This Fingerling Potato Salad is a quick and easy potato salad with few ingredients! Using smaller potatoes cuts the chopping and boiling time in half, plus elevates the whole look of a traditional potato salad. Combined with mayonnaise, dill, and shallot, it's the perfect BBQ side dish.
Fingerling potatoes make this basic potato salad recipe a lot easier. Because they're much smaller, they take up less time chopping and cooking. Plus they have an elevated look!
I love to serve this fingerling potato salad with BBQ Oven Ribs, BBQ Chicken, Pulled Pork, or Honey Chipotle Chicken Sandwiches. And if you love this recipe, you'll really love my Apple Coleslaw.
This quick potato salad recipe is a reader favorite because:
- Easy and Fast - With minimal chopping and cooking, this recipe is great for beginner cooks.
- Simple - No fancy ingredients, just simple ones you probably have on hand!
- Allergy-Friendly - No eggs if using an egg-free mayo, and gluten and dairy free.
Jump to:
Fingerlings for Potato Salad
A lot of recipes call for you to dice or quarter large potatoes which seems like an insurmountable hassle to me on some days. I realize I'm being dramatic about this, but it just seems so much easier to slice a small potato in half and throw it in a pot. Plus I think it makes it look a little more elegant for a simple potato salad.
I've even made this using tricolored baby potatoes, but typically I love using the small gold ones or fingerling potatoes. Simply wash them, slice them in half, and you're done! Also because the skin is so thin on these, there's really no need to peel like you would for russet potatoes.
Ingredients
- Fingerling Potatoes - These are smaller potatoes that look like chubby fingers! You can also use baby yukon gold potatoes if those are easier to find.
- Mayonnaise - I use Sir Kensington's Organic Mayonnaise which contains a tiny amount of lemon juice, or Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo. For a vegan option, try my Egg Free Mayo.
- Celery and Shallot - Both provide some crunch and flavor!
- Apple juice and white vinegar - I combo these two to make an "apple cider vinegar' that is migraine-friendly. But if you're not sensitive to apple cider vinegar, you can use the same amount of vinegar!
- Dijon - Look for a dijon without sulfites, like Annie's!
- Chopped pickles - Love using Grillo's plain pickles or homemade pickles.
- Dill - Fresh or dried will work!
How to Make Fingerling Potato Salad
Step 1: Cut potatoes and cook them in boiling water
Slice the fingerling potatoes in half and place them in a large pot of boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes until soft, but not mushy. Run the potatoes under cool water to stop the cooking and then gently pat dry with a towel.
Step 2: Mix dill dressing
Stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar, apple juice, celery, shallot, dill, dijon, and salt and pepper.
Step 3: Chill
Cover the potato salad and place it in the fridge to cool completely. I recommend at least 2-3 hours, if not more. The longer the potato salad sits in the refrigerator, the stronger the flavors will be!
Tips for Success
- Scrub the potatoes under cool, running water before boiling so they're nice and clean.
- Use a mayo you like the taste of. There's nothing worse than a potato salad that's flavored like a mayonnaise you hate.
- Gently stir the potatoes so they don't become a mushy mess. I'll use a spatula to fold them into the dill dressing mixture.
- Chill for a couple hours, if possible. This will allow the best flavors to come through.
Substitutions
- Celery - best substituted with something crunchy like jicama.
- Potatoes - For low carb, I've made this with boiled cauliflower before and it's really good!
- Shallot - I don't recommend substituting this one because shallots give such a great flavor here, but green onion would be the closest.
- Mayonnaise - I don't recommend substituting this either, but I will say that I have added cottage cheese to some of my potato salads before to boost the protein content and provide creaminess. It's actually very good.
Storage Recommendations
In the refrigerator, store potato salad for up to 1 day in a covered bowl, or in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
I do not recommend freezing this salad because it will change the texture.
How to Serve Fingerling Potato Salad
I absolutely love this easy summer salad with BBQ recipes, especially during the summer. Here are a few of my favorites.
- Oven BBQ Ribs
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Apple Coleslaw
- Honey Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
- Flank Steak with Chimichurri
- Buffalo Chicken Thighs or Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
- Baked Chicken Kabobs
- Grilled Italian Shrimp
Basically any grilled meat + this fingerling potato salad + Crustless Blueberry Pie is a summer dinner dream.
Salad Recipes
If you love this fingerling potato salad, you may love these great summer salads too!
If you make this, tag me #thedizzycook or @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram. And if you love the recipe, please leave a review below! Follow along on my Pinterest for more great recipes.
Fingerling Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fingerling or small potatoes
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons apple juice (plain juice, nothing added)
- 2 small stalks of celery, diced small (about ½ cup)
- 1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
- 1-2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped pickles (OPTIONAL)
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and, while waiting, scrub the potatoes, pat dry, and cut them in half. Cover with a lid and simmer the potatoes till soft, but not mushy - about 10 minutes. They're ready when a fork can slide easily through the potato.
- Remove the pot from heat and drain. Transfer the potatoes to a colander and run under cool water, then dry by patting gently with a towel.
- Meanwhile combine the mayonnaise, dijon, vinegar, apple juice, celery, shallot, pickles (if using) and dill. Add the potatoes to the mix, stirring with a wood spoon or spatula till everything is combined, and chill for at least an hour or two.
- Taste the potato salad and add salt and pepper to your preference. I typically don't add salt, but love more pepper - about ¼-1/2 teaspoon.
Notes
- The longer the salad is able to sit and chill, the better the flavor will be. I recommend at least 2-3 hours. However, I've eaten it immediately in a rush and it's still really good.
- This potato salad pairs well with any grilled meat or vegetables, as well as anything spicy! It's perfect for a potluck.
- For migraine-friendly, additive-free mayonnaise and dijon mustard see the suggestions in Pantry Staples. My personal favorites are Sir Kensington's and Annie's Naturals. You can also use Primal Kitchen or make your own using one of my recipes. If you are vegan or egg-free, try my Egg Free Mayo.
- For pickles, I like Grillo's or here's a recipe for quick pickles.
Barbara Wike says
Delightful and easy. A staple in our house every summer. Thank you!
Barb Morris says
This potato salad was a hit, very flavorful. The only ingredient I changed is I used green onions instead of the shallot. I was very happy to to see it on the Dizzy Cook site after I had boiled a pot of potatoes..