This German-style warm potato salad is a classic for me, and one that we had every summer growing up. It's ready in under 15 minutes, good hot, cold, or room temp, and unlike other potato salads that are loaded up with mayo, you don't have to worry about it sitting in the sun nearly as much. With lots of fresh herbs and green beans, it's the perfect summer salad.
For some more picnic-worthy summertime salads, try my rainbow salad, vegan hot girl summer salad, or raw carrot salad.
Ingredients
If you have a garden, you probably grow most, if not all, of the main ingredients needed! If not, they're readily available all summer long.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Potatoes: new potatoes with a delicate thin skin are best here, and shouldn't be peeled. Give them a good scrub and that's enough.
- Green beans: this can be any type of fresh green (or purple) bean. Wash them right before cooking so that they don't rust while being stored.
- Capers: if you don't like or can't get capers, a diced dill pickle makes a good substitution.
- Herbs: I like dill, parsley, and chives, as outlined in the recipe card, but you can use a mix of any soft herbs you like.
- Mustard: if you don't have grainy mustard, Dijon is a good sub.
How to Make Potato Salad
This is ready in the time it takes the potatoes to cook! While they're boiling, you cook the beans and make the dressing, then mix while everything is still warm and serve.
Step 1: cook the potatoes in salted water until fork soft.
Step 2: while the potatoes are cooking, sauté the green beans.
Step 3: mix the dressing ingredients.
Step 4: once the vegetables are cooked, mix with the dressing and serve.
Top Tips
- Mix while hot: as with any warm potato salad, it's key that the dressing is mixed with the potatoes while they're still hot. This makes the dressing absorb into the potatoes and packs a big flavour punch.
- Don't over-cook: the potatoes and beans should be cooked until just tender, not mushy or falling apart. Fork-soft potatoes and still snappy green beans.
- Season well: the water for the potatoes should be well salted, just as you would for cooking pasta. Like any starchy food, you can't season as effectively after they're cooked, and it's important that the water they're cooked in is well seasoned for the best taste.
How to Store
Storage: keep the salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Freezing: while it can technically be frozen, the texture isn't any good after thawing, so I don't recommend freezing this salad.
FAQ
Is potato salad served warm or cold?
Potato salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold, depending on the type of salad it is. An oil-based salad like this one is good at any temperature.
What goes with warm potato salad?
Serve with any summery picnic foods! Think roasted vegetables, veggies and green goddess dip, other salads, and anything else you like.
How long can warm potato salad sit out?
A couple hours at most, or less if it's very warm out. Otherwise, if you want to make it ahead of time, keep it in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
More Summer Garden Recipes
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Recipe
Warm Potato Salad with Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds waxy or new potatoes, scrubbed 900 grams
- 5.5 oz. green beans 150 grams (or a nice big handful)
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
- ½ cup diced shallot
- ¼ cup chopped dill
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives optional
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 green onion chopped
- Chive blossoms for garnish or chives
Instructions
- Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces (I cut them into rough quarters). Get a large pot of salted water to the boil. When it's rapidly boiling add the potatoes and cook them just until they are fork tender (be careful not to let them go mushy) - this might be around ten minutes depending on the size of your cut.2 pounds waxy or new potatoes, scrubbed
- While the potatoes are cooking, heat a pan over medium heat. Once it's hot, add a splash of oil and the green beans. Sauté them for a few minutes, until they turn bright green. Add 1 tablespoon of water, then cover the pan quickly to trap the steam. Let them cook for about two-three minutes. You want them to be cooked but still have a crispness.5.5 oz. green beans
- Make the dressing. In your serving bowl combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, shallot, herbs, capers, and green onion. Stir to combine.5 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon grainy mustard, ½ cup diced shallot, ¼ cup chopped dill, ½ cup chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped chives, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 green onion
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and add them to the serving bowl with the green beans. Toss to dress. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Garnish and serve the salad warm or refrigerate for later.Chive blossoms for garnish
Thank you so much for this recipe! A friend recommended it to me for our 20-person cookout, and it was a hit! I don't think any of us ever had a non-mayo potato salad before, and we were all delighted with how good this was.
Used chives and chive flowers from the garden (very proud of myself, although I have to admit that if you sow chives seeds and end up with A LOT of chives and then forget about them, they reseed themselves without any human interference). Couldn't find dill in any of the shops so I went without, and it was still delish.
This potato salad is now part of the Summer rotation in this house. Thanks again!
i like mayo based potato salads, but those feel more appropriate for colder weather when i want something rich and hearty. this sounds perfect for summer, though, with all those fresh herbs (:
I love potato salads, especially olive-oil-based ones. Yum! x PS I love the photos of the chive flowers :). So pretty.
You had me at "German style olive oil based"...I can taste my childhood like it was yesterday; thankfully, I can't taste the Liverwurst anymore (sadly, I still can tho lol). I'll be making this one. So much goodness surrounding those little nuggets, plus it's so beautiful.
x
Oh how I love a good, hearty & herby potato salad. Growing up in the midwest, they were a staple at every neighborhood or gathering and taste so nostalgic to me (even if most people went the mayo/egg route- I prefer olive oil too). Can't wait to recreate this salad this summer! xx
This is gorgeous and everything my body is craving right now. Those chive blossoms are stunning plus you have a little bee friend!