Ina Garten potato salad from Food Network dresses warm quartered potatoes in a buttermilk mayo with Dijon, whole-grain mustard, and fresh dill. And the salad serves 6 to 8 at approximately 350 calories per serving in about 30 minutes of active work, since a few hours of fridge time blends the flavors.
After draining the boiled potatoes, Ina sets the colander back over the empty pot and covers them with a towel to steam for 15 to 20 minutes. So the residual heat dries the surface while the insides finish cooking, which means the dressing clings to each piece instead of sliding off wet, watery potatoes.
Pouring the dressing over the potatoes while they are still warm is the technique that makes this version absorb flavor all the way through. And if you wait until the potatoes cool completely, the starch on the surface has already set and the dressing sits on top like a coating instead of soaking in.
Source: Ina Garten (Food Network)
Ina Garten Potato Salad
Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalSmall white potatoes boil until barely tender, then steam under a towel in the colander to dry before cutting. Then a whisked dressing of mayo, buttermilk, two mustards, dill, salt, and pepper pours over the warm pieces with celery and red onion before chilling.
Ingredients
- For the potatoes:
3 pounds small white potatoes
2 tablespoons kosher salt (for the boiling water)
- For the dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the salad:
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Boil the potatoes: Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot of water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
- Check for doneness: Once barely tender when pierced with a knife, drain the potatoes in a colander.
- Steam dry under a towel: Then set the colander over the empty pot, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let the potatoes steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Make the dressing: While the potatoes steam, whisk the mayo, buttermilk, both mustards, dill, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Cut the potatoes: Once cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes into quarters or halves depending on size.
- Dress while warm: Then place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour enough dressing over them to moisten while still warm.
- Add the vegetables: Once dressed, fold in the celery, red onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Chill and serve: Then toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours before serving cold or at room temperature.
FAQs
Why does the recipe steam the potatoes after draining?
Covering the drained potatoes with a towel lets the residual heat evaporate surface moisture, so the skins dry out slightly before cutting. And dry potatoes absorb the dressing much better than wet ones, because there is no water barrier between the starch and the mayo.
Skipping this step leaves the potatoes slippery, and the dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl instead of coating each piece. So the 15 to 20 minutes under the towel is not resting time, it is an active drying step that changes the finished texture.
Can I use a different type of potato?
Small white potatoes hold their shape after boiling and cutting, which keeps the salad looking clean on a plate. And Yukon golds work as a swap since they have a similar waxy texture, though their yellow color changes the appearance slightly.
But avoid russet potatoes, because they crumble into starchy pieces when tossed with the dressing. Since the salad gets tossed multiple times before and after chilling, a firm, waxy potato is the only type that survives without falling apart.
Why does the dressing use two types of mustard?
Dijon dissolves smoothly into the mayo and buttermilk base and adds sharp, clean heat. And whole-grain mustard brings visible seeds that pop with texture in each bite, so the two together create more complexity than one alone.
This same two-mustard approach shows up in the ina garten mustard chicken salad, where Dijon and whole-grain serve the same purpose in a heavier mayo dressing. But the potato salad uses buttermilk to thin the base, which makes the overall texture lighter than the chicken version.
How far ahead can I make this?
The salad needs at least a few hours of fridge time for the flavors to blend, so making it the morning of a party is ideal. And it keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the dill loses some brightness after the first day.
But add the celery and red onion at the time of mixing, not right before serving, because they need the chilling time to soften slightly into the dressing. And pull the bowl from the fridge about 20 minutes before serving, since cold dulls the mustard and dill flavors.
What pairs well with this potato salad?
Grilled chicken, burgers, or steak all work since the tangy buttermilk dressing cuts through charred, fatty proteins. And the fresh dill keeps the plate tasting bright instead of heavy, which makes this a better cookout side than mayo-only versions.
For a full Barefoot Contessa summer spread, serve this alongside the ina garten roasted shrimp salad, because both dishes taste best at room temperature and complement each other without overlapping flavors. But skip serving it with another creamy side like coleslaw, because two mayo-based dishes on the same plate feel one-note.
