Potato, Egg & Green Bean Salad

Monday 23 July 2018


In the summer months, my mother always cooked extra potatoes so that she could make us a delicious potato salad to enjoy on hot summer days.  I can remember her patiently standing at the counter peeling the potatoes, cutting them into small cubes. They would go into a bowl along with some cubed cucumber, chopped celery, chopped onions and chopped hard boiled egg . . .  and some seasoning of course.  She folded in a creamy dressing, made using Kraft Salad Dressing, and sprinkled  the top with paprika. We loved it. We thought it was just perfect.


She didn't have to fancy it up in any way.  We were happy with it just as it is.  I don't think it ever occurred to any of us that you could also dress salad with a vinaigrette dressing.   I love creamy potato salads, but I also love potato salads with a vinaigrette dressing.  I might even love them a tiny bit more.


When you dress potato salads with a vinaigrette salad while the potatoes are still quite warm, they absorb some of the dressing which imparts a lovely flavour to the potatoes, it doesn't just coat them. 


In fact, in my regular potato salad  that I make (with a mayo dressing) I have always dressed the potatoes with a preliminary French vinaigrette, letting them cool in it before I add anything else at all.  I learnt this trick from the late Marion Cunningham in the Fanny Farmer cookery book.  It makes for a really delicious potato salad with lots of flavour.  Sharing this recipe just below . . .


*Potato Salad*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is my favourite way to make a mayonnaise based potato salad.  It is perfect in my opinion, with just enough mayo and lots of flavour.  The flavour of the potato really shines through.

8 medium sized new potatoes, unpeeled
the juice of one small lemon
1/4 cup of vegetable oil (2 fluid ounces)
fine sea salt to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks of celery, washed, trimmed and chopped
1/2 cup of  cubed cucumber (peel, remove the seeds and chop
into 1/2 inch dice)
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped into 1/2 inch dice
2 TBS finely chopped onion
1 to 1 1/4 cups of mayonnaise
3 TBS cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar

To garnish:
finely chopped fresh chives
ground paprika

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water, until tender just to the fork.  Drain well and as soon as you can handle them, peel and cut them into 1/2 inch dice.  Toss in a bowl along with the lemon juice, chopped onions,  oil and salt to taste.  This preliminary dressing while very warm gives the potatoes extra flavour and coats them.  This prevents them from absorbing too much mayonnaise later on.  Allow to cool.

Add the black pepper, celery, chopped eggs and cucumber.  Blend 1 cup of the mayonnaise with the vinegar and the sugar.    Pour this over the potato salad, gently folding until all pieces are coated.  Add the remaining mayonnaise only if the salad seems dry.  Taste and adjust the seasoning as required.  Spoon into a clean bowl and chill, covered. 

Just before serving, sprinkle with some chopped fresh chives and ground paprika.  Delicious!!


Its a really great, great potato salad.  If you are looking for something a tad bit more interesting however,  I totally recommend this recipe I am sharing today.


Fork tender new potatoes, crispy tender fresh green beans, semi hard boiled eggs . . .  just in between hard and soft, so that some of the yolk is just a bit coddled . . . it mixes in with the vinaigrette when you are tossing it all together . . . creating an almost creaminess  . . .


The dressing a simple emulsification of Chinese rice wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and a mix of herbs and seasonings  . . .


Finely chopped fresh dill leaves . . .  so good with both potatoes and green beans, and yes, even egg . . .


Mild onion flavours from the use of finely snipped chives . . .  and earthy green flavours from the use of fresh parsley . . . 


I put my dill and parsley into a tall narrow glass and snip them with the tips of my kitchen shears.  They work perfectly at getting them to the right size without making a mess.  The chives, I just hold in a bundle and snip into small bits over the bowl.  Again, with my kitchen shears.  Easy peasy.


I do add a touch of sugar to the dressing, just to take away from the sharpness of the vinegar.  There is also some heat from a good Dijon mustard, and of course . . .  some salt and black pepper.


Altogether this makes for a really great potato salad . . .  colourful . . .  crunchy . . .  creamy and quite delicious!!!


*Potato, Egg & Green Bean Salad*
Serves 6

A fresh, flavourful potato salad with plenty of colour, texture and a fabulously light and tasty Dijon Herb Vinaigrette dressing.

For the dressing:
3 TBS rice wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt, divided
120ml extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 TBS minced fresh dill leaves
1 TBS finely snipped fresh chives
1 TBS  minced fresh parsley



For the salad:
1/2 pound fresh fine green beans, topped and tailed
1 1/2 pounds smallish new potatoes
3 medium hard boiled eggs
Parsley to garnish


To make the dressing, put all of the dressing ingredients (1/2 tsp salt) into a glass jar and shake to emulsify.  Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Set aside.

Add the remaining salt to a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Have ready an ice water bath. Add the beans to the water  and blanch for about 2  minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and place in the ice water bath to stop them from cooking further. Drain well and set aside.

Add the potatoes to the same pot of boiling water and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes, just until they are tender. Drain well and let cool until you can comfortably handle them.  Quarter them into a large bowl and add half the dressing.  Toss to coat. Add the green beans and toss again.  Peel and chop the eggs, fold into the salad.  Add enough of the remaining dressing until you get  consistency you enjoy and the flavour is right. Toss again.  Taste and adjust seasoning as required.  Garnish with more chopped parsley and serve.


We enjoyed this with some grilled fish and a plate of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.  We didn't need anything else.  It was magnificent.  Bon Appetit! 



14 comments

  1. We were both in a potato salad mood..I just made one too:) It looks good Marie w/ the beans!

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    1. Tis the season! With beans as well? Wow, both are really in tune with each other. Amazing! This is soooo tasty! xo

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  2. I never thought to put green beans in my potato salad! What a great idea!

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    1. I love pushing the boundaries Jeanie! This is really very good!

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  3. Can't wait to try this. I'll be making it tomorrow night with some grilled pork chops! My husband has green beans coming in now in the garden, so this recipe came right at the perfect time! Thanks again Marie! :)

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    1. Oh boy, you are in for a real treat Mary! Pork chops are the perfect go-with! I wish I was coming to yours for supper! xo

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  4. Wish you could "pop over" to visit too! Oh well, I'd be too nervous to cook for YOU anyway, especially your own recipe!

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    1. Aww, but food ALWAYS tastes better when you don’t have to cook it yourself!

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  5. Just wanted to report back after our terrific dinner last night! This salad is wonderful! Made it with fresh Green Beans from our garden, as well as all our fresh herbs, just cut, and it was excellent. We had it with thick marinated bone-in pork chops and we both ate a lot! Thank you again, this recipe is a keeper and a Fav for sure, Mary

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    1. Oh! Mary, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let us know how much you enjoyed this! So happy about that! You made my day! Xo

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  6. Tried this today along side some sauteed tilapia (I used your sauteed cod recipe) and fresh strawberries. Yum! Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks so much Donna! I am pleased you enjoyed! Sounds like a fabulous dinner! xo

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  7. Found you via Pinterest. This has become a weekly meal in our house. thanks for the recipe.

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    1. I am so pleased that you enjoy it. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! xo

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