This French inspired potato salad recipe is served warm with a quick dijon red wine vinaigrette and buttery caramelized leeks. No mayo required!
We're riffing on a classic French potato salad by tossing cooked baby potatoes with a light, olive-oil based dressing while they're still warm (they soak up so much flavor this way) and adding caramelized leeks for an ultra-cozy twist.
Serve this side dish warm for the best texture, or make it ahead of time and eat it straight from the fridge when you're ready for it.
One note: This recipe is simple, but not quick. Plan to spend about an hour letting the leeks cook over very low heat so they can properly caramelize!
Ingredients
Find a full ingredients list with exact quantities in the recipe card below.
- Fresh leeks are slowly caramelized in a pan with unsalted butter. Slice the delicate white parts of the leek into half-inch pieces, and wash them well to remove any sand or grit. (Save the green parts of the leek for homemade parmesan broth or turkey stock!) Learn more: How to slice and clean leeks.
- Baby yellow potatoes have a buttery texture that works wonderfully with caramelized leeks. Cut potatoes into halves (or quarters, if they're especially large) for perfect bite-sized pieces.
- Dijon mustard helps emulsify our red wine vinaigrette and round out the flavors. We like a coarse ground or whole grain mustard here.
Step by step instructions
Add sliced leeks to a large skillet with a bit of unsalted butter and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for about an hour, until the leeks are fragrant and golden brown.
While the leeks are caramelizing, cook potatoes in a large pot of salted water over a low boil, until they're easily pierced with a fork.
Whisk mustard, red wine vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil together in a large bowl with a generous pinch of salt and a few turns of fresh cracked black pepper. Set this dressing aside.
When the potatoes are fork-tender, drain them and add them to the mixing bowl with the dressing. Add the caramelized leeks, then stir until everything is combined. Taste and add another pinch of salt and pepper as needed; serve immediately.
Variations and substitutions
- Add herbs like fresh parsley, dill, mint, or chives.
- Make the dressing creamy by adding a spoonful of mayonnaise or Greek yogurt (à la our Greek yogurt potato salad).
- Add bacon or crispy prosciutto for a bit of protein. Sliced hard boiled eggs are also good here!
- Cook the potatoes in chicken broth instead of water for an extra layer of flavor.
- Toss a spoonful of capers into this potato salad for a salty, briny bite.
FAQs
This side dish works well with so many main courses! A few of our favorite pairings:
- Mustard Roasted Salmon
- Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs
- Arugula Farro Salad
- Spicy Roasted Steelhead Trout
- Garlic White Wine Baked Fish
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken
If you'd like to bring this potato salad to a potluck or barbecue, we recommend serving it cold to prioritize food safety, as warm food can dip into the "danger zone" where bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses thrive. Serving this potato salad warm isn't an issue if you're eating it at home right after it's made, but temperature can become an issue when you factor in travel time and the time a dish may spend sitting on a buffet table at room temperature.
Serving a COLD potato salad will give you more flexibility with food safety, timing, and temperature, especially if you are traveling to a potluck and sharing the dish with other people.
If you're bringing this dish to a potluck: Make the potato salad as written, let it cool completely, and then store in the fridge overnight. Transport it in a cooler with ice packs to maintain a temperature of 40° Fahrenheit or below, and let it sit out on a buffet or table for no more than two hours at room temperature.
Learn more: USDA Food Safety Recommendations for Potlucks.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it turned out!
📖 Recipe
Warm Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American, French
Description
This warm potato salad features a simple dijon red wine vinaigrette and buttery caramelized leeks.
Ingredients
- 1 large leek, white and light green pieces only, sliced and cleaned (about 2 cups)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½ pounds baby yellow potatoes
- 6-10 cups water (enough to cover your potatoes as they cook)
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the leeks. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced leeks and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to an hour, until the leeks are a deep golden brown.
- Boil the potatoes. Cut baby potatoes in half (or in quarters, if they're especially large) to create evenly-sized pieces. Place potato pieces in a large pot and add cold water until the potatoes are fully submerged. Add a pinch of salt, then bring the pot to a low boil. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Make the dressing. Whisk red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, and olive oil together with a pinch of salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Assemble. Add caramelized leeks and cooked, drained potatoes to the mixing bowl with the vinaigrette. Stir until the potatoes are evenly coated in the dressing. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, while potatoes are still warm.
Notes
Use only the white and lightest green pieces of the leek for the best texture. Save the dark green leek pieces for homemade stocks and soups. Slice leeks into half-inch slices and rinse well to remove any grit. Learn more: How to cut and clean leeks.
Substitutions. Add fresh herbs, capers, crispy bacon, sliced hard boiled eggs, or other mix-ins to this potato salad if you like. Use baby red potatoes instead of yellow baby potatoes if you prefer, or use larger potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Boil potatoes in chicken broth for additional flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup
- Calories: 247
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 98.2 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.3 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 15.3 mg
Comments
No Comments