This Roasted Potato Salad was inspired by my mother’s homemade sweet pickles. They were the BEST! They were perfectly sweet, thick slices of cucumbers with a crispness that everyone in the room heard when you bit into them. The process of making them was long and involved, and something I should have taken the time to learn over the years, but didn’t. Aside from just eating the pickles right out of the jar, I loved making mayo and sweet pickle sandwiches, and then there was my mama’s potato salad. Those sweet pickles made it! They added a sweetness and crunchiness that I’ve never been able to duplicate in a potato salad.
Several years ago I gave up on trying to make my mama’s salad and started working on one that would be just as good, but different. I’ve tried to use many of the same ingredients, but threw in a twist with a mix of roasted potatoes. I roast two to three different types of potatoes which provide a depth of flavor, making the potatoes the star of the salad instead of the pickles. It still has sweet pickles, just not my mama’s sweet pickles. The seasoning of smoked paprika and New Mexico chile powders give this salad a smoky, spicy flavor.
Roasted Potato Salad
“*” See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
- 1 – 1 ½ pound of mixed potatoes*, sweet potato, russet, red, purple – scrubbed and cut into ½ inch (1.25 cm) pieces
- 2 Tbsp. oil (chile infused if you have it)
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 large celery stalk, diced
- 3 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish*
- 2 hardboiled eggs, separate after cooking. Use the cooked yokes in the dressing.
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ – 1 tsp. chile powder* – Ancho, sweet paprika or New Mexico red
- ½ tsp. dried tarragon, crumbled
- ½ tsp. dried dill weed
- Fresh parsley, add just before serving
- 2 cooked egg yolks from the hard boiled eggs
- 1 tsp. Dijon
- 2 heaping Tbsp. mayonnaise
- Juice from ½ lemon
- Add 1 Tbsp. oil to large skillet over medium low heat.
- When hot, add half of the potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Spread the potatoes out into one layer. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
- Flip the potatoes over, spread into one layer, cover and cook 5 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium, flip potatoes again, cover and cook another 5 minutes.
- Check one of the larger pieces to see if they are done.
- Cook for another 2 to 5 minutes, uncovered, until done nicely toasted.
- Transfer to mixing bowl and repeat with the other half of the potatoes.
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large oven dish. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil and salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the pieces.
- Roast in oven about 35 to 40 minutes until tender and brown.
- Mash the yolks with a fork.
- Mix in the other ingredients and whisk until smooth.
- Put all ingredients including the dressing in a large bowl and combine well.
- Taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.
- Right before serving, stir in the parsley.
Potatoes – This roasted potato salad is made with a mix of potatoes; however, you could just use one type of potato if desired. I personally love the mix for the different flavors and textures you get.
Chile Powders – The amount of chile powders used in this recipe is relatively minimal. For a spicier salad, add more. The chile powder also affects the taste of the salad. I don’t recommend smoked chiles such as chipotle. They tend to overpower the flavor of the potatoes.
Pickle Relish – Chopped sweet pickles, sour pickles or a mix are good substitutes for the sweet pickle relish.
Here are some other potatoes dishes I’m sure you’ll enjoy.
This dish looks so delicious. Colors are really vibrant here. new to your blog here and I am slowly checking all your recipes now 🙂
have a great day ahead.
Thanks Priya! It is a pretty salad isn’t it? So colorful. Hope you find more recipes that you enjoy! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Hi there MJ! It was so nice getting to know a little more about you on the Food Writer Friday. This potato salad is epic. Love that you have both sweet and regular potatoes and of course kicked up to make it extra delicious. Great side for all the summer BBQ’s.
Thanks so much Bobbi! I did this interview a few years back and it was fun. There are a lot of interesting interviews on that site. The ladies did a great job!
MJ, this potato salad is definitely a must make! And you have me so craving your mother’s pickles!
Thanks Kelly! I wish my mother were still around to make those pickles. They were so good!
MJ,
This is such a great post to read! Congrats on the interview; you deserve it with all of your creativity and delicious recipes! I too, would love to know how to make crunchy pickles since my husband I love them with that special crunchy bite (no mushy pickles for us thank you). But like you, I never learned. I love how you have 3 different potatoes in this recipe! I bet they are addicting!!!
Happy Summer-on-it’s-way!
Stay safe too,
Roz
Thanks Sweetie for your kind comments as always! The interview was actually done a few years back as this is an older post just to fill in until I have a new one. 🙂 I use to help my mother with the pickles all of the time, but have never been successfully on my own. I think the trick was this large ceramic pickle pot that she used. That’s what I’m going to blame it on anyway. Ha Ha.
Hello, I loved this post, I love gastronomy, I would very much like to try it. I didn’t know your blog, it’s great.
Thanks so much for your comments! I hope to hear from you again.
Beautiful article and beautiful salad dear MJ ! Keeping for another gathering, needless to say 🙂
Thanks so much Davorka! It’s always been a hit for me. 🙂
This looks delicious, and I love that it has some spicy kick to it! Sounds like those pickles were good as well. I’m so happy for you about the interview with Food Writer today and will definitely be stopping over there. Great recipe as always!
I’m way behind on reading your blog with our moves, and life in general. I’m making some pickles this week!!! Love them. On my way over to read the interview now 🙂
Thanks for stopping in Susan! I hope that the move is going well.
I just hopped over to Food Writer Friday to check out this recipe as I’m always on the hunt for a tasty potato salad 🙂 What I wasn’t expecting was the great write-up they did about you! Love getting more information about my favorite food bloggers 🙂
Thank you so much for such a nice comment Debbie! I hope you are having a wonderful week!
oh I hadn’t seen the last picture before. ^.^ I like that shot and now I see where your talent comes from MJ. Thanks for the FWF mention =D
I love this salad and wouldn’t mind wrapping it with a roti and make a meal out of it….yum!
Thanks everyone for your wonderful comments! I apologize for not responding until now, but I’ve been on vacation and still am, but wanted to stop in and say thanks!
Hi MJ,
Would love to try your version of the potato salad! Your food is always looks and sounds so yummy!
Great looking potato salad MJ! I need to stop and go read the recipe now :). Have a wonderful day MJ!
Wow, what a great take on potato salad! I’ve never had pickles in my potato salad, but would be willing to give it a try!
Thanks Amber! I can’t have a potato salad without pickles. 🙂 Maybe it’s a southern thing.
This is a delicious salad and I, too, love sweet pickles and put them in almost every salad!
Ah! I just realized that I haven’t finished reading your FWF (I had to stop reading as I was in the middle of something). Now heading over to finish. Your potato salad looks delicious. Got to check the recipe too. 🙂
I never make salads like this without pickles, it just adds a nice dimension to the dish
Another potato salad recipe for my collection. And there are never too many!
I totally adore that you used different potatoes to create depth to the entire dish, MJ. What strikes me most about your potato salad is the generous sprinkles of smoked paprika & various chili powder. A way much better version than some of the country style potato salad I’ve seen around here, even the homemade ones are so-so. Very often, they are soaked in globs of plain white cream. Potato salad – yours a winner!
I’ll have to try this recipe. The combination of paprika, chili, dill and tarragon sounds enticing and I like everything with a crush. More to my taste than the traditional Danish potato salads where the potatoes are drowned in a sea of yogurt.
I love pickles but I’ve never added them to potato salad. I wonder why? I’ll make sure I’ll add pickles to my potato salad the next time I make it.
I love potato salad, and it looks and sounds delicious!! Makes me want to make some right now!
Love FWF!! Your potato salad looks lipsmackingly delicious! Heading over right now 🙂
Delicious potato salad MJ, Love to hope over there to see the full recipe. You did a wonderful job friend.
Wow, it may not be your mother’s potato salad but it sounds wonderful.
I usually add capers to my potato salad, though I’m not averse to a good pickle too, hehe. Potato salad with roasted potatoes you say? What a unique idea. Sounds delicious – good to see you on Food Writer Fridays too… will head on over to check it out!
Love Maureen and Helene’s series FWF. 🙂 Can’t wait to read the interview and the recipe. 🙂 Heading over now. 🙂
who can resist potato salad….potatoes are the most comforting food on the planet…. yours looks sooo yum….now off to read your interview.
I think that everyone has a family favorite potato salad (and perhaps pickles) that they are nostalgic about.
I love pickles.. now that you’ve mentioned them, I remember that I have a jar full of them at home. I know it won’t last 🙂
Congratulations on being selected for the interview, though it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Thanks for your forthright responses and a great potato salad recipe. Loved that you use a mix of potatoes — and the pickle relish is a must! 🙂
Looking forward to reading the interview. Congrats!
LL
Loved learning more about you 🙂
I love this salad! However not as much as I love you. Your blog feels like home. I hope that makes some sense and you don’t assume I’m a stalker. 🙂
Off to read your interview! I need a great potato salad recipe 🙂
Lovely colour on this – popping over to look at the recipe now. Cheers
Peach Lady, that’s HOT. 🙂
The flavours in this are so unique, love your twist to potato salad 😀
Cheers
CCU
Pickles are SUCH a good idea! NOM!
That’s an unusual potato salad and I love the unique flavours.
Confrats on FWF 🙂 I think that childhood recipes are one of the most interesting. There are some meals my mum used to make and it’s hard to make it the same way.
MJ, I could eat potato salads all year round, no matter what season or what time of the day (perfect when chilled for breakfast!) and especially when they include mayonnaise, eggs and pickled cucumbers! This is the most beautiful potato salad I have ever seen: the yellow colour makes it unique!
Congratulations for the interview! I have just read it and loved it! It was such a pleasure to learn more about you… Now I feel as if I had known you for years 😉
PS Thank you once more for the kind “stale bread” message 🙂
Beautiful, MJ! My husband’s aunt used to make the most spectacular sweet pickles, as well. Crunchy, sweet, and loaded with cinnamon, cloves & pickling spices. I never thought to put them in potato salad, but I will now! Also loved the interview. So nice to learn more about you. (PS – LOVE that 80’s photo of you with the fruit tree!) Thanks for sharing! -j
That was a great interview! Totally loved it. And that picture of you when you were younger is so much fun! Really good recipe too. 😉
Hello MJ! I agree, pickles add *so* much to salads – an ideal inclusion. I just read your wonderful feature over at Food Writer Friday. My comment is over there :).