Potato salad is just boiled potatoes in mayonnaise dressing, right? Wrong! This dish may seem simple, but it’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Here’s what makes this dish such a perfect side.
German-born, now worldwide
These days, potato salad is enjoyed in numerous countries around the world. However, it first originated in Germany. Early versions used wine and vinegar, later transitioning to creamy dressings like mayo. The dish was so delicious that it didn’t take long to spread around Europe and then to the US, one of the countries where it’s most popular today.
One of the beauties of potato salad is that it’s not just possible to make ahead of time-it’s actually better to make ahead of time. Leaving the dish to rest for a few hours or overnight gives the flavours a chance to blend into the dressing and come together. This makes it a popular choice for parties, big dinners and other busy cooking events.
The perfect side for every main
There is an almost unlimited wealth of potato salad recipes out there, each one with its own twists and quirks. However, most great recipes have one thing in common: they use waxy potatoes. There are two broad categories of potato, and the starchy variety is never the right choice for a salad because they don’t maintain their shape after they’re boiled. Beyond that, there’s variation in every ingredient. While mayonnaise is the most common dressing, many people choose to use yoghurt or sour cream. Potato salad also includes herbs and vegetables that can range from chives and onions to Cajun seasoning and pickles.
The only difficulty in finding a main meal to pair with potato salad is that it goes well with almost anything. Light in both texture and flavour, it can bring out the flavours in everything from meat to seafood to vegetarian meals. One type of cuisine it’s often found with is barbecue, making the perfect complement to grilled meat and corn on the cob. It’s also a common accompaniment to smoked salmon and other fish fillet dishes. Because it’s creamy, many people also enjoy it as a way to cool down spicy meals like chilli chicken.
Enjoy it with many cuisines
With foodpanda, you’ll find restaurants from a wide variety of cuisines with potato salad on the menu.
At Deutschlander, European dishes like sauerkraut and escalope are served with this creamy goodness on the side. At Sesami, you’ll find it as an accompaniment to classic Japanese bento boxes, from teriyaki chicken to roasted miso fish.