Classic French-Style Potato Salad

No mayo, fresh herbs and zippy add-ons are what make a Classic French-Style Potato Salad a Summer favorite! In comparison to its American counterpart, almost always thickly dressed with mayonnaise, the French-style potato salad relies on a lively vinaigrette dressing to create a more elegant and lighter version of this staple.

The small potatoes are tossed warm in an herby and tangy mix of Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, olive oil and red wine vinegar, then spiked with cornichons, shallots and fresh dill.

This is a quick, easy and guaranteed crowd-pleaser for your Summer picnics or potlucks. 

What type of potatoes is best for this salad?

I recommend you make this salad with any small new potatoes, red-skinned or even fingerling potatoes. They all keep their shape well once cooked, which is exactly what we want here. 

Cook the potatoes until you can easily poke a knife in them; but they shouldn’t be mushy. Then, drain and rinse them right way under cold water to stop the cooking process.

The potatoes should still be warm when you toss them in vinaigrette: this will temper the “bite” of the shallots and round off all the flavors of the vinaigrette. 

Can you make this salad ahead?

Yes! This salad is actually even better if you let it sit for several hours to allow the flavors the develop. This is an ideal dish to make ahead if you’re planning on hosting guests and save some time in the kitchen. 

Here are more French salad recipes for entertaining: 

• • Celery Root Remoulade 
  • Cucumber Salad with Crème Fraiche
  • Frisée Salad with bacon, egg and croutons (Salade Lyonnaise)
  • Classic French Lentil Salad
  • French-Style Couscous Salad 

How to store this French-Style Potato Salad?

After making and enjoying potato salad– if you have any leftovers – you can store them in the refrigerator

• In the refrigerator: this salad can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• I don’t recommend freezing it, as the flavors and texture can tend to be off once defrosted and the dressing will likely separate. 

Common Questions:

If I can’t find shallots, what would you suggest?

A red onion would work well a substitute, in the same quantity listed.

Can I remove the skin from the potatoes for this recipe?

Of course you can, but it’s a lot more work. The skin on small potatoes are very thin and are honestly best left on. But the choice is, of course, yours!

What other herbs could I use in place of dill for this recipe?

Dill is THE herb to use for this dish, but commenters have noted the use of tarragon as well as fennel fronds in place of the dill. Chive would be a nice choice as well. While the use of any different herb would alter the taste of the dish, use what you enjoy!

I hope you’ll love this Classic French-Style Potato Salad as much as I do! This recipe is enough for 4 people and easy scalable to make for 8, or just 2 people. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. 

More French potato recipes you may like: 

• Potato Green Beans Salad
• Pickled Herring and Potato Salad (Harengs Marinés Pommes à l’Huile)
• Crispy Duck Fat Potatoes (Pommes de Terre Sarladaises)
• Creamy Leek and Potato Soup (Soupe Vichyssoise)
• Classic French Gratin Dauphinois

Classic French-Style Potato Salad

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes 15 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.7/5

( 54 voted )

Ingredients

1.5lbs (680g) small potatoes (gold, red-skinned or a mix)
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp (30ml) Extra Virgin Oil Oil
1 tbsp (15ml) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Grainy Mustard
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 shallot, peeled and diced
5-6 cornichons (or dill pickles), diced
1 tbsp (15ml) cornichon juice

Instructions

Step 1 – Slice the small potatoes in half, or in quarters if larger. Place them in a large pot and cover by 1 inch with water. Add 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes until you can easily poke a knife into the potatoes. Drain immediately into a colander/strainer and rinse under cold water. The potatoes should have cooled slightly, but still be warm to the touch.

Step  2 – In a large bowl, combine the EVOO, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously with a fork to blend and emulsify. Add Dijon mustard, grainy mustard, 3 tablespoons of the freshly chopped dill, the diced shallots, diced cornichons and cornichon juice. Toss to combine.

Step 3 – Add the potatoes to the bowl of vinaigrette. Toss gently to coat the potatoes evenly. If needed, season more to taste.

Serve warm or chilled, For serving, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped dill.