Herby Potato Salad With Smashed Olives

By Lidey Heuck

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus cooling
Rating: 4(734)
Notes: Read community notes

As with coleslaw, there are two schools of potato salad: the mayonnaise-based and the vinegar-based. This recipe plants itself firmly in the latter camp with bright, punchy flavors. The dressing here is a classic red-wine vinegar and Dijon vinaigrette that develops great flavor after marinating with capers, smashed green olives and thinly sliced shallots. Just fifteen minutes in the dressing softens the shallot’s bite, and a quick soak brings canned olives to life. There may appear to be too much dressing when you add the cooked potatoes, but as the potatoes cool, they’ll absorb it beautifully. (The key is to add them to the dressing as soon as they are cool enough to handle.) Any small potatoes will work for this recipe, and a mix of colors looks particularly nice. The most important detail is that the potatoes should be roughly the same size so that they cook evenly.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

2pounds small (or baby) red or Yukon Gold potatoes, all about the same size
Kosher salt and black pepper
2tablespoons red wine vinegar
1teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅓cup olive oil
1cup Castelvetrano or other green olives, pitted and smashed (about 4 ounces)
1large shallot, thinly sliced
2tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
3tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Place the potatoes in a large pot; add 2 teaspoons salt and enough water to cover generously. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, until just tender when pierced with a fork. (Be careful not to overcook!) Drain and set aside until just cool enough to handle.
Step 2
While the potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar and mustard with 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the olives, shallot and capers, and set aside to marinate for 10 to 20 minutes.
Step 3
When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, cut them in half (or quarters, to end up with bite-size pieces), and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Gently combine and set aside to cool completely, tossing occasionally.
Step 4
Stir in the mint and parsley, along with more salt and pepper to taste, and serve the potato salad at room temperature.

Ratings

4 out of 5

734 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

mountainweaver3 years ago

Italians often use "smashed" olives in salads. As a child my job was to smash... The tool of choice... a heavy bottle (in those days it was an empty milk bottle) Even if the olives have pits, they pop out when you smash them.

Jo3 years ago

everyone loved this! Very easy and fast to make. Used the olives on hand which were Crespo green olives stuffed with anchovies. Used 2 cutting boards to squeeze them between and “smash” them. Vinaigrette does tend to absorbed by the potatoes.

Ruth P3 years ago

This is a keeper! I prefer plain white or cider colored vinegars and made that substitution. The olives are wonderful. I am going to try this again, adding a few anchovies suggested below. — Partly for fun and also for curiosity, I looked at the substitution guide for capers and olives; nothing was suggested.

jenny3 years ago

Has anyone made this the night before and if so any suggestions???

rebecca3 years ago

Cut potatoes in bite size pieces before cooking and add to vinaigrette immediately after draining. Potatoes then absorb more vinaigrette. Very tasty.

Lynne Zolli3 years ago

This was easy and delicious. The leftover salad tasted equally as good the next day. I'm definitely in the no-mayo camp.

Karen Artiaco3 years ago

Really nice change from Mayo based potato salads and German potato salads. Used a mix of roughly cut pimento stuffed green olives, black olives and herb flavored green olives. Also added 1/4 C diced red pepper for both color and crunch. Definitely leave at from temp. Bought some of the recipe olives today and tried a few bites with them. For a mellower flavor, use them. If you want more punch use pimento stuffed green or a combination. Maybe use tapenade as a short cut? Maybe add celery?

runner1153 years ago

This was great. Didn't have mint, used dill, and green olives had garlic stuffed in them! Added touch. Delish.

Sem3 years ago

Actually, the recipe *calls* for capers and they were an essential part of the mix for us.

Mark3 years ago

Great recipe. Paired exceptionally well with Sheet-Pan Roasted Fish With Sweet Peppers: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017725

Jamie2 years ago

Made this as directed. It’s lovely though I find the mint overpowers other flavors. Will leave it out next time / perhaps sub chives.

kesw3 years ago

Not as much salt, a few less olives, and an added squirt of lemon at the finish — no other modifications needed!

Abby Schwarzwalder2 weeks ago

Best potato salad recipe ever!

MPD3 weeks ago

I went a bit off-road with this one because--it's potato salad! But I kept the basic recipe structure and just improvised a few things. I used a random leftover vinaigrette my husband had made that was in the fridge. Random leftover olives. Dill + parsley, as I didn't have mint. Chopped onion instead of shallots, same reason. Took another commenter's advice and drained the potatoes and added them immediately to the dressing. Stunning!

Tara Silberberg2 months ago

So a friend made this for a potluck (everyone loved it!) and I wound up with the leftovers. Two days later I was looking at it. One thing about left over potatoes, is that they get kind of mealy and dry... one of the downsides of a non-mayo potato salad. Anyway, threw the whole thing in a pan with a little olive oil and fried it up as home-fries. DELICIOUS!! Moral of this story? Don’t throw the leftovers away!

jaimee8 months ago

We did what Rebecca did two years ago and added arugula and magnificent it is! YUM! Rebecca: Cut potatoes in bite size pieces before cooking and add to vinaigrette immediately after draining. Potatoes then absorb more vinaigrette. Very tasty.

Juliet9 months ago

If using a rolling pin when smashing the olives, wear an apron.

Riefqah9 months ago

This potato salad was a huge hit at our Labor Day BBQ! Some guests even took home leftovers. I swapped out the vinegar for lemon juice, used Kalamata instead of green olives for even more colour (and because I love the flavour) and added some basil to the herb mix.

Ann10 months ago

A big hit with my family. Used lovage instead of parsley but otherwise made according to the recipe.

Portland10 months ago

This is not something that my family would want to see again. The individual ingredients are all something we enjoy, but the dressing as written is very vinegary.

EVD11 months ago

Baby red potatoes and I cut them in half before cooking them. Goes faster. Used piquant green olives, ie. marinated in oil with red pepper flakes. And I cut them in three to four pieces. Seemed kinder than smashing them! Capers, grainy Dijon, parsley and microgreen arugula! Excellent!!!

Skyler11 months ago

This was an absolute 10/10; very fresh and tangy. I added some grainy dijon and it gave it just a nice extra bite and texture. Super fresh and easy to prep!

CD, Vancouver, WA1 year ago

I substituted tarragon for the herbs and marinated haricot verts in the same dressing. Always a crowd pleaser, especially with deviled eggs to accompany!

janisani1 year ago

I used russets, not peeled, and cut in cubes. I steamed them and they were fine. this is very tasty and not rich. it goes well with bbq'd whatever, or for a potluck. it looks good too.

Mitch Tuchman1 year ago

I substituted rosemary and thyme. Why? Because they grow in my yard. Love the result.

Nancy N1 year ago

Loved this! I am just one of those people who never really learned to cook, so I always get anxious & feel like a beginner in the kitchen. This was easy to make, and I loved the way it came out. I followed the recipe exactly (using baby gold potatoes & Castelvetrano olives). I definitely could have eaten the whole bowl.

Tiffany1 year ago

Excellent potato salad! I cooked this for Easter dinner and everyone loved it. There were no leftovers. I wasn’t sure about the mint so I only did 1 Tablespoons instead of 3. Other than that I followed the recipe to the T.

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