Potato Salad (Πατατοσαλάτα)

A Greek potato salad or patatosalata that is full of vegetables like cherry tomatoes, celery and peas, tossed with Kalamata olives, fresh herbs and a homemade vinaigrette made with white wine vinegar and olive oil. This light and nutritious potato salad is going to be your go-to recipe from now on.

Growing up in a Greek home, my parents relied on potatoes quite a bit. They are a staple in Greek and Mediterranean, partly because they are so versatile, filling and nutritious. I also grew up enjoying a variety of potato salads, but not one of them was laden with mayonnaise. Instead we enjoyed salads like Greek potato salad with herbs, Maniatiki Salad (Potato salad with oranges and fennel) and even Potato salad with smoked herring, which even as a child I loved!

Why I love this recipe

It is easy! Simple ingredients and no special cooking skills required.

It is delicious and nutritious! The only added fat comes from the olive oil, and the addition of peas offers some fibre.

It is pretty. They say we eat first with our eyes (not exactly sure who they is, but I trust them!). In any case, it is true that when a dish looks appealing, we are more drawn to try it and enjoy it. I love how this patatosalata is vibrant and colourful.

Key ingredients

You will need a few basic ingredients to make this great Greek potato salad.

Baby potatoes I love baby potatoes. I cut them in half and leave the peel on after giving them a good wash.

Green peas I use frozen green peas if I cannot find them fresh. I stay away from canned peas for this recipe, but it that is all you can find, go ahead and use them.

Cherry tomatoes I cut the cherry tomatoes in half so that the juice of the tomato is able to spread around in the salad.

Celery I love the crunch and flavour of fresh celery in this salad.

Kalamata olives The brininess, saltiness, and meatiness of Kalamata olives give great Greek wow factor here! I pit my olives and chop them up into large chunks.

Green onions Beautiful and fresh tasting! I use the white and green part of the onion.

Parley Flat leaf parsley is added after it is washed well (parsley can be so dirty) and chopped finely.

Olive oil You know me! I only use olive oil in my dressings, and this is not exception.

White wine vinegar I love whilte wine vinegar because it is mild yet flavourful, and does not change the colour of your dish the way red wine vinegar might.

How to make it

Making this potato salad is super simple. Follow my straightforward directions and you will see for your yourself how easy it is.

Instructions

Step 1
Wash your potatoes and slice them either in half or in quarters, depending upon the size.

Step 2
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot and boil your potatoes for approximately 20 minutes, until a sharp knife slides into them easily.

Step 3
While your potatoes are cooking, boil your frozen peas in a small pot of water for approximately 10 – 15 minutes, until they are done.

Step 4
While your potatoes and peas are boiling, prepare your other ingredients. Chop your celery and green onions finely and set aside. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and set aside.

Step 5
When your potatoes and peas are ready drain them in a colander. Transfer them to a large bowl and add the rest of your ingredients: the tomatoes, celery, green onions, olives, parsley, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Step 6
Toss gently, and set aside to cool slightly.

Recipe substitutions

Instead of using baby potatoes you can use regular potatoes that you chop up into bite size pieces.

Instead of peas you can use chopped up green beans; they too will add a pop of colour and nutrition.

Instead of parsley you can use another fine herb – fresh chives or coriander would be nice.

Instead of cherry tomatoes, use regular tomatoes that you chop up into bite size pieces.

Helpful hints

Recently my parents have been making this potato salad with small new potatoes, which is the way I have presented it here. In my younger years however, whenever they made this potato salad for the family they would use any potatoes they had on hand by simply cutting them into chunks. I’m not sure why they made the switch, but I’m happy they did. Little potatoes are adorable!

When cutting your cherry tomatoes in half it is easiest if you use a serrated knife.

To easily pit Kalamata olives, press down on them with the blade of a large kitchen knife. This will squish the olives and you will easily be able to open them with your fingers and pull the pit out.

Storing & reheating

This potato salad keeps for several days in the refrigerator. Although it can certainly be enjoyed straight from the fridge, or at room temperature, I really do prefer it when it is warm, either after being freshly made or reheated slightly in the microwave. I find that the flavours are really enhanced this way.

Picnics, and why this recipes makes my heart happy

Growing up the child of Greek parents who immigrated to Canada, I went to a lot of family picnics when I was a kid. In late spring, summer and early fall, when the weather was inviting, my family would spend Saturdays on the mountain. If you’re from Montreal, you know that the mountain refers to Mount Royal. Declared a heritage site by municipal authorities and the Government of Quebec, the mountain covers 10 square kilometers, right in the heart of Montreal.

This vast territory of Mount Royal includes residential areas, education and health-related buildings, vast cemeteries and Mount Royal Park, the crowning jewel of the mountain. Realized by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also helped design New York’s Central Park Mount Royal Park is a haven for cross-country skiers, tobogganers and snowshoe-ers in the winter and in warmer months it is the perfect place for hiking, suntanning, running and, of course, picnicking.

Our family picnics were grand affairs. Not fancy (there was not a cute wicker picnic basket in sight), but large. When I refer to family picnics, I don’t mean my parents, my brother and my sister. Oh no. Our family picnics included us 5, and dozens of aunts, uncles, and cousins.

They began early in the morning, which was important to secure the many picnic tables we needed to accommodate the lot of us. There was always some debate about the perfect spot; perhaps close to Beaver Lake, or maybe by the children’s park with swings and a metal slide that I still remember as being kind of treacherous. Amid the cacophony of “over here” and “no, over here”, my dad and uncles would be moving picnic tables back and forth until a decision was finally made.

Knowing that our time on the mountain would last until the sun went down, we were well equipped. As my mother and aunts began prepping the scene, which included laying large worn quilts on the grass (in case anyone wanted to nap), the kids got settled too.

Bouncing balls, frisbees, badminton rackets and skipping ropes were set out to be used throughout the day. The mountain was safe, and so the adults had no problem with the kids wandering off on our own (never alone however), exploring the trails, meeting up with other kids, and feeding the ducks. And then, when it was time, we all helped set up the food and drinks.

You can probably imagine that there was a lot of food. And not only a lot in terms of quantity, but also in variety. Trays of pastistio, chicken, spanakopites, tyropites, meatballs, rice, and several salads, including this potato salad, were not uncommon.

Some picnics we would also have a barbecue with us, and our dad, or one of our uncles, would grill steaks and souvlaki. Surprisingly, this was not such an odd scene up on the mountain. Sure, you would find some quaint picnics, complete with checkered tablecloths, matching picnic plates and cutlery and between 2 to 4 people eating macaroni salad and sandwiches, but there were plenty of families like ours. Large and boisterous and enjoying every moment of being together.

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Related recipes

Greek cuisine is full of amazing, traditional Greek salads. If you are looking for some more Greek potato salad recipes, check these out:

Greek potato salad with herbs A great, simple, light potato salad. All the fresh herbs make it something special.

Potato salad with smoked herring For the smoked fish lovers out there, this salad is for you! A combination of potatoes, veggies and fresh herbs and smoked herring.

Maniatiki Salad (Potato salad with oranges and fennel) A salad from the Mani region of Greece. This is an unusual combination of ingredients that works so well!

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