Herbed Red Potato Salad

Why This Herbed Red Potato Salad Works

During boiling, the red potatoes slowly soften all the way to the center but still hold their shape because of their waxy texture. Salting the water seasons the potatoes from the inside, so they do not taste bland later. After draining, the potatoes cool a bit, so when they go into the bowl they do not melt the mayonnaise or turn the dressing greasy and thin.

In the bowl, the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar blend into a smooth, thick dressing. That thicker dressing clings to the warm potatoes instead of sliding off. As the potatoes sit in it, they soak in some of the tang from the vinegar and mustard, so the salad tastes seasoned all the way through, not just on the outside.

Once the herbs and red onion are mixed in, they stay bright and a little crisp because they are not cooked. During the hour in the fridge, the dressing settles and firms up, the potatoes finish cooling, and the flavors from the dill, parsley, chives, and onion spread through the salad.

Mistakes To Avoid

Boiling the potatoes until they are falling apart makes the salad mushy. The potato pieces break when tossed with the dressing, and the whole bowl turns into a thick, pasty mix instead of chunks coated in sauce.

Cutting and mixing the potatoes while they are still hot causes the mayonnaise and mustard mixture to loosen and slide off. The dressing turns thin and oily, and the potatoes soak up too much liquid, so the salad ends up wet at the bottom of the bowl.

Skipping the salt in the boiling water leaves the potatoes bland in the center. Even with plenty of dressing on the outside, the inside of each piece stays flat and dull, so every bite tastes uneven.

Adding a lot of raw red onion without chopping it finely enough makes the texture harsh. Big pieces stay sharp and crunchy and overpower the soft potatoes and herbs in every forkful.