Patatosalata is a Greek potato salad that you can put next to a main course as a side dish or it can be a delicious meal by itself. It’s creamy, with an interesting mix of flavors, sure to win you over from the first bite.
Patatosalata is a classic recipe that you will love especially if you like lighter potato salads without mayonnaise. It is a simple but delicious mixture of boiled potatoes, garlic paste, red or white onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 1/2 red onion
- 50 ml olive oil
- The juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or dill leaves for decoration
Preparation
Wash and clean the potatoes well, then cut them into cubes of about 2.5 cm. Transfer to a pot of cold, salted water and boil until tender but still slightly firm, about 10-15 minutes after the water has boiled. Strain off the water and let the potato cubes cool.
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth.
In a large bowl, mix the potato cubes, red onion and garlic. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently to coat them evenly with the dressing. After that, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Before serving, sprinkle with fresh parsley or dill leaves.
Tips for preparing potato salad
The most important ingredient of patatosalata is the potatoes, so you have to choose them and boil them carefully. A red variety recommended because red potatoes keep their shape best during cooking. Cook them just until they feel soft when poked with a fork – otherwise ú, you will end up with a mash instead of a salad.
Mix the ingredients for the dressing before adding them to the potato salad. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is what gives a taste of freshness. If you don’t have any at hand, you can replace it with white wine vinegar.
Variants of the Greek potato salad
The above recipe is the base; in some versions feta cheese, capers and other fresh herbs such as mint, dill, oregano, chives or green onions are also added.
The dressing is based on lemon juice and olive oil. But in some recipes, you will also find Greek yogurt and mustard. The lemon juice contrasts with the starch of the potatoes, and the garlic and onion add a touch of spiciness. The olive oil counterbalances these flavors by giving the salad a creamy texture.
Potato salad is a traditional side dish, which has been on the Greek menu for less than two centuries. Potatoes didn’t even reach Europe until the 16th century. They were not cultivated in Greece until the early 19th century, when an Irish explorer, William Bennett Stevenson, introduced them to the country.
Potato salad is a dish that can be found all over the world, with versions based on the local specifics and the ingredients available in the area. Most variants are found in the German culinary space, from where they have spread throughout the world