Classic potato salad is a simple dish that showcases how the texture of the potatoes melds with your seasonings of choice. But to get that perfect texture that’s firm but not crisp, smooth but not mushy, you have to start by picking the right type of potato. Maggie Turansky, founder and head recipe developer at No Frills Kitchen, has more experience than most thanks to her ample experimentation.
“When making a potato salad, there isn’t one particular potato that is the best; rather a variety of potatoes to avoid — and that would be floury/starchy potatoes like russets,” Turansky told Food Republic. “This is because they have a tendency to break down considerably when cooking — this makes them great for baking but not [good] for potato salad.” When a potato’s starch encounters water, it swells considerably, breaking apart cell walls and making them soft and crumbly. While this makes them ideal for fluffy rather than thick mashed potatoes, potato salad needs them to hold their shape, not fall apart.
“When making potato salad, look for a waxy potato or even a neutral potato like a Yukon Gold to ensure your best success,” Turansky instructed. Waxy potatoes aren’t as starchy as russets, so they absorb less water when boiled. While you could always bake a starchier potato to keep it from taking on too much moisture, it’ll never hold its shape quite as well as a waxier variant. You can also try a crispy reinvention of potato salad — using smashed potatoes instead of boiled, but the texture will still be slightly off.
How to perfectly prepare potatoes for potato salad
There are many different types of potato salad, but they all boil down to one main idea: using potatoes that are fork-tender but won’t fall apart when you stir in extra ingredients. Whether you’re baking, boiling, or roasting your vegetables, you can’t compromise on a perfect, uniform texture.
“When prepping potatoes, ensure that you’ve cut them all to roughly the same size so that they will cook evenly,” Maggie Turansky said. “I, personally, like to scrub my potatoes thoroughly and leave the skins on to add a bit of texture to the end product, but this is optional.”
If you’re mostly just adding mayonnaise, mustard, and seasonings, a bit of potato skin is a great way to provide some much-needed texture. While some people prefer their potato salad to be smooth as silk, others may want a bit of chew to theirs while still keeping the recipe simple.
When chopping your potatoes, it’s important to keep in mind what other ingredients you might add. If your recipe is heavy on julienned vegetables, minced herbs, and other small shreds of fresh ingredients, feel free to chop them small to match textures. If, however, you’re adding cubed ham, pineapple, or more bulky foods, you’ll want to cut the potatoes larger, so they remain the star of the dish. Keeping all your ingredients to a roughly similar size ensures that every spoonful has room for each, delivering maximum flavor.
