Potato Salad for Gumbo?
The Traditional Potato Salad (also for Gumbo) recipe is accompanying blog post Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo (Aka Gumbo YA-YA). This recipe works great for that, but I’ve also added some extra ingredients to make a savory BBQ potato salad as well. In Lousiana, a creamy side dish of potato salad served alongside a bowl of hot Gumbo is a thing. Much like potato salad on the side of some quality BBQ getting messy on the plate with sauce, beans, meat, and other items, it makes its unique sumptuousness.
Which varieties of Potato are Good for Potato Salad?
General-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold, Kennebec, Red Gold, Red Pontiac, or simple baby red potatoes are the best potato salad. Other similar varieties will work as well. However, you want a potato with thin skin and slightly waxy flesh. Idaho Russets, California Burbank potatoes, or other floury types are not suitable for potato salad as they tend to fall apart.
A plate with a generous dollop of potato salad with smoked BBQ Beef short rib, blackeyed peas, cornbread, and pickle wedge is a delicious dinner any time of year.
Measure out the ingredients for the potato salad dressing.
When making potato salad or coleslaw, it is essential to make the dressing before adding the main ingredients. It is much easier to adjust the seasoning than adding the cooked potatoes or cabbage.
Chop the vegetables (celery, onion, scallions, and parsley) into a uniform shape.
(OPTIONAL) If you wish to make regular potato salad with this recipe instead of the Gumbo Ya-Ya version, add additional ingredients like a chopped boiled egg, pickle/pickle relish, and a jar of drained and minced red pimento pepper(not shown).
To the potato salad dressing, mix adds the chopped vegetables.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly and reserve.
Prepare the potatoes by peeling them and cutting them into bite-sized pieces. Be sure to submerge the potatoes in cold water to prevent the potatoes from oxidizing.
Strain the cooked potatoes into a colander. Gently rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Before serving, check the seasoning and either serve straight away or refrigerate in a container with a tight-fitting lid.
I wish you could have been here for this one! Post-oak-smoked dinosaur beef ribs, creamy potato salad, black-eyed peas (with Trappey’s hot sauce), sharp cheddar cornbread, and homemade kosher pickle. Oh my!
Beverage pairings:
Traditional & Gumbo Potato Salad
Equipment
- chef knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- potato peeler(optional)
- colander
- large mixing bowl
- large pot for cooking the potatoes
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- storage container with a tight-fitting lid
Ingredients
Cajun Potato Salad for Gumbo
- 4 lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 stalks celery, small dice
- ½ medium onion, minced (white or yellow)
- 1 bunch scallion, thinly sliced (white and green parts, roots removed)
- ½ cup mayonnaise-good quality like Dukes/Blue Plate or homemade
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tbsp mustard, creole, or Pommeray/country/whole grain style
- 2 tbsp parsley, cleaned and chopped fine
- 1 tbsp vinegar, red wine
- 2 tsp garlic, peeled and finely minced
- 1½ tsp paprika, sweet
- 2 tsp salt, kosher
- 1 tsp pepper, black
Traditional Potato Salad for Everything Else
- 3 tbsp cornichons, chopped fine or pickle relish
- 1 whole egg boiled, diced
- 1 4oz jar pimento, diced and drained
Salted Water for Boiling the Potatoes
- 1½ gallons of water
- 2 tbsp salt, kosher
Instructions
Prepare the Dressing Base
- First, start by measuring and preparing the Traditional Potato Salad dressing base. Next, add the wet ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine thoroughly.
- Core, peel (if needed) the vegetables and parsley. Add the chopped vegetables and herbs to the prepared potato salad dressing and combine. Test the seasoning. Reserve
Prepare the Potatoes
- Prepare a medium to a large mixing bowl with cold water. Reserve
- (Optional) Peel the potatoes and check for blemishes under the skins. Cut those out with a small knife if you find any dark patches. Place the peeled potatoes into the reserved water bowl, keeping the potatoes from oxidizing and turning grey.
- After the potatoes are prepared, heat a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil.
- While the water is heating, take each potato and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Then, place the bite-sized potato pieces back into the water bowl.
Cooking the Potatoes
- Set up a colander in the sink to drain the cooked potatoes. Reserve
- To cook the potatoes, drain them in a colander and add to the pot of boiling water. (If you are afraid of splashing the water, lower them in with a kitchen spoon or spider sieve.)
- Boil the potatoes for approximately 15-20 minutes or until done. Since each variety of potato cooks slightly different times, pull one of the potato pieces out. (Test the potato when a fork can easily slide into the potato without breaking it apart.)
- Drain the potatoes in the reserved colander. Then, gently rinse, under low pressure, the cooked potatoes with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Putting the Potato Salad Together
- Finally, add the cooled cooked potatoes to the prepared bowl of dressing. Use a rubber spatula and gently fold in the potatoes. The potato salad can be used right away or stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Very excited to try these recipes. I want to buy a print copy of your cookbook! This is awesome!!!! Well written and photographed. Excellent tips, too!!!
Great idea! I will look into that.
This potato salad is delicious! I love the addition of the bacon.
While I have dozens of different potato salad recipes, this one works particularly well with Gumbo. Yes, that’s a thing in Louisiana. A couple of spoonfuls of spicy gumbo and cool off with a spoonful of cold potato salad. Thank you for giving it a go!
This looks amazing! Now do you put potato salad in the bowl with your gumbo instead of rice? Thanks.
No, I still like the neutral flavor of the rice. The potato salad is added on the side. I think the tradition began in Louisiana when folks had people over for a potluck and along with the main course being gumbo they added sides on top of the gumbo as well instead of having to deal with an extra plate. The tradition with the potato salad stuck since it pairs the best as opposed to other side dishes.