French-Style Potato Salad is sure to add a touch of elegance to your next get-together! Served warm, with lots of fresh herbs and a lively vinaigrette, it’s a refreshing change from the typical potato salad. The secret to getting the flavor started is to splash the warm potatoes with chicken stock and wine! Do I have your attention?
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The inspiration behind this recipe:
During the summer, I’m all about a good traditional potato salad with the creamy mayonnaise-based dressing, mustardy kick and hard-boiled eggs. Having just enjoyed my mother’s award-winning Cool and Creamy Potato Salad for our Memorial Day cookout, I was looking for something different for another get-together we were having since not everyone was into mayonnaise.
If found it in this French-Style Potato salad which is a combination of Ina Garten‘s French Potato Salad and Joel Robuchon’s, who is one of the most acclaimed French chefs in the world.
And when a recipe calls for splashing warm potatoes with white wine, I’m all in!
How to make French-Style Potato Salad:
- Start with approximately 3 pounds of baby red and yellow (Yukon Gold) potatoes. You could also use small white potatoes. I like a combination for color.
- Place the whole potatoes in a pot large enough to hold them and fill with water to cover. Give the water a good dose of salt–like a tablespoon or two.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a paring knife.
- Be sure to not overcook them as you don’t want them to fall apart.
- Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly–just so you can touch them. I wear a disposable glove to make handling the hot potatoes easier.
- Slice the potatoes into approximately ¼-inch-thick slices and place in a bowl. The reason you don’t slice them before boiling is the skins will help keep the potatoes from getting waterlogged. They’ll be able to absorb all the other wonderful flavors better!
- Pour a chicken stock, wine and shallot combination over the potatoes and give them a toss.
- Mix up a simple French-style vinaigrette…
- Pour the vinaigrette over the potatoes and add lots of fresh herbs like parsley, chives and tarragon and give the salad another toss.
That’s it! Place in a serving bowl and garnish with more fresh herbs then dig in! So beautiful and tasty with simple French flair!
Serve with anything you’re grilling or these French-inspired dishes:
- Pistachio Crusted Fish with Lemon Dill Aioli
- Baked Catfish Pecan Meuniere with Spicy Sauteed Greens
- Mediterranean Fish en Papillote
- Chicken Scallopini with Roasted Vegetable Ratatouille
- Chicken Pinot Noir with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Basil
- Crab-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
More great potato salad recipes:
- Cool and Creamy Potato Salad
- Potato Green Bean Salad with Olives and Feta Cheese
- Potato Artichoke Salad with Horseradish Dressing
French-Style Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons chicken broth or stock
- 1 medium shallot - minced
- Salt
- 1 ½ pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds baby red potatoes
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar - or as needed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Instructions
- Combine the white wine, chicken broth and shallots in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a knife. Be careful to not overcook or they will crumble.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander.
- As soon as you can handle the potatoes, cut the potatoes into approximately ¼-inch slices. Place in a large bowl.
- Pour the wine-broth-shallot combination over the potatoes and gently toss.
- Combine the vinegar, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl.
- Gradually whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.
- Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes along with the herbs and gently toss.
- Serve immediately warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Ang says
This recipe looks amazing. Can I make it a couple of days ahead of a gathering?
Carol says
Hi, Ang, Thanks so much for your question. You probably could but it’s better fresh. Let it stand at room temperature a bit before serving–just not too long because potatoes shouldn’t be out a room temperature more than two hours. Thanks and hope you enjoy!
Denise H says
This is delicious! Definitely will make it again. Used leek instead of shallots since I have leeks growing in my garden.
Carol says
Hi, Denise, Thanks so very much and so glad you enjoyed! Love that you adapted it to what you have; I’m all about that! Thanks again!
Janine says
Made this for the first time last night to go along with the fried chicken I made. Wonderful flavors and very easy to pull together. I didn’t have fresh tarragon or chives so used a teaspoon of dried tarragon and the greens of some green onions. I only used half of the oil mixture and it was more than enough for our tastes. We thought this would be delicious with sliced hard-boiled egg and bacon crumble too. Thank you for sharing!
Carol says
Hi, Janine, Thanks so much and so happy you enjoyed! Sounds like a perfect combination!
Brenda says
What could I use as a substitute for chives? I can’t locate them here in Ontario.
Carol says
Hi, Brenda, Thanks so much for your question. You could use a small amount of finely chopped scallion–not too much because scallion will be stronger than chives. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Anna says
Just made this for a get together and it’s SO good… I will be adding this to my go-to recipe list!
Carol says
Thanks so much, Anna! Glad you and everyone enjoyed!!
Sarah says
Brought this to a potluck with a bunch of foodies tonight and everyone loved it! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Carol says
Hi, Sarah, Thanks so much and glad everyone enjoyed!
Wells says
Made this today and it was delish! I just had my family of three so halved the recipe and eyeballed some of the quantities. Great option for those of us that don’t care for mayo 🙂
Carol says
Hi, Tamara, Thanks so very much and glad you enjoyed!!
Carolyn Rosenberg says
I am allergic to mustard… what could I sub for the mustard or just skip it altogether?
Carol says
Hi, Carolyn, Thanks so much for your question! I think skipping the mustard would result in it being bland. Can you do horseradish? I think a teaspoon or two of that would give it that mustard “spark.”
Tara says
This recipe was so easy and such a hit! Definitely making this again soon. One question, can it be made with something other than wine?
Carol says
Hi, Tara, Thanks so much for your question and so glad you enjoyed!! You could do a little extra splash of white wine vinegar or lemon juice in the broth with the shallots. Please let me know how it goes. Thanks again!
Paula Rice says
Not great. Somewhat disappointing actually.
Carol says
Hi, Paula, Thank you for your feedback. So sorry this didn’t work out for you; this recipe tends to get pretty good reviews. Please let me know if you wish to troubleshoot.
Kathy says
Yummm
Carol says
Hi, Kathy, Thanks so very much and sounds like you enjoyed!! 🙂