Potato salad is a classic summer side dish that must always be seasoned generously to avoid a bland end result. This starts with using salted water to cook the potatoes, says Bon Appétit, celeb chef Jamie Oliver also advocates for liberally salting the cooked potatoes when they're fresh out of the water and still warm.

Seasoning cubed, boiled potatoes as soon as they’re out of the hot water is vital for Oliver, as he demonstrates in a YouTube video. He evenly coats the warm potatoes in extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and lots of salt and pepper, so the potatoes can drink everything in while they're still warm and porous.

"Often when you flavor things when they're cold, it just sits on the outside," Oliver says in the video. "Because it's hot, whatever you put in now will go into the actual veggies." No matter what type of dressing you choose, this first step will ensure the potatoes are seasoned and delicious — all the way through.