Delicious Takes On Potato Salad From Around The World You Need To Try
It's hard to think of anyone who doesn't like potatoes. But a few centuries ago, most people didn't even know they existed. Potatoes were grown and harvested in South America's Andes Mountains for millennia and only came to Europe and the rest of the world starting in the 16th century. Today, they're grown, eaten, and beloved around the globe, and are considered one of the world's most important crops.
One of the best things about potatoes is that they can be prepared and eaten in so many different ways. That includes as the main ingredient in a delicious potato salad. But as satisfying as your go-to potato salad recipe may be, you might want to change things up. If that's the case, here's some good news: Many countries and cultures have their own variety of potato salad. The two essential ingredients for this dish are potatoes (usually boiled and chopped) and a sauce or dressing of some kind. But that sauce or dressing, not to mention additional ingredients, can vary widely.
You could say that possibilities are endless when it comes to potato salad, which makes this dish an easy way to expand your culinary tastes and habits. If you want to upgrade your potato salad recipe, here are some of the most popular versions of potato salad from around the world to inspire you.
North German potato salad (Berliner Kartoffelsalat)
Most experts agree that many countries' potato salad recipes probably originated in Germany. It's certainly still a very popular side dish there to this day. There are numerous regional varieties of German potato salad, and it seems almost every German family has their own spin on the dish.
The type of potato salad most of us are familiar with is closely related to potato salad from northern Germany. Sometimes called Berliner potato salad (Berliner Kartoffelsalat), it's served cold, unlike many other German potato salads. The basic Berliner potato salad consists of chopped boiled potatoes in mayonnaise and, often, some other cream base like sour cream. Usually, dill pickles and parsley are added. But the world of German potato salads is complex, so you may very well come across variants, including some in which vinegar, pickle juice, and caraway seeds are used instead of creamy mayo and pickles. The good side to all of this is that you'll probably never get tired of making — and tasting — Berliner potato salad.
American potato salad
American potato salad is a classic and iconic side dish at gatherings and barbecues. A typical American potato salad consists of chopped boiled potatoes in a dressing of mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Common add-ins include chopped hard-boiled eggs, onions, and celery. But as you might know from personal experience, variations abound.
The essential idea of American potato salad is a contrast between creamy and tangy — which is where the mayo, mustard, and vinegar come into play. While you might think you should wait for your potatoes to cool before mixing them with the other ingredients, chefs like Martha Stewart and Jessica Gavin advise drizzling the vinegar (usually either white or cider vinegar) onto the potatoes while they're still hot, then mixing everything else later. Gavin explains that the hot potatoes will more easily absorb the flavor of the vinegar, thus maximizing your potato salad's tangy appeal. But while this is a good tip to keep in mind, when you make your American potato salad, don't forget about freedom! Namely, you're free to change up the recipe and upgrade your classic potato salad with an array of flavorful enhancements.
Japanese potato salad (poteto sarada)
Poteto sarada, or Japanese potato salad, features a base of mashed potatoes and vegetables slathered in Kewpie mayonnaise and seasoned with a dash of rice vinegar. It's a delicious addition to bento boxes, where its creamy taste and texture marries splendidly with the other fried, vinegary, and salty foods you'll find alongside it. But it's also a side dish many Japanese people eat at home or at gatherings.
Unlike most other potato salads, poteto sarada requires mashing potatoes instead of chopping them. Once the mashed potatoes have cooled, they're mixed with vegetables and other ingredients. Typical additions to poteto sarada include cucumber, ham, hard-boiled egg, and carrots. All of the ingredients should be relatively soft, though the cucumber and carrots, usually served in thin slices, will add a slight bit of crunch. But while poteto sarada stands out by including mashed, rather than chopped, potatoes, it's very similar to the other potato salads on our list in one way: There are countless variants, based on individuals' tastes. So if there's an ingredient you don't like or one you'd like to add, you'll still be keeping within the rules of poteto sarada. For instance, vegetarians could remove ham from their poteto sarada. Or when it comes to creative add-ins, some recipes suggest a pinch of sugar.
Ethiopian beet and potato salad (key sir alicha)
Those who love Ethiopian food know that it's a cuisine that doesn't get the attention it deserves. They also know that there are some amazing Ethiopian potato-based dishes. One of the best is key sir alicha, a potato salad that stands out from many of the world's other potato salads by featuring beets, which give it a unique sweetness. Like any potato salad recipe, key sir alicha has many variants, but the basic ingredients are chopped boiled potatoes, beets, ginger, garlic, and yellow onion. Another way key sir alicha stands out is that it can be served hot or cold. So if this potato salad has got your mouth watering, there's no need to wait for it to cool down before you start to enjoy it! And if there's any left over, you can even try it cold later to see which version you prefer.
Speaking of which version you prefer, you may come across another kind of Ethiopian potato salad, dinich salata, which doesn't include beets but rather chopped boiled potatoes in lemon juice and olive oil, with varying additional ingredients and seasonings (Would it even be a potato salad if there weren't variations?), so there's another source of potato salad inspiration.
Russian potato salad (Olivier salad)
Russian or Olivier (pronounced "Olive-yay") salad is a popular side dish in Russia as well as in places as far away as Central and South America. Its international appeal may come from its roots. Olivier salad's basic ingredients include diced hard-boiled eggs, carrots, peas, meat or fish of some kind, and, of course, potatoes (boiled and chopped), with mayonnaise for the sauce. It was initially created as a combination of 19th-century Belgian chef Lucien Olivier's culinary and cultural preferences as well as those at the Hermitage, where he was employed at the time. Olivier Salad is an iconic New Year's dish in Russia, but you can enjoy it anytime. Bonus: This tasty potato salad could be the perfect way to get kids to eat vegetables without complaining.
If you want to upgrade your Olivier salad, you could go old-school and replace affordable, ordinary ingredients with luxuries like lobster meat, which food writer Felicity Cloake reports was once a key element of the version by the famous chef Escoffier (He also added truffles and caviar into the mix, in case you really want to go all out). Or consider using less common vegetables (Cloake recommends turnips) or playing with different seasonings. The possibilities are endless.
Peruvian potato salad (papa a la Huancaína)
Potatoes originated in and around Peru, where they were harvested by the local population for thousands of years before they were exposed to the rest of the world. Naturally, Peru also has its own traditional potato salad recipe: papa a la Huancaína.
As with any kind of potato salad, there are many variations on papa a la Huancaína, including many recipes that will suggest substitutes for some ingredients that might not be easily available, depending on where you live. Unlike many other potato salads, what makes papa a la Huancaína unique is that not only its taste, but some of its key elements, like aji amarillo paste, are very closely tied to the region it came from. In fact, "Huancaína" refers to both this potato salad's sauce and the region of Huancayo, where the dish originated. Luckily, many of its other ingredients should be easy to find just about anywhere, including potatoes, garlic, red onion, olive oil, and lettuce. Papa a la Huancaína is served cold, making for an interesting contrast with its innate, spicy heat from the aji amarillo paste (or a fitting substitute you may have found).
Swedish potato salad (färskpotatissallad)
It may seem strange to associate a hearty food like potatoes with a word like "refreshing," but färskpotatissallad, or Swedish potato salad, achieves that seemingly impossible goal. And despite this culinary feat, it's also one of the easiest potato salads on our list to make. This traditional Swedish potato salad calls for chopped boiled potatoes in a mixture of mostly crème fraîche and some mayonnaise. Add in chopped dill and serve cool, and experience the refreshing flavor for yourself. No wonder färskpotatissallad is a popular side dish at Midsummer celebrations in Sweden.
One thing that makes this recipe even easier is you can substitute sour cream for crème fraîche. Food purists might point out that they're not exactly the same thing, but the tastes are very close. And on the opposite side of things, if you want to make your Swedish potato salad less simple, feel free to add in whatever seems good to you. For instance, some variants include mustard in the sauce. After all, as much as it stands out for its refreshing flavor, färskpotatissallad is a potato salad, which practically encourages you to put your own spin on it!
Greek potato salad (patatosalata)
The essential ingredients of Greek potato salad, or patatosalata, are chopped boiled potatoes, olive oil, garlic, and the signature touch that's found in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern potato salads: lemon juice. Many versions also include dill, capers, and Kalamata olives. But patatosalata comes with a unique Greek spin thanks to feta cheese. The crumbled pieces of cheese add a creamy element to a type of potato salad that normally doesn't have this quality.
But if you're not a fan of feta, no need to worry. Like all potato salad recipes, there are many variations of patatosalata. Even some featured on traditional Greek cooking sites and blogs omit the cheese. Also, as you might expect, numerous patatosalata recipes have other, different add-ins. For example, many include vinegar in the sauce. Others recommend tomatoes (sun-dried or otherwise). One of our favorite add-ins is cucumbers, which give a cool, crisp note to this flavorful potato salad.
Caribbean potato salad
The Caribbean is a bright and vibrant place, full of different cultures. Caribbean potato salad perfectly reflects this, with a variety of ingredients that add sweetness and unusual flavor to a typical creamy potato salad base. There are countless takes on Caribbean potato salad, but the main idea is that a sweet ingredient or two are usually added. Often, a spicy element is included, as well.
For instance, Renz, of the Caribbean food blog This Bago Girl's favorite Caribbean potato salad recipe includes potatoes, mayo, mustard, red onions, sweet corn, and paprika. Imma, of blog Immaculate Bites, goes without the corn but adds Heinz salad dressing, sweet relish, and Cajun spice into her Caribbean potato salad recipe. Some Caribbean potato salad recipes you'll come across even make a change to the fundamental ingredient, using sweet potatoes instead. With so many unusual variations, we recommend you have a look at a few different Caribbean potato salad recipes for inspiration before you create your own.
Lebanese potato salad (batata harra)
Most potato salads consist of boiled potatoes, but batata harra, a popular side dish in Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries, turns up the heat. The potatoes are fried or roasted instead of boiled. As is the norm with potato salads, there are many variants on batata harra, but its name, which translates to "spicy potatoes," sums up the central, unchangeable idea. Crispy potatoes are served in an olive-oil-based sauce that includes chili flakes in addition to other, more variable seasonings, like garlic and cilantro. Many fans of the dish also like to add lemon juice.
In addition to variations on seasonings, fellow food blogger Hajar Larbah (who includes tomato paste in her batata harra sauce) points out that even the potatoes can be prepared in different ways. Larbah prefers to fry hers in oil, while Lebanese food blogger Yamna Jawad shares that she likes to put olive oil and salt on hers and roast them in the oven before mixing them with the other ingredients. If you have a favorite way of making crispy potatoes, why not cap it off with the spicy seasonings of batata harra?
Korean potato salad (gamja salad)
Korean potato salad, or gamja salad, shares the same base ingredients as many other potato salads: boiled potatoes and mayonnaise. But it differs from most in a few ways. First, there's the texture. Like Japanese potato salad, gamja salad uses mashed potatoes instead of chopped. Second, there's the add-ins. While carrots, cucumber, and, often, finely chopped hard-boiled eggs are classic elements, many versions of this dish also include sweet additions like apples or raisins.
Cold or room-temperature gamja salad is often served as a side dish or sandwich filling. That means it's not just a potential source of potato salad inspiration in terms of its ingredients but also in how it's served. So why not make some gamja salad and then enjoy it between two slices of your favorite kind of bread? Or if you're a big fan of gamja salad, why not have it both ways, as a sandwich with a little left over to eat on the side?
Bavarian potato salad
Our list started with one kind of potato salad from Germany. Since that country is most likely the origin of our favorite potato-based side dish, what better than to end with another German potato salad recipe? While cool, creamy Berliner potato salad may very well be the inspiration for many other kinds of potato salad around the world, Bavarian potato salad takes things in a very different direction and seems to be a favorite among German food bloggers. It's also got a following overseas; for instance, it's what many Americans are referring to when they say "German potato salad."
As with Berliner potato salad, Bavarian potato salad recipes can vary a bit (or even a lot), but the essential things to know are that it's usually served hot and that its essential ingredients are chopped boiled potatoes and, typically, thick-cut bacon bits, in a sauce that includes beef or chicken broth, mustard, a small amount of sugar, and vinegar. From there, you can look for a traditional recipe, or feel free to get creative. You may decide to add additional meats or go for a taste contrast by mixing in ingredients like pickles or apples — or why not go crazy and add both? After all, if there's one thing that all potato salads have in common, it's variety and creativity!