Mashed Potato Salad With Scallions and Herbs

By Melissa Clark

Mashed Potato Salad With Scallions and Herbs
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,030)
Comments
Read comments

Creamier than a classic potato salad, and chunkier and zestier than regular mashed potatoes, this hybrid dish can be served warm or at room temperature, when its texture is at its softest and best. (Never serve this cold; no one likes cold mashed potatoes.) The key to getting the right texture is to cook the potatoes a little more than you would for potato salad, but not so much that they completely fall apart. You are looking for chunks of potatoes coated in a fluffy layer of highly seasoned mashed potatoes. Potato salads tend to absorb their seasonings as they sit, so for the most flavorful dish, be prepared to add more salt, lemon juice and olive oil to taste just before serving.

Featured in: An Accidentally Creamier, Fluffier Potato Salad

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 2pounds red potatoes, cut into 1½-inch chunks
  • Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, plus more lemon juice for serving
  • 2teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
  • 1teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed
  • 1teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • Dash or two of hot sauce, to taste
  • ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 2tablespoons mayonnaise, sour cream or crème fraîche
  • 1tablespoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard
  • ½cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
  • ¼cup chopped parsley
  • 2tablespoons chopped basil or dill
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

192 calories; 12 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 345 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook the potatoes in a pot of well-salted water until they are very tender but not mushy, 15 to 22 minutes. Drain well.

  2. Step 2

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, rosemary, salt, pepper and hot sauce. When the salt is dissolved, whisk in the olive oil, mayonnaise and mustard.

  3. Step 3

    Add potatoes to the bowl and mix them very well, until well coated with dressing. Then use the spoon to mash about a quarter of them. You want 1-inch (or so) chunks of potatoes coated in some mashed potatoes. Add scallions and parsley and toss well. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice, hot sauce and olive oil, if needed. Scatter chopped basil or dill over dressed potatoes. Serve warm or at room temperature, but not cold.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,030 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Katie

I've made something just like this for two summers and its genesis was almost exactly the same except I used little red potatoes and I overcooked them all by myself. Guess what? You can fry up any leftovers the next morning.

Kelley B

The texture and the method is what my family refers to as "mom's potato salad", It's the recipe we grew up on and have all used since my mom started in the '60s. Our dressing is mostly mayo: 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup half and half, 1 medium onion diced, 1 tsp each salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix together all ingredients and let sit at room temp while potatoes cook. Add a few spoonfuls at a time and mix in completely before adding more. Sprinkle paprika over the top.

kmm

Hi Melissa:

Thanks for all of your recipes. I am a big fan. With this one, I added grape tomatoes cut in half length wise for color and another layer of texture. Placed the potato salad on a bed of basil.
This potato salad is even better the next day! I did use your suggestion of tiny bits of bacon (smoked bacon, actually.) Yum, yum and yum!

Karen and Dennis

Precut and cook peeled russet potatoes for 10 minutes until still firm but cooked. Drain and cool. Use as more herbs such as parsley. No basil but plenty of dill. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Potato Salad Compromise

After years of trying to find a good compromise between Mayo and no Mayo potato salad, we have finally found one that tastes great without Mayo (opted for sour cream). This was delicious and will be a go to from now on.

Hillary

The perfect potato salad for every occasion. Make ahead, keep cool and rejuvenate as directed before putting in your favourite serving bowl. I make this all summer long…. As repeatedly requested. Yum

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.