This recipe is inspired by my grandmother who would always make her famous German potato salad whenever we came to visit her farm in the summers. It’s not your average mayo-heavy potato salad. Instead, it uses a simple mustard vinaigrette which gets soaked up by the potatoes making them super flavorful. The cucumbers add a nice refreshing crunch to balance the starchy potatoes. This salad will be your new go-to side dish for parties and barbecues!
Best enjoyed while the potatoes are warm or at room temp (see leftovers section!).
Ingredient highlight
Potatoes! The mighty potato! Most of the the nutrient content is in the skins, so keep those skins on if you can. Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, niacin, and fiber. They contain lysine, an essential amino acid that you often can’t find in grains.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 15 minutes 
cooling time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs small red potatoes (or any small waxy potato)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp minced shallot (or sub 2 cloves garlic)
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- Black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the potatoes, enough water to cover them by 2 inches and generously salt the water (like pasta!). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife (this will vary greatly depending on the size of your potato). Drain the potatoes, add them to a large bowl, and set aside to cool off a bit.
- While the potatoes cook, add the oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, and ½ teaspoon salt to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake vigorously to combine. Alternatively, you can whisk everything together in a bowl.
- Once the potatoes have cooled enough to handle but are still warm, slice them into thin rounds or half moons and add to a large bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the warm potatoes along with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and gently toss to coat. Let them hang out and soak up the dressing for about 5 minutes
- Add in the cucumber, dill and remaining dressing. Toss everything together to coat. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if it tastes like it’s missing something. Top with more dill if you have some leftover and freshly grated black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook potatoes (if doing this ahead, you should make the dressing as well and toss them in some of it while they are warm (follow recipe)).
- Make the dressing
- Prep the cucumbers and dill
- Salad can be made ahead and often tastes better the next day.
Substitutions:
- Dill is the best, but if you don’t like it or can’t find it, use parsley or cilantro or tarragon
- Up the protein by topping it with chopped boiled eggs
- My grandma would always also add bacon bits!
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- This salad (and most salads) is at its peak deliciousness at room temperature. I recommend popping the amount you want to eat in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, just to take the chill off and warm it up a bit!
- Serve it with grilled meat (goes great with leftover steak with chimichurri).
- Top it with chopped boiled eggs.
Servings 4 People Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes cooling time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs small red potatoes (or any small waxy potato)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp minced shallot (or sub 2 cloves garlic)
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- Black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the potatoes, enough water to cover them by 2 inches and generously salt the water (like pasta!). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife (this will vary greatly depending on the size of your potato). Drain the potatoes, add them to a large bowl, and set aside to cool off a bit.
- While the potatoes cook, add the oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, and ½ teaspoon salt to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake vigorously to combine. Alternatively, you can whisk everything together in a bowl.
- Once the potatoes have cooled enough to handle but are still warm, slice them into thin rounds or half moons and add to a large bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the warm potatoes along with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and gently toss to coat. Let them hang out and soak up the dressing for about 5 minutes
- Add in the cucumber, dill and remaining dressing. Toss everything together to coat. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if it tastes like it’s missing something. Top with more dill if you have some leftover and freshly grated black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook potatoes (if doing this ahead, you should make the dressing as well and toss them in some of it while they are warm (follow recipe)).
- Make the dressing
- Prep the cucumbers and dill
- Salad can be made ahead and often tastes better the next day.
Substitutions:
- Dill is the best, but if you don’t like it or can’t find it, use parsley or cilantro or tarragon
- Up the protein by topping it with chopped boiled eggs
- My grandma would always also add bacon bits!
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 6 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- This salad (and most salads) is at its peak deliciousness at room temperature. I recommend popping the amount you want to eat in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, just to take the chill off and warm it up a bit!
- Serve it with grilled meat (goes great with leftover steak with chimichurri).
- Top it with chopped boiled eggs.
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