Recipes

Five fresh ways to make that firm braai favourite, the potato salad

Scrumptious recipes and clever cooking tips

15 December 2020 - 08:00 By hilary biller
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From left: potato salad with bacon and egg vinaigrette, spiced potato salad, and minty potato and pea salad.
From left: potato salad with bacon and egg vinaigrette, spiced potato salad, and minty potato and pea salad.
Image: Chris Court/Aremedia/Magazine Features

Trendy salads come and go, but the potato salad remains a firm favourite. It’s certainly a must-have side dish at any braai.

It’s said to have originated in Germany, but Mzansi has made it our own by using a tangy salad cream for the dressing rather than the rich eggy mayonnaise the Europeans favour. Other additions are a sprinkle of simple seasoning and, on a good day, some chopped parsley.

That, of course, is the classic South African way to make it, but there are many ways you can dress it up or put your own spin on it — just check out the creative recipes by Emma Knowles below. I, for instance, often replace half the mayo with yoghurt for a less rich dressing.

Whatever recipe you choose, remember that a potato salad does not keep well and so is best made on the day of eating.

When it comes to boiling the potatoes, the secret is to start them off in cold salted water as this results in even cooking. By adding them to boiling water you run the risk that the outsides will turn to mush before the insides are fork tender.

I find it less hassle to boil the potatoes with the skin on, which can then be easily removed provided you do it before the potatoes go cold.

If you’ll be using a larger variety of potatoes, you can save time by peeling them the night before. Place them in a container with lid, cover them with water adding a pinch of salt, and refrigerate. The next day, drain them and boil them in fresh water.

That said, you needn’t peel them at all. We are seeing more and more potato salad recipes where the potato’s skin is left on (because that’s where the goodness lies); a large retailer is even selling a ready-made potato salad with the skins on.

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