This Shortcut Makes The Perfect Potato Salad In 15 Minutes

It turns out that the fastest way to make potato salad (outside of a pre-made tub from the grocery store) is simply choosing potatoes that don't need peeling in the first place. And those potatoes do exist. More thin-skinned varieties cook quickly whilst holding their shape well, which can save you several minutes of prep time.

This shortcut is the secret behind our 15-minute herbed potato salad recipe. We used red potatoes in particular, as they are waxy potatoes, which means they keep their shape after being boiled and won't fall apart in your dressing. And their thin skins can be left on too, adding a little color and texture to the final dish. However, red potatoes aren't the only choice if you're looking to skip peeling. Yukon Gold or fingerling potatoes are two other good options that also have thin skins that don't need to be removed.

In addition to wasting less time, skipping the peeling process also means you're reducing your food waste. And it could even be a little better for your health as well, as much of a potato's nutrients are found close to the skin, so this one simple shortcut can peel (see what we did there?) several minutes off your cooking time whilst putting a potentially even better-for-you salad on the table, too.

Once you understand how thin-skinned varieties work for potato salad, you'll understand why others aren't as well-suited. For example, Russet potatoes have rougher skins and a fluffier inside texture, which is why they're so perfect for baked potatoes or perfectly smooth mashed potatoes. But try boiling them for a potato salad, and they can become crumbly and fall apart.

More tips for making this potato salad trick work involve choosing potatoes that are similar in size so they will cook evenly. If you've grabbed a bag and some are larger than others, you can just cut them up so that they're all closer in size and will become fork-tender at around the same time. Cooking them until fork-tender is often recommended, but there's also the suggestion that overcooking waxier varieties can make them even creamier, although try this at your own risk. Once your potatoes are cooked to the right consistency, only let them cool ever so slightly before you start to dress them, as warm potatoes actually absorb flavors with more ease than cold ones. This is another little trick to help every bite taste more vibrant, even in the case of a potato salad that you've thrown together in just 15 minutes.