FOOD NEWS
17 Mistakes Everyone Makes With Potato Salad
BY SARA KLIMEK
Wrong Variety
Waxy spud potatoes are often the go-to choice for potato salad, as their firm texture and smooth skin prevent them from getting soggy and breaking down when boiled.
Varieties like red bliss or fingerling will also work. For a creamier salad, opt for starchy varieties like russet or Yukon Gold, which fall apart the second you start mixing them.
Not Using Frozen
Turn to the freezer for a quicker, crunchier twist on classic potato salad. Start with a bag of frozen cubed hash browns and blanch them in hot water.
Since the frozen potatoes are pre-cooked, cook them only for three to four minutes in boiling water to ensure the perfect texture before you dress them with your chosen toppings.
Only Boiling
Rather than always boil your potatoes to make a potato salad, try roasting them instead. The heat makes them crispy and brown, providing a colorful textural contrast.
Stick with waxy potatoes, which stay intact and crunchy as they roast. Then, go with your usual dressing and ingredients, or amp up the salad with bacon, mayo, and fresh herbs.
Cubing Randomly
Ensure the potato pieces are cubed correctly so they cook evenly. Each cube's ideal size is ½-inch for most recipes, but it's more important that they're all equal.
To avoid overcooking, keep smaller pieces of your potatoes in the boiling water for roughly 15 minutes or so. You can stick them with a fork to ensure they're soft enough.
Ignoring Steaming
Steaming spuds in either a steamer basket or a colander instead of boiling prevents them from being watery and helps them remain tender and flavorful.
Add peeled, cubed potatoes to a heat-proof colander and suspend it a few inches above boiling water. Cover them with a lid to keep the steam from escaping while they cook.