
Let’s face it—your favorite picnic side is in need of a serious makeover. We all love a classic mayo-based potato salad, but it’s time to elevate and try something with a little more… je ne sais quoi. French potato salad is the punchy, bright, and herby addition to your list of summer side dishes that you didn’t know you needed. Tender, creamy potatoes get tossed with a garlicky mustard dressing and showered with plenty of fresh chopped herbs to create this simple and satisfying version of the crowd-pleasing side. Everyone will be asking who made the potato salad—but in a good way.
You might be wondering, How the heck is this creamy with no mayonnaise?! It’s all in the potatoes. When boiled properly, baby red or Yukon gold potatoes develop a soft, buttery texture, and their starch combines with the olive oil in the dressing that results in a creamy texture in the dish. We used red and purple baby potatoes for color, but any kind of small, thin-skinned potato will work. The lack of mayonnaise is also what makes this ideal for an outdoor gathering. There’s nothing worse than having to skip the potato salad because it's been baking in the hot sun for hours.
When this becomes your new favorite side, feel free to switch up the herbs. We went with the classic combo of dill, parsley, and tarragon with some scallions, but cilantro, basil, and chives would also be delicious!
Have you tried this yet? Leave us a comment below to let us know how it went!
This recipe was updated on August 31st, 2023 in response to comments about the amount of salt.
Ingredients
- 3 lb.
baby red or purple potatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup
plus 2 tsp. (or more) kosher salt
- 4
cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup
extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup
Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp.
(or more) freshly ground black pepper
- 6 Tbsp.
white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar, divided
- 4
scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup
chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup
chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup
chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
- Step 1Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water by at least 1". Add 1/4 cup salt and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes until tender while still holding their shape, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine garlic, oil, mustard, pepper, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 2 teaspoons salt.
- Step 3Drain potatoes and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Step 4Transfer potatoes to a large serving bowl. Add dressing, scallions, parsley, dill, and tarragon. Toss to combine; season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Enjoy at room temperature or cover and chill until ready to serve.