Herby Potato Salad With Smashed Olives

By Lidey Heuck

Published June 16, 2021

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
5(1,023)
Comments
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As with coleslaw, there are two schools of potato salad: the mayonnaise-based and the vinegar-based. This recipe plants itself firmly in the latter camp with bright, punchy flavors. The dressing here is a classic red-wine vinegar and Dijon vinaigrette that develops great flavor after marinating with capers, smashed green olives and thinly sliced shallots. Just fifteen minutes in the dressing softens the shallot’s bite, and a quick soak brings canned olives to life. There may appear to be too much dressing when you add the cooked potatoes, but as the potatoes cool, they’ll absorb it beautifully. (The key is to add them to the dressing as soon as they are cool enough to handle.) Any small potatoes will work for this recipe, and a mix of colors looks particularly nice. The most important detail is that the potatoes should be roughly the same size so that they cook evenly.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 2 pounds small (or baby) red or Yukon Gold potatoes, all about the same size

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • ⅓ cup olive oil

  • 1 cup Castelvetrano or other green olives, pitted and smashed (about 4 ounces)

  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

30 grams carbs; 265 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 5 grams fiber; 487 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 2 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the potatoes in a large pot; add 2 teaspoons salt and enough water to cover generously. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, until just tender when pierced with a fork. (Be careful not to overcook!) Drain and set aside until just cool enough to handle.

  2. Step 2

    While the potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar and mustard with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the olives, shallot and capers, and set aside to marinate for 10 to 20 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, cut them in half (or quarters, to end up with bite-size pieces), and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Gently combine and set aside to cool completely, tossing occasionally.

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the mint and parsley, along with more salt and pepper to taste, and serve the potato salad at room temperature.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,023 user ratings
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Comments

mountainweaver

Italians often use "smashed" olives in salads. As a child my job was to smash... The tool of choice... a heavy bottle (in those days it was an empty milk bottle) Even if the olives have pits, they pop out when you smash them.

Jo

everyone loved this! Very easy and fast to make. Used the olives on hand which were Crespo green olives stuffed with anchovies. Used 2 cutting boards to squeeze them between and “smash” them. Vinaigrette does tend to absorbed by the potatoes.

jenny

Has anyone made this the night before and if so any suggestions???

NOLA Mike

I did a fake! Good idea, but I have homemade chimichurri on hand and the standard New Orleans Central Grocery Olive salad, the kind used to make Muffuletta Sandwiches. The only thing else I needed to add were the potatoes, mint and mustard. Yummy. Thanks for the idea.

CCK

Tossed in rounds of garlic chicken sausage...yum.

Liza Jane

For those opposed to mint, I generally substitute basil in savory dishes, as my husband dislikes mint. They’re from the same family so they harmonize.

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