How to cook potatoes for potato salad (2024)

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Maureen Abood

4.86 from 7 votes

Jun 06, 2012, Updated Oct 12, 2023

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Here’s how to cook potatoes for potato salad, so the potatoes are cooked through without getting mushy!

How to cook potatoes for potato salad (2)

Perhaps the most vexing thing about making potato salad is cooking the potatoes properly. They are a little like pasta in this regard, but potatoes don’t have the same breaking point leeway that pasta has. Take them 30 seconds beyond just right, and here come the mashed potatoes.

Different types of potatoes have varying levels of starch. This means that really starchy potatoes, like russet or Idaho (the ones used for baked potatoes), are going to break down more quickly in boiling water than low-starch Yukon gold or red/new potatoes.

How to cook potatoes for potato salad (3)

Yet the very thing about russets—their desire to go for mush—is what makes them taste so good in Lebanese potato salad. They absorb flavor more readily than Yukon gold or red potatoes, which is key to making our super delicious, super healthy potato salad. I had never made it with anything but russets, so just to be sure we weren’t missing out on something special, I auditioned all three varieties of potatoes.

The Yukon gold were great in that they held their shape so well and had that buttery golden color, but they didn’t take on the flavor of the dressing as well as russets. As for the red potatoes…forget about it. They may be pretty, and God knows I love the pretty, but the Lebanese dressing fell to the bottom of the bowl and the potatoes tasted simply like dull boiled potatoes.

How to cook potatoes for potato salad (4)

To cook perfect potatoes for potato salad, whichever type you choose, the key is to stay close to the pot and check the potatoes frequently for doneness. Using a timer is helpful, but nothing replaces being there. Since the size of your dice may vary, and the amount of potatoes and the amount of water they’re cooked in will likely change a bit each time you make them, all of that adds up to variables that don’t always respond the same to a set cooking time. The solution is to stand in front of the stove and take care of your potatoes, and if you must multitask, as I often do, make sure it’s something that doesn’t move you away from that space.

How to cook potatoes, step-by-step:

Step 1. Peel the potatoes if using russets or Yukon gold. Cut out any blemishes.

Step 2. Cut a uniform dice. I like ½-inch pieces (or slightly larger, but not smaller).

Step 3. Place the potatoes in a sauce pan and cover by about an inch with COLD water. Always start with cold water. If you boil the water first, the potatoes won’t cook as evenly (the exterior will cook too fast). I also salt my water with about a teaspoon of kosher salt.

Step 4. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and remove the lid so the water doesn’t boil over, and so you can keep a close eye on the potatoes.

Step 5. Pierce the potatoes with the tip of a paring knife every minute or so at this stage. Look for a little resistance. If the potato cracks apart or the knife slides right through rapidly, the potato is overcooked.

Step 6. Taste the potatoes each time you check them with the knife. Your sample should have some body to it, an al dente quality. It should seem slightly undercooked and should fully retain its shape still. Remember that the potatoes will keep cooking a bit from the residual heat even after the water is poured off of them.

Step 7. Pour into a colander immediately when you discover the potatoes are done.

Step 8. My russets cooked in 13 minutes. Yukon gold: 15 minutes. Red potatoes: 16 minutes.

Will perfectly cooked russets still get a little crumbly around the edges? Yes. Is this a problem? Not at all! In fact, the bit of crumble mixes with the dressing and makes for a kind of coating on the potatoes.

How do you not overcook potatoes for potato salad?

The key here is to stay on it. Start testing the potatoes every minute or so once they come to a boil in the cooking water. Pierce with the tip of a sharp knife, watching for an al dente potato because they continue to cook from residual heat even after removing from the water. Also: don’t cut the potato dice too small (1/2-inch at the smallest).

How to cut potatoes for potato salad?

Peel the potatoes if using Russet or Yukon Gold. Cut across the middle lengthwise once (like making a sandwich cut) and then across a few times to make potato sticks. Then dice by cutting crosswise in 1/2-inch dice.

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad?

Always cut up the potatoes into a dice before boiling them. If you boil the potatoes whole, the exterior of the potato will get too soft and crumbly before the interior has a chance to cook through.

Best potatoes for potato salad?

Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad. They do cook at different rates so be sure to adjust cook time depending on which type of potato you select.

how long to boil potatoes for potato salad?

The cooking time for potatoes for potato salad depends on the type of potato used. Start with cold water and add the diced potatoes. From there, cook Russet Potatoes for 13 minutes, Yukon Gold potatoes for 15 minutes, and Red Potatoes for 16 minutes.

Do you put the potatoes in before or after boiling?

Add diced potatoes to cold, salted water before boiling, for potato salad.

should you let potatoes cool before making potato salad?

Yes, if your potato salad is a cold salad, as most are, allow the cooked potatoes to cool to room temperature before adding the dressing and other ingredients.

Potato Recipes to try

Lebanese Potato Salad

Potato Kibbeh

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Roasted New Potatoes with Mint

How to cook potatoes for potato salad (5)

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4.86 from 7 votes

How to Cook Potatoes for Potato Salad

By Maureen Abood

Here are step by step instructions for cooking potatoes perfectly for potato salad. Fear not! Your potatoes will come out great, and so will any salad you make with them.

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Ingredients

  • Russet, Yukon Gold, or Red Potatoes

Instructions

  • Peel the potatoes if using russets or Yukon gold (red potatoes need not be peeled). Cut out any blemishes.

  • Place the potatoes in a sauce pan and cover by about an inch with COLD water. Always start with cold water. If you boil the water first, the potatoes won’t cook as evenly (the exterior will cook too fast). I also salt my water with about a teaspoon of kosher salt.

  • Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and remove the lid so the water doesn’t boil over, and so you can keep a close eye on the potatoes.

  • Pierce the potatoes with the tip of a paring knife every minute or so at this stage. Look for a little resistance. If the potato cracks apart or the knife slides right through rapidly, the potato is overcooked.

  • Timing estimates from when the water boils:

    Russet potatoes: 13 minutes

    Yukon gold: 15 minutes

    Red potatoes: 16 minutes

  • Taste the potatoes each time you check them with the knife. Your finished potato should have some body to it, an al dente quality. It should seem slightly undercooked and should fully retain its shape still. Remember that the potatoes will keep cooking a bit from the residual heat even after the water is poured off of them.

  • Gently pour the potatoes into a colander immediately. Do not rinse. Allow them to rest, cool off, and dry off until room temperature.

Video

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Maureen Abood

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How to cook potatoes for potato salad (2024)

FAQs

How long should you boil potatoes for potato salad? ›

Cook potatoes until they offer no resistance when pierced: 10–12 minutes for baby potatoes, 15–20 minutes for small potatoes, or 30–40 minutes for large cubed potatoes. Drain potatoes in a colander and let cool 10 minutes. Proceed with the recipe as written.

How do you not overcook potatoes for potato salad? ›

My potatoes turned out perfectly — and they have every time since — due to one ingenious tip he shares: Adding vinegar to the cooking water prevents overcooking.

Should you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling for potato salad? ›

In most cases, yes. Rinsing them in cold water cools them so they're a closer temperature to making the potato salad, which you'd want cold. On the other hand, if you're making red potatoes and going to make German potato salad, I'd rinse them in lukewarm water.

How long do you boil potatoes for? ›

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

Should you let potatoes cool before making potato salad? ›

The type of dressing you plan to use — mayo-based dressing or vinaigrette — will determine when the salad should be dressed. When using vinaigrette, don't let the potatoes cool before dressing them. And when making a mayonnaise-based potato salad, stay away from dressing warm potatoes.

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up? ›

You can boil potatoes either whole or cubed — both ways work fine. In either case, the key is to make sure the whole potatoes or cubed potatoes are roughly the same size. This way, they will all cook at the same rate.

Do you cook potatoes covered or uncovered? ›

In a large pot, add potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, and cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook uncovered until potatoes are tender and can easily be pierced by a knife, about 10 to 15 minutes (20 to 25 minutes for larger potatoes).

Why does my potato salad get mushy? ›

The starch in potatoes is held together by pectin. When that pectin breaks down too quickly in the boiling process, mushy potatoes result. Adding vinegar to the water fixes that problem because, as López-Alt explains, “pectin breaks down much more slowly in acidic environments.”

What is the best liquid to boil potatoes in? ›

The most common way to boil potatoes is on the stove in a pot of water. However, if you want more flavorful potatoes, consider boiling them in broth or a mixture of broth and water.

Do you put potatoes in cold water then boil? ›

For most potato dishes it's important to add the potatoes to cold water and allow the water to come to a boil with the potatoes in the water. The potato starch can react as soon as it comes in contact with hot water, which will promote uneven cooking and mealy potatoes.

Do I have to peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

Prepping and cooking potatoes. To peel or not to peel? If you'd like to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush before you cook them.

Why put salt in water when boiling potatoes? ›

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

How do you know when potatoes are boiled enough? ›

How Do You Know When Potatoes Are Boiled? A good indicator of when a potato is done boiling is if you can pierce it with a fork. You want the potatoes to be tender all the way through, with a fork easily sliding through to the center. If you get resistance, boil for another few minutes and check again.

Should you peel potatoes before boiling? ›

According to Mervosh, even though she often peels potatoes before boiling them, in most cases it's an unnecessary step. "Potatoes cook more evenly with the peel on,” she says. “The peel acts like a sort of insulation, protecting the exterior of the potato from overcooking while the interior gets done.”

How long do you boil potatoes to be tender? ›

Peeled, cubed potatoes cut into small, one-inch pieces should cook in 10 to 12 minutes, once the water reaches a boil. Larger pieces (about 2 inches across) may need longer, around 15 minutes. Medium whole potatoes should boil 20 minutes before they'll be tender.

How long to boil potatoes for potato salad reddit? ›

Boil potatoes till they easily split with a fork but are not mushy (6 to 10 minutes).

Which type of potato is best for potato salad? ›

Waxy potatoes are generally considered the best for classic potato salad because they retain their shape, you don't have to peel them, and they have a smooth texture. People who prefer a creamy potato salad that soaks up dressing like a sponge, though, opt for a starchy potato.

How long to boil potatoes before drying? ›

Blanch potatoes before dehydrating – super important!!

Add potato slices or shredded potatoes to the water and resume boiling until slices are fork tender, about 4-6 minutes. Fork tender means you can insert a fork easily without the potato crumbling. Blanch until fork tender, 4-6 minutes depending on thickness.

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