French Potato Salad - Cooks Illustrated

Published July 1, 2002.

Does your French potato salad recipe yield mangled bits of potatoes that taste dull and underseasoned? We set out in search of something better.

The Problem

Potato salads can be a challenge. The cooked potatoes tend to fall apart when sliced, and, despite aggressive seasoning, they can taste oily, flat, and dull.

The Goal

French potato salad is served warm or at room temperature and is composed of sliced potatoes glistening with olive oil, white wine vinegar, and plenty of fresh herbs. We wanted a potato salad that was not only pleasing to the eye but to the palate. The potatoes should be tender but not mushy, and the flavor of the vinaigrette should penetrate the relatively bland potatoes.

The Solution

Slice the potatoes before boiling them to eliminate torn skins and broken slices. Pour a vinaigrette flavored with mustard and garlic over warm potatoes spread on a sheet pan, then fold in fines herbes before serving.

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