time I'd made a potato salad with vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise, which was a revelation. The other thing I loved about the recipe was this clever technique: the just-grilled potatoes are tossed first with a little rice vinegar, which absorbs quickly into the warm potatoes, and then with a couple of handfuls of arugula, which wilts gently under their heat.

Over the years, I’ve adapted the recipe, using red wine vinegar for the vinaigrette instead of more rice vinegar, leaving out the yellow pepper, substituting red onion for the original shallot, and eventually forgoing the grill. For me, the fresh, bold flavors in the salad are the reason for its success, and I found that grilling the potatoes can distract from this. But by all means use the grill if you’d like -- just blanch the potatoes first, and then finish them on skewers on the grill for a few minutes. —Merrill Stubbs

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1/2 small red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 poundsnew potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Salt
  • 1 tablespoonrice vinegar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoonsfinely chopped chives
  • 3 cupsarugula, stems removed, washed and dried and very roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoonsred wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoonDijon mustard
  • 5 tablespoonsgood olive oil
Directions
  1. Put the onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water (this will remove some of the bite). Put the potatoes in a large pot of generously salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Lower the heat so the water is barely simmering and cook for about 10 minutes, until you can pierce the potatoes with the tip of a sharp knife and it slips out easily. Drain the potatoes well and pour them into a large bowl.
  3. Gently toss the warm potatoes with the rice vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the chives, arugula and red onion and stir through.
  4. Whisk together the red wine vinegar, mustard and olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the potato mixture and toss to combine. Serve warm or keep covered at room temperature for up to an hour.

Tags:

  • Salad Dressing
  • Salad
  • Potato Salad
  • American
  • Potato
  • Vinegar
  • Arugula
  • Chive
  • Mustard
  • Red Wine
  • Vegan
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Hark

  • SandraH

  • Cheryl

  • Natalie Stetz

  • ErinC

Popular on Food52

41 Reviews

Hark March 17, 2024

Super easy, great vegan side.

abrahlek September 29, 2021

This recipe creates an excellent healthy potato salad! It made plenty and made excellent leftovers.

jodyrah July 29, 2018

Store bought arugula vs homegrown is like hot house tomatoes vs homegrown. Were store bought arugula my only choice, I’d pass. Arugula is very easy to grow and like lettuce, you pick the leaves and it replenishes itself.

SandraH July 8, 2017

I made this today for a birthday luncheon and everyone really enjoyed it. I'll certainly be making it again!

csemsack July 3, 2017

We just finished dinner and this salad was the star! My 19 year old son had 3 helpings, dinner guests practically licked their plates clean! Please make this!

Cheryl June 26, 2017

Really enjoyed this! Didn't add the agave and instead used white sweet potatoes which are less sweet than other sweet potatoes. Didn't have chives, so didn't use. I might add in a bit more arugula next time. This got a rave review by my roommate.

csemsack August 11, 2016

This was so good!. Everyone loved it, a nice change from mayo laden potato salads.

Thanks for this really great recipe! I'm crazy for arugula and I wanted to make something a bit different for the 4th of July festivities. I made it as it's written and the flavors are far superior to a regular potato salad. WOW, LOVE THIS!

AnnaB May 6, 2014

This dish was such a hit! It's very flavorful and impressive for dinner, but super easy to make. It's a new favorite of mine.

frances85221 May 5, 2014

Didn't have Arugula and made this with Purslane from the local Mexican instead. Probably the best potato salad recipe I've tried so far. Thank you Merrill!

Merrill S. May 5, 2014

You're so welcome!

ErinC May 3, 2014

Perfect potato salad to accompany grilled steak on a May evening! Thanks for the terrific recipe! Added garlic and was generous with the arugula--yumm!

amp156 August 19, 2013

This is delicious and still great the next day. Made this several times, my favorite way is to add a big handful of tarragon.

Pably W. June 5, 2013

I've made a similar batch with dandelion greens and added some fresh garlic.

Merrill S. June 5, 2013

Yum!

MMD June 5, 2013

Have you ever tried hot French Potato Salad? Great with lots of herbs, and even cold.

Merrill S. June 5, 2013

Yes, one of my favorites...

mlsparks May 27, 2013

Made this last week, and I'm already thinking of making it again tonight. It is so delicious and easy, i made a slight variation and added some cooked pancetta, as I had it leftover in the fridge and needed an excuse to use it. Excellent recipe, THANK YOU!

Judith J. May 21, 2013

Yummy

Ambitious March 13, 2013

I just made this yesterday and it was delicious! I despise raw onions but this was tolerable :)

sbf-ct July 9, 2012

Made this for July 4th family picnic (in a family of SERIOUSLY good Portuguese cooks).. it was a huge hit! Very nice fresh tasting take on potato salad! Thanks! I'm going to try it with fresh cilantro next time!

Lollypaul July 5, 2012

Loved this recipe! After first mixing it up and tasting it, I thought it was a little bland. About 1 1/2 hours later, when serving it, it had great taste. I think the arugula (my first time using it) really added to that peppery taste. I used cider vinegar instead of the red wine vinegar because of what I had on hand. Great 4th of July side dish to BBQ ribs! I will make it again!

doodadie May 28, 2012

I learned a recipe similar to this but it called for fresh mint and scallions instead of the arugula. Also yummy.

Potato Salad With Arugula & Dijon Vinaigrette Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

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 if I put too much vinegar in my potato salad? ›

As Wiggly Wisdom shares, a vinegary potato salad can easily be salvaged with a bit of lemon zest. Just take a fine grater or zester to the rind, measure out about a half teaspoon of zest per two cups of potato salad, and mix it in. Orange and lime also work if you don't have any lemon on hand.

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.

How to make a potato salad Jamie Oliver? ›

Method
  1. Gently boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and slowly add the olive oil. ...
  3. Slice the cooked potatoes in half and dress with the shallot and parsley vinaigrette.

What is in Walmart potato salad? ›

POTATOES, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT), MUSTARD (WATER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR], XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR), DILL PICKLE CUBES (CUCUMBER VINEGAR, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL ...

What makes homemade potato salad watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

Does potato salad contain vinegar? ›

All you need is four ingredients for this simple potato salad recipe: scallions, mayonnaise, white-wine vinegar, and Yukon gold potatoes.

What herbs are in potato salad Ina Garten? ›

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss.

Do you have to wait for potatoes to cool before making potato salad? ›

Yes, if your potato salad is a cold salad, as most are, allow the cooked potatoes to cool to room temperature before adding the dressing and other ingredients.

What happens if you eat too much potato salad? ›

Potatoes May Cause Your Blood Sugar to Spike

Cooked potatoes have a relatively high glycemic index, which means the food raises blood sugar more quickly than others. Depending on the potato variety and cooking method, potatoes' glycemic index can range from 50 to 111, according to 2022 research in Foods.

What does vinegar do to potatoes? ›

The acid in the vinegar can also help to slightly break down the surface of the potatoes, aiding in the development of a crispier texture during frying. Additionally, the vinegar can contribute to a golden-brown color on the exterior of the fries.

Why is my potato salad gummy? ›

Not Getting The Cook Time Right

If you overcook them, the result is a mushy, grainy mess. And if you undercook them, you end up with crunchy (not in a good way) potatoes. It's a delicate balance to achieve soft, tender potatoes for that just-right potato salad texture.

What does Rachael Ray use to mash potatoes? ›

Mash potatoes with half-and-half or milk using a potato masher. Add in the cream cheese and smash until the cheese melts into the potatoes. Add chives or scallions. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

What is the recipe for Rachael Ray's smashed potatoes? ›

Cover the potatoes in cool water in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain the potatoes, return to the hot pan and stir them over low heat to dry them out. Add the butter, sour cream and milk to the potatoes and smash to your desired consistency.

Is potato salad really good for you? ›

Potato salad can be high in calories and fat, depending on the ingredients used. Potatoes themselves are relatively low in calories and fat, but the other ingredients, such as mayonnaise, sour cream, bacon, and cheese, can add up quickly. Additionally, portion size plays a big role in the total calorie and fat intake.

How long should potato salad sit before you eat it? ›

Here are the USDA guidelines: To prepare, once potatoes are cooked and mixture has mayonnaise added then “cool to 70º F in 2 hrs or less and then to 41°F in 4 hrs or less.” Note, the USDA recommends that “if the potato salad was held in excess of 41°F for over two hours, then discard.” more than two hours.

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