Mediterranean potato salad is so easy and simple. It's made with only a few ingredients and packed with flavor thanks to a homemade zaatar dressing.
Mediterranean side dishes work so well with many types of food. Side dishes such as batata harra, Greek potatoes, Mediterranean salad and Nicoise salad are some of the popular side dishes that everyone loves. This Mediterranean style potato salad is so simple and easy to make. It's a delicious twist on the classic.
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About this recipe
The best thing about this fresh potato salad is that it's made with very few ingredients. Moreover, mayo isn't one of the ingredients and therefore this delicious salad is perfect for outdoors and can stay at room temperature for a few hours and still taste perfect. Now I love a good Russian potato salad (ensalada rusa), but sometimes, you just want a lighter version and this recipe definitely gives you that.
The dressing calls for olive oil, zaatar, herbs and spices which makes it so tasty. It's so simple to make and is a great twist on the potato salad we all know. I bet everyone at the potluck is going to be super excited when you bring this delicious Mediterranean style potato salad.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: This recipe calls for baby potatoes because they are small and cook pretty quickly and the skin is so tender.
- Red onion: Adds a nice flavor to the salad and goes so well with the dressing.
- Herbs: I used parsley and dill for this recipe. However, you can add other herbs including cilantro and green onions as well.
- Dressing: You need olive oil, garlic, lemon and zaatar to make the dressing for this Mediterranean style potato salad. Flavor explosion!
Instructions
- Start by washing the potatoes and if you're using baby potatoes, simply cut them in half. If using larger potatoes cut them into 6-8 pieces.
- Cook them in salty water and drain. Pour some cold water over the potatoes to stop the cooking process.
- Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl, add chopped fresh parsley and dill to the bowl.
- Finely chop the red onion and add it to the potatoes and herbs.
- In a small bowl or jar mix olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice and zaatar. Add the dressing and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestions
I love serving this healthy potato salad as a side to simple dishes such as Parmesan baked cod, mediterranean chicken or shish tawook.
It's also perfect for potlucks, especially in summer since it doesn't have mayonnaise and you can keep it at room temperature or even at a barbecue table outside for hours without worrying that it might go bad. Serve it alongside some grilled meat such as spatchcock chicken, beef shish kabob, chicken shish kabob or salmon shish kabob.
Variations
You can always add more ingredients to make this salad even more delicious:
- Kalamata olives
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Capers
- Boiled eggs
- Herbs such as cilantro or green onions
Frequently asked questions
As I mentioned before, I suggest using baby potatoes because of their texture and flavor. However, you can also use golden potatoes, russet potatoes or red potatoes. It's best to peel and cut them into smaller pieces before cooking.
This completely depends on the size of the potatoes. I usually place the cut potatoes in a sauce pan or a pot and cover them with water and add a pinch of salt. Then, bring it to boil and cook for about 10-15 minutes until they are fork tender but not falling apart. Check out Kitchn to read about how to boil potatoes and its tips and tricks.
Yes. However, I suggest you make it only a few hours ahead of time so the herbs are fresh when served. Also, add the dressing to the potato salad right before serving to prevent the herbs from wilting. You can boil the potatoes a day ahead and have them ready for the salad.
You cannot freeze potato salad. Boiled potato loses its texture and flavor once frozen and the herbs will wilt. It's best to serve this homemade potato salad fresh.
Notes and tips
- It's important to use red onions (and not white) in this potato salad recipe. Red onions add so much flavor to salads and are not as strong as white or yellow onions.
- If you don't have fresh dill, use on tablespoon dried dill weeds in this salad.
- Taste the salad as you go, if it needs more salt, add a pinch and mix well to incorporate flavors.
- The zaatar dressing for this salad is so tasty and easy to make. You can make it ahead of time and use when needed.
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Mediterranean Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lb baby potatoes
- 1 red onion finely diced
- ½ cup fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
Zaatar dressing
- 1 tablespoon zaatar
- ⅓ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lemons juice of
Instructions
- Wash the baby potatoes and cut the in half. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring them to boil.
- Boil the potatoes until fork tender but not mushy. This will take about 10 minutes once they start boiling. Make sure the potatoes are fully cooked but they're not falling apart.
- Drain the potatoes and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and leave them to cool.
- Once cool, add chopped onion, dill and parsley to the bowl and mix well.
- Mix zaatar, olive oil, minced garlic and lemon juice in a bowl and add it to the potato salad. Mix well.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- It's important to use red onions in this potato salad recipe. Red onions add so much flavor to salads and are not as strong as white or yellow onions.
- If you don't have fresh dill, use on tablespoon dried dill weeds in this salad.
- Taste the salad as you go, if it needs more salt, add a pinch and mix well to incorporate flavors.
- The zaatar dressing for this salad is so tasty and easy to make. You can make it ahead of time and use when needed.
Phoebe
I loved the combination of flavors in this potato salad! The Homemade Zaatar Dressing was incredible!
Taylor
I had a bunch of fresh dill to use up from my garden and this salad was the perfect way to showcase it! SO easy and so delicious. Tons of flavor and leftovers tasted even better the next day!