A potato salad with lots of texture and flavor. Add red chile flakes for a spicy bite. A great salad and perfect for long holiday weekends and summer barbecues.
This recipe was slightly revised June 2022.
"*" See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
To a large pot, add enough water to cook the potatoes. Add 1 tsp. salt* and bring to a boil.
Peel the potatoes*. (This step is optional) Cut into 1" to 2" large chunks. Add to water once it comes to a boil. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through. Drain. (Time depends on size of chunks) To test for doneness, break a piece of potato with a fork. If it breaks easy, they are done.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add the pickle brine. black pepper, and dill weed. Smash with a potato masher to desired consistency. I usually go for a mix of mashed and chunky.
Using a rubber spatula or spoon, fold the chopped ingredients in with the potatoes.
In a small bowl, mix together the mustards and mayonnaise. Pour over potato salad and stir to coat all ingredients.
Taste. Add salt or more pickle brine if needed. If too dry, mix up a little more sauce (mustards and mayonnaise) and add the amount you want to the desired creaminess.
Salt - For a bit more flavor, you could substitute 1 teaspoon bouillon paste for the salt.
Potatoes – Russet, red, and yellow potatoes all work, but the yellow potatoes break up easily making great smashed potatoes. A good combination is to use the yellow potatoes for the mashed, and red or Russets for the chunky potatoes. When I use yellow potatoes, I normally don't peel them because the skins are so thin and break up when smashed.
Sweet/dill pickles – Which to use is your preference. Bobby prefers dill and I like sweet, so sometimes, I'll use both. I personally like the combination of the sweet and sour you get by using both. The dill juice adds a tartness and bite.
Mustards - I found that a mix of mustards adds a very interesting flavor to this salad. If you don't have Pommery, substitute with Dijon.
Red chile flakes – I know, how dare I make chile flakes optional!? However, to make a kid friendly potato salad you’ll probably need to omit them. The salad is still delicious, but just doesn’t have the spicy kick.
Recipe author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen