Herby Dijon French Potato Salad (Mayonnaise Free)
There are two camps with it comes to potato salad — team mayo and team no-mayo. And if this recipe is any indication, I’m definitely team no mayonnaise!
Instead, I like a potato salad made with a bright, acidic dijon dressing that’s loaded with fresh herbs like chive and parsley to cut through the dense potatoes. Plus, an olive oil based dressing means this salad is perfect for summer — being able to sit out at a backyard BBQ much longer than it’s mayonnaise-based counterpart.
And, did you know?
Cooling potatoes after cooking increases their resistant starch load — a type of dietary fiber that our guts love!
Resistant starch is exactly that. A starch (or carbohydrate) that is resistant to digestion. But while our bodies can’t digest it — the bacteria in our large intestine are capable of breaking it down for fuel. Moreover, this process creates short-chair fatty acids such as butyrate — the preferred source of energy for the cells in our large intestines. (1) We feed our good gut bugs and they in-turn feed us back. Pretty cool, right?
The fiber in cooled potatoes also helps regulate blood sugar and creates a feeling of fullness faster than if the potatoes were just cooked.
Other types of carbohydrates that create resistant starch once cooked + cooled are legumes, oats, rice, and pasta. (2)
No mayo means this potato salad is perfect for summer BBQs and picnics.
Herby Dijon French Potato Salad
Serves 4-6 | Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pounds small organic red and/or white new potatoes
2 Tbs. dry white wine
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 Tbs. minced parsley
2 Tbs. minced chivesFor the Dijon Dressing:
3 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. DijonMustard
3/4 tsp. fine sea salt
10 grinds fresh black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
Directions:
Add the white and red potatoes to a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for another 5 minutes.
While the potatoes are still very warm, but cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half (or quarters depending on size) and place them in a large bowl. Toss gently with the white wine and shallots. Allow the wine to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.
For the dressing, combine vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil slowly to create an emulsion.
Add half the vinaigrette, parsley, and chives to the potatoes and gently toss to combine. Taste and add more vinaigrette as needed. The potatoes will continue to absorb the dressing as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
If prepared ahead of time, let salad sit at room temperature for at least 30-minutes. Can be made up to one day in advance.
Recipe inspired by Julia Child and Ina Garten
