Classic American-style potato salad is as much about the mayonnaise as it is about the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mix-ins: celery, pickles, bell peppers, carrots, hard-boiled eggs, tuna, you name it. This modern potato salad takes the opposite approach. Instead of rich mayo, there’s tangy Greek yogurt. Add in torn oil-cured olives (briney! buttery!), and plenty of fresh herbs (dill! mint!) and you have your new favorite BBQ side dish. It’s as great with hamburgers and hot dogs as it is with chicken, fish, vegetables, and on.
Serves: 6
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red potatoes (5 to 6 ounces each)
- 6 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped dill, plus its finely chopped stems
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- 1/2 cup pitted, torn (or roughly chopped) oil-cured olives
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water (figure about 6 quarts) to a boil. When it starts to simmer, season it with 6 tablespoons kosher salt (I estimate 1 tablespoon kosher salt per quart water).
- While that’s heating up, cut the potatoes into eighths—or whatever fraction will give you roughly equally sized potato pieces. Add the potato pieces to the boiling water, then adjust the heat to a simmer. (Simmering, not boiling, the potatoes means they’re less likely to fall apart.) Cook until the potatoes are just knife-tender (they’ll continue to cook a bit out of the water), starting to check frequently after 10 minutes. When they’re done, drain the potatoes into a colander, rinse with cold water to cool, then let them drain until dry.
- While the potatoes are cooking, combine the yogurt and olive oil in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add the herbs and olives on top (no need to stir yet).
- When the potatoes are cool, add them to the bowl with the yogurt. Stir as gently as possible, taking care to not mash the potatoes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- You can serve right away or stick it in the fridge for later.