Nothing really says summer like potato salad (at least in America). It’s a staple of barbecues, picnics, and outdoor parties. This dill caper potato salad recipe comes via Smitten Kitchen via Bon Appetit via Rosanne Cash (daughter of Johnny).
I modified it a bit (OK, maybe a lot), but the essence of it is, I think, the same. First, I substituted yellow potatoes for red. Second, I used capers rather than pickles. Third, I left out the hard boiled egg (because I was low on eggs and wanted them for something else). And finally, I swapped yellow onion for red.
The key here is the crunchy sour/sweet flavor of the capers paired with the starchy potatoes and the lemony, sweet dill.
And, since I don’t like that much dressing, I cut that too (even Deb said it was a bit much the original way).
The odd thing is, I was writing up the recipe, and I realized I hadn’t written down the reduced measurements (duh). So, I went back to the original to see what the amounts should be (planning to divide by 8). Then I noticed she’d said that the dressing was enough for 150% of the original quantity of potatoes.
Since my brain balked at calculating how to get 150% down to whatever fraction is appropriate, I winged it and wrote down what I thought would work.
At the end, there was another note to use half the dressing and then only add more if you felt it needed it. Seems that amount of dressing would have worked for twice as many potatoes, as well as 150%. Then I thought, wait, better divide by 16 then just to make sure.
I started to do that, and found my “guessestimates” were exactly accurate. The only thing that was off was the capers, which I had consciously and deliberately reduced a bit.
Anyway, on to the recipe!
Dill Caper Potato Salad
Briny capers, sweet dill, and potatoes are a fresh take on the usual potato salad. Low on the mayo too.
Ingredients
- 1 large Yukon gold (or yellow) potato, scrubbed (don’t bother peeling it), cut into chunks
- 2 tsp. capers, chopped up dill pickles, or cornichons
- 1 T chopped yellow onion
- 2 tsp mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp fresh dill (or a pinch of dried)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fill a small saucepan with water and boil the potatoes until they are easily pierced with a fork. This should take about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool off.
- Add the cooled potatoes to a bowl, and add the capers and chopped onion. In a second bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and dill (essentially making a sort of salad dressing).
- Pour the dressing into the bowl with the potatoes and toss to mix it all up. Season with salt and pepper.
Dill Caper Potato Salad Substitutions and Variations
- add a hard boiled egg
- use red onion
- if you use pickles, incorporate some of the pickle juice into the dressing
- try white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar
- cut the mayo with some yogurt or sour cream
More Potato Recipes
French Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette Potato Salad
Delicious potato salad without the heavy mayo dressing. Get your starch fix here! Good warm or chilled.
Mixed Greens Egg Potato and Chicken Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
A great way to get your veggies and clean out the fridge. All you have to cook is an egg, and add leftover chicken. Or skip the chicken and make it vegetarian.
Think extra-thick French fries. These are crispy outside, fluffy inside. Great comfort food, which my grandma used to make me.
Skin On Garlic Mashed Potatoes
No peeling! No kidding. These mashed potatoes are rich, creamy, and super-easy. The garlic mellows out and sweetens as you cook it.