5 Potato Salad Recipes From Around The World That Will Send You on Tater Trip

First Things First, Where Did Potatoes Come From?

The potato is political. According to historian William H. McNeill, this popular Global Food helped fuel the rise of Western nations- "By feeding rapidly growing populations, [it] permitted a handful of European nations to assert dominion over most of the world between 1750 and 1950." Other experts have dismissed his claim over the years, but it isn't completely unfounded.

Potatoes were first cultivated in Peru around 8,000 B.C. to 5,000 B.C. Domesticated several times, they were produced in quantity by the Incas. Spanish Conquistadors in Peru first discovered the potato's flavor in 1536 and immediately transported them to Europe. In 1589, potatoes traveled to Ireland. After that, it took nearly four decades for the tuber to spread through Europe. By the end of the 17th century, potatoes were a major crop in Ireland and continental Europeparticularly in Germany and England's west coastwhere it remains a staple even today.

According to Rene Gomez, senior curator at the International Potato Center (CIP) gene bank, says that the Andes is where the biggest genetic diversity of potatoes lies.

Why Makes Potatoes Popular?

In the culinary world, chefs and cooks value potatoes for their unique role. They often refer to them as a blank canvas for creativity, because the crop can be prepared in myriad ways. It's no wonder there are thousands of Potato Recipes out there. Most cuisines value the versatile potato for its satisfying flavor and affordability. An important part of most diets, it stores well for long and is nutritious to boot.

But there's more to potatoes than their adaptability. According to the International Potato Center (CIP), over 4,500 varieties of potato are currently cultivated worldwide. After rice and wheat, potatoes are the third most important food crop globally in terms of human consumption. Approximately a billion people rely on them as a primary food source. The global total crop production exceeds 300 million metric tons. The potato is therefore critical in terms of food security, particularly in the light of unprecedented population growth which has led to worsening hunger rates and inflated Food Prices.

American Potato Salad with Mayonnaise and Mustard

It's hard to imagine a summer meal without potato salada staple of American cuisine. Though there are many variations of potato salad, America's classic potato salad recipe is a simple affair, calling for boiled potatoes mixed with mayonnaise and mustard. It tastes better when served cold and pairs nicely with any meal, but goes especially well with oven-baked barbecue ribs and pulled chicken in a slow cooker, blackened chicken breast on the grill, or even Beef Stew. Our version is a little more complex than the classic potato salad.

Ingredients-
To serve four, you will need-

Russet potatoes (500 g), two teaspoons of salt (12g), two tablespoons (30ml) of organic white vinegar, three stalks of finely diced celery, one finely diced small red onion, half cup (110g) of mayonnaise (one can also use Miracle Whip as an alternative), one tablespoon of sour cream, one-fourth cup (50g) of dill pickle relish, three finely diced small green onions, one tablespoon (15g) of chopped fresh dill, two teaspoons (12g) of yellow mustard, half a teaspoon (3g) of ground black pepper, half a teaspoon (3g) of ground paprika, two diced hard boiled eggs.

Instructions-

1. Remove the skins from the potatoes. Cut them into half-inch pieces and put them into a large saucepan. Pour just enough water into the saucepan to cover the potatoes with at least one inch of water.
2. Bring the potatoes to a boil.
3. As soon as the potatoes start boiling, add one teaspoon of salt. Lower the heat and simmer for eight to ten minutes until the potatoes are tender but not mushy.
   
4. Cook eggs according to your preference and let them cool before peeling.
   
5. Fill a large bowl with drained potatoes.
   
6. Pour in the vinegar, toss, and allow to cool for 20 minutes.
   
7. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, dill pickles, red onion, green onion, mustard, fresh dill, remaining salt, black pepper, and paprika to the potatoes. Mix well.
   
8. You can add chopped eggs and stir to incorporate if you like.
   
9. Serve cooled potato salad by covering it with plastic wrap and refrigerating for at least one hour.
   
10. You can add extra green onion, fresh dill, or paprika to the salad if you like.
    

Italian Potato Salad with Capers and Olives

Tuscan food is a regional cuisine from the Tuscany region of central Italy. It uses simple, fresh ingredients prepared in an uncomplicated manner. Italian potato salad represents this cooking style and is a delightful dish that can be served as a main course or a side dish.

Ca va sans dire (it goes without saying that), only the best ingredients are used in Italian cooking. You can see the Mediterranean countryside in a bowl with this recipe. The flavors of meaty olives, finely chopped wild fennel and salty capers will transport you instantly to Tuscany. The tubers for this recipe can be either white or red or even yellow, but we recommend you go with potatoes from Mugello.

Ingredients-
To serve four, you will need-

Red-skinned baby potatoes (500g), a small bunch of wild fennel, two tablespoons (30g) of Taggiasche or kalamata olives (whichever is easily available), one tablespoon (15g) of rinsed salted capers, one tablespoon (15ml) of apple cider vinegar, four tablespoons (60ml) of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of rock salt, half a teaspoon (3g) of freshly ground black pepper, half a teaspoon (3g) of ground mustard and a half medium-sized lemon.

Instructions-

1. Wash the potatoes to remove any soil on them. Put them in a saucepan and pour enough water to submerge them at least one inch. Boil the potatoes over low to medium heat for about 20 minutes till they're done. Avoid overcooking.
   
2. Pass the potatoes under cold water quickly and peel them immediately after draining.
   
3. When they are still hot, prepare the potatoes in a big bowl and combine them with the finely chopped wild fennel, capers, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Stir well with salt and pepper as per your taste.
   
4. Mix well. Add a little coarse ground mustard and squeeze the lemon juice if you like.
   
5. Let it stand for at least 30 minutes to allow the dressing to be absorbed properly before serving.
   

German Potato Salad with Bacon and Vinegar

Different regions of Germany have their own twists on the potato salad, but the one we recommend today is southern potato salad. Grandma's old fashioned potato salad tastes just like the one you get at the Oktoberfest or in a traditional Bavarian restaurant. Its sliced potatoes are tossed with bacon, sauteed onions, fresh herbs and coated with a little tangy, creamy dressing. A perfect side dish for holiday dinners, to family BBQs!

Ingredients-
To serve four, you will need-

Yukon Gold potatoes or Charlotte or new red potatoes (700g) because of their waxy flesh and firm texture, two tablespoons (30ml) of white wine vinegar, one teaspoon (6g) of sugar, one tablespoon (15g) of medium spicy German mustard (Mittelscharfer or Delikatesssenf) or Dijon mustard, a spoon of celery seeds, half a cup (120ml) of concentrated beef stock, three slices (120g) of thick-cut bacon, diced red onions (350g), one-third teaspoon (2g) of ground black pepper and one-third cup (75g) of chopped fresh herbs (a mixture of chives and parsley).

Instructions-

1. Wash the potatoes to perfection. Put potatoes in a large pot, add a pinch of salt and cover with an inch of water. Boil them over medium heat until tender for about 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
   
2. In the meantime, let's get the dressing ready. For crispy bacon, cook the strips in a medium-sized cast-iron skillet over low to medium heat for five to eight minutes, until it loses some of its fat. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet after removing the bacon.
   
3. Toss the onions in the bacon fat until translucent and softened for three to four minutes. Lower the heat and add the beef broth, vinegar, mustard, celery seeds, pepper, salt and sugar and let it reduce for five minutes. Turn off the stove.
   
4. Drain the potatoes and let them cool a little so you can hold and peel them with your hands. Cut the potatoes into quarter-inch thick slices and put them in a large bowl.
   
5. Pour the hot dressing in the bowl over the potatoes and add the fresh herbs. Add the crushed bacon pieces and mix all the ingredients gently until potatoes are coated firmly with onions and bacon.
   
6. Let your German potato salad sit at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes before serving so that the potatoes can absorb the flavors of the dressing.
   

French Potato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

This vegan, gluten-free French potato salad is a blend of fresh herbs and bright red and yellow potatoes tossed with a tangy vinaigrette. To add freshness to the mix, we have used sliced green onions; other types of raw onions can be substituted as desired. If you want more crunch in your potato salad, include finely chopped shallots.

Ingredients-
Small red potatoes (300g) quartered into evenly-sized pieces, small yellow potatoes (300g) quartered into evenly-sized pieces, one cup (220g) of sliced green onions, one and a half tablespoons (22g) of dijon mustard, three tablespoons (45ml) of white wine or rice vinegar, half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper, four tablespoons (60ml) of extra virgin olive oil, two tablespoons (30g) of chopped fresh dill, two tablespoons (30g) of chopped fresh parsley, one tablespoon (15g) of chives, one tablespoon (15g) of chervil, one tablespoon (15g) of tarragon.

Instructions-

1. Put diced red and yellow potatoes into a large pot and pour water over them until the water covers the potatoes by an inch. Add salt to the water, cover with a lid, and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes and cool them at room temperature for 10 minutes.
   
2. To make your vinaigrette, add mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper and stir well with a fork in a small bowl.
   
3. Pour olive oil gently into the bowl and continuously whisk the ingredients until it emulsifies into a vinaigrette.
   
4. Add fresh herbsdill, parsley, chives, chervil, and tarragoninto the vinaigrette and mix everything to make the dressing for your salad.
   
5. Take a large bowl and add potatoes, green onions and dressing. Coat the potatoes with the dressing lightly with a spatula so that it does not get mashed. Let the salad cool for about 15 minutes to absorb the flavors of vinaigrette and fresh herbs.
   
6. Your salad is ready to serve. It can be enjoyed warm or refrigerated.
   

Japanese Potato Salad with Soy Sauce and Mirin

With its umami-rich combination of ingredients, including cucumber and scallion, there's a lot to love about this Japanese potato salad. This dish is topped with half an ajitamaJapanese-style marinated egg with a golden, gelatinous yolk. Ajitama is short for ajitsuke Tamago, translated as "flavoured egg" in Japanese.

Ingredients-
Russet potatoes (700g), one Persian cucumber or one-third hothouse cucumber, two teaspoons (12g) of salt, four scallions, one cup (130g) of mayonnaise, half a teaspoon (3g) of Dijon mustard, half a teaspoon (3g) of HonDashi, one clove of crushed garlic, two teaspoons (12ml) of distilled white vinegar, two ajitama eggs.
To make Ajitama eggs, you require- two large or extra-large eggs, one cup (240ml) of filtered water, one-fourth cup (60ml) of soy sauce and one-fourth cup (60ml) of mirin (type of rice wine).

Instruction-

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into equal half-inch dice. Take a large pot and place the potatoes in it. Pour enough cold water to submerge them one inch below the surface, add one teaspoon of salt and boil over low to medium heat for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and let the pot cool at room temperature.
   
2. Cut the cucumber into quarter-inch thick oval-shaped slices. Sprinkle some salt on them, and let them sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
   
3. Cut off the green parts of two scallions and slice them into long ovals on the diagonal. We will use it for garnishing later. Cut the rest of the white and green parts into simple O-shapes.
   
4. Take a small bowl, add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, HonDashi, garlic, salt, and vinegar to make the dressing, and whisk them well.
   
5. Take out the cucumber from the fridge and remove the excess water by squeezing them with the help of a tea towel. Put the chilled cucumber in a large mixing bowl with potatoes and add the O-shaped scallions. Pour about three-fourths of the dressing into the bowl and stir all the ingredients until they are well combined. Do not overwork the mix.
   
6. Keep the salad in the refrigerator for an hour before serving.
   
7. Serve the potato salad on four small plates, topping each with half an ajitama egg. Garnish with scallion greens.
   

1. To hard-boil the eggs, use a thumbtack or an egg piercer to pierce a hole into the larger end of each egg. Place these eggs in a medium saucepan filled with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Once they're boiled, reduce the heat.
   
2. Cook for exactly six minutes. While the eggs are cooking, half-fill a large bowl with water and ice cubes. Transfer the eggs immediately to this bowl once done.
   
3. Prepare the marinade as the eggs cool. Take a small bowl, add water, soy sauce and mirin and whisk well. When the eggs have completely cooled down, peel them and discard the shells. Drop them into this marinade and cover them with a paper towel to keep them submerged in the marinade. Refrigerate for six to eight hours.