Deliciously creamy and totally moreish this Potato Salad with Spring Onions is my go-to recipe for potato salad. It's a tried and tested recipe that I've been making for years and everyone loves it!
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The perfect summer side dish, this potato salad is a big deal in my house. I make it for every BBQ we have and any summer family get-togethers.
It's really great for picnics too, we have it as a side dish to my Spinach Quiche or as a side dish with my Greek Chickpea Salad and it's great with this Halloumi Salad too.
This spring onion potato salad is one of the easiest ways to make potato salad but it doesn't skimp on taste! It's perfectly creamy, tangy and delicious.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's so creamy! - we love our potato salad to be properly creamy and this one is exactly that!
- So easy to make - this really is the easiest recipe for potato salad! No messing around with peeling or mashing!
- Just a few simple ingredients - made with under 10 ingredients, all store cupboard ingredients too!
Ingredients Needed
- Potatoes - you will need small waxy potatoes for this recipe. New potatoes, Charlottes, Jersey Royals or Red Bliss, or fingerlings if you are in the US will all work well.
- Spring Onions - or scallions in the US. I use 5 or 6 spring onions for this.
- Mayonnaise - I use a full-fat mayo for this potato salad. You can use a low-fat mayo if you like.
- Mustard - Dijon mustard is my preference for this recipe as it has a tangy flavour which works well with the mayo.
- Cornichons - these add some crunch and sourness to the potato salad, they also hold up well in that creamy sauce and won't lose their crunch.
- Herbs - you will need flat-leaf parsley and chives, chive flowers are optional!
How To Make Potato Salad with Spring Onions
Firstly, Cook the potatoes - add the potatoes to a saucepan and fill it with cold water add a generous pinch of salt. Drain the potatoes and put the pan back on low heat to remove any leftover water.
Add the mayo and mustard - gently toss the potatoes in the mayo and mustard.
Add the spring onions and cornichons - chop the spring onions and cornichons, add them to the potatoes and stir them through the potatoes.
Finally, add the herbs - chop the parsley and chives, add them to the potatoes, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss gently one last time.
Top Tips
- Make sure your potatoes are roughly the same size, I cut mine in half and if any are bigger I will cut them into quarters. This will ensure they are all cooked at the same time.
- Once you drain the potatoes, pop them back on low heat to dry them out a bit, this will get rid of any excess water.
- Add the mayo to the potatoes when they are warm, this will help the mayo to stick to the potatoes. If you add the mayo when the potatoes are completely cold the mayo will just slip off the potatoes.
- I always leave the skin on my potatoes, I like the added texture. You can peel them if you want though. I would peel them after they are cooked and use a tea towel to avoid the burn!
FAQs
There isn't a lot of starch in those small waxy potatoes so I don't rinse them. I would only rinse them if you wanted to cool them down to peel them.
I love this potato salad warm, but you can enjoy it at room temperature or cold from the fridge.
Potato salad will last from 1 - 2 hours max sitting out. It will last for about 3 days in the fridge though.
Storage and Making Ahead Tips
This potato salad can be made up to 3 days in advance. I would make it according to the recipe but add the herbs a few hours before you serve it.
Store the potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Any leftovers that have been sitting out for under 2 hours can be refrigerated and should be used up within 2 days. To be honest this potato salad never lasts that long as it's usually demolished pretty quickly!
Variations/Substitutions
- Add-ins - You can add in some extras to this if you like, chopped boiled eggs would be great. Some chopped celery, avocado or sliced radish is good too.
- Make it vegan - I have made this using vegan mayo and it worked a treat, just make sure your Dijon mustard is vegan.
- Next level - make this next level by adding some nuggets of blue cheese! So good!
More Side Dishes To Try
If you need more potato side dishes then check out my Crispy Potato Wedges, these are my go-to potato wedges that never fail to satisfy! Fancy making your own mayo? Try my Potato Salad with homemade mayonnaise and radishes, perfect if you have more time. If you need some dips then check out my Homemade Guacamole this is another firm favourite in my house. Another favourite side dish is my Moroccan Style Couscous this is the dish I bring to BBQs and everyone loves it!
Potato Salad with Spring Onions
Ingredients
- 950 g / 2 lbs of waxy small potatoes cut in half, I used Charlotte potatoes and leave the skin on.
- 5 or 6 spring onions chopped, all the white part and some of the green
- 200 g / just under 1 cup of mayonnaise I use full-fat mayo
- 3 heaped tsps Dijon mustard
- 4 or 5 cornichons sliced
- 3 level tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chives finely chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt + more for cooking the potatoes
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Chive flowers for garnish optional
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes in half or in quarters depending on how big they are.Add them to a large saucepan and cover them with cold water. Add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil.Reduce to a simmer then cook for about 20 to 25 minutes.Test that the potatoes are cooked by piercing them with a sharp knife. The knife should go in easy and the potatoes should be tender and look creamy.Drain the potatoes then return the hob, cook the potatoes for a minute or two over a low heat to remove any excess water.Leave to cool slightly.
- Add the potatoes to a large mixing or serving dish.Add the mayonnaise and the mustard and toss gently.
- Next add the chopped spring onions and cornichons, stir them through the potatoes.
- Finally add the chopped parsley and chives and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently one last time. Serve, warm, room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- Potatoes - I use Charlotte potatoes to make this and do not peel them. Cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes.
- Storage/Making Ahead - This potato salad can be made up to 3 days in advance. I would make it according to the recipe but add the herbs a few hours before you serve it. Once cooled store the potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Any leftovers that have been sitting out for under 2 hours can be refrigerated and should be used up within 2 days.
- Nutritional Information - is calculated using an online nutrition tool and is approximate. It is based on one serving of six.
- Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for best results.
Jamie
This was perfect to bring to a potluck! The dijon mustard and spring onions added the perfect flavor to these potatoes!
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Jamie, I'm so glad you enjoyed it x
Caitlin
This is my go to potato salad recipe for the summer - so delicious!
Michelle Alston
That's so great to hear! Thank you so much Caitlin x
Kathleen
I really like the spring onions and fresh chives in this potato salad. It's a perfect side dish for summer BBQ's.
Michelle Alston
Thank you so much Kathleen x
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
This is such an easy and delicious recipe, I cannot wait to make it again!
Michelle Alston
Thank you so much Shadi, I'm so glad you liked it x
Roxana
Oh My goodness. This looks so creamy and comforting with just few ingredients. Bookmarking it.
Michelle Alston
Thanks so much Roxana 🙂