Sandra Ina Garten Dill Potato Salad Recipe is a creamy American side dish featuring tender baby potatoes and fresh herbs. This crowd-pleasing salad uses a tangy dressing of mayonnaise, sour cream, and white wine vinegar to coat the earthy red skins.
If you do nothing else, add the dressing to the potatoes while they’re still warm. That’s the difference between a salad where the flavour sits on top and one where the dressing soaks right into the centre. I used to wait for them to go cold, but they just ended up slippery rather than seasoned.
The fresh dill is doing more work than you’d think. Without it, the salad is just heavy potatoes and mayo, but the herbs cut right through the fat and give it a clean finish. This is the dish I bring to every garden party because it’s the one thing everyone actually finishes.
Ina Garten Dill Potato Salad Recipe Ingredients
- 1.4kg (3lb) baby red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (plus extra for seasoning)
- 240ml (1 cup) mayonnaise
- 120ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
- 15ml (1 tbsp) white wine vinegar
- 25g (1/2 cup) fresh dill, chopped
- 50g (1/2 cup) spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp black pepper
How To Make Ina Garten Dill Potato Salad Recipe
- Boil the potatoes: Place the whole potatoes in a large pan and cover them with cold water by at least an inch. Add the tablespoon of salt and bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until you can easily pierce them with a fork.
- Cool and cut: Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for a few minutes until the steam stops rising. Cut them into halves or quarters so they are bite-sized, but leave the skins on to keep the texture.
- Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, white wine vinegar, fresh dill, and spring onions in a large bowl. Add a teaspoon of salt and the black pepper, then stir until the mixture is a pale green colour and completely smooth.
- Mix the salad: Toss the warm potatoes into the bowl with the dressing while they still have some heat. Move them around gently with a large spoon so the dressing coats every surface without mashing the spuds.
- Chill and serve: Cover the bowl with clingfilm and put it in the fridge for at least one hour. Give it a quick stir before serving to redistribute the dressing and add a few extra sprigs of dill on top.
Recipe Tips
Steam the potatoes dry. After draining, leave the potatoes in the hot pan for two minutes with the lid off. This lets the leftover water evaporate so the dressing doesn’t turn thin and watery when you mix it in.
Keep the skins on. Baby red potatoes have very thin skins that add a nice bit of colour and stop the potatoes from falling apart into a mush.
Use fresh dill only. Dried dill has a dusty flavour that doesn’t work here, so stick to the fresh bunches found in the vegetable aisle.
Dress while warm. Aim to cut and dress the potatoes about ten minutes after draining. If they go stone cold, the starch locks up and they won’t absorb the vinegar or herbs.
Prepare a day early. This salad tastes better after 24 hours in the fridge because the spring onions and dill have more time to flavour the cream base.
Check the seasoning. Cold food often needs more salt than hot food, so taste the salad again just before serving and add a pinch more if it tastes flat.
What To Serve With Dill Potato Salad
This creamy salad is the best partner for grilled chicken, beef burgers, or charred sausages straight off the hob or grill. The tanginess of the vinegar also cuts through the richness of BBQ ribs or pulled pork.
For a lighter lunch, serve a large scoop alongside a piece of baked salmon or some grilled courgettes. It also works as part of a classic picnic spread with scotch eggs and crusty bread.
How To Store Dill Potato Salad
Fridge
Keep the salad in an airtight container for up to four days. The spring onions will get stronger over time, so give it a good stir before you eat it to refresh the dressing.
Reheat
Do not heat this dish as the mayonnaise and sour cream will split and become oily. If it feels too firm from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Freeze
Do not freeze this recipe. The potatoes turn grainy and the dairy dressing will separate into a watery mess once it thaws.
Ina Garten Dill Potato Salad Recipe Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 8):
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Protein: 3g
- Fat: 21g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 480mg
Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes, you can use dried dill if you have to, but use only two tablespoons as the flavour is much more concentrated than fresh.
Warm potatoes have open pores that allow the vinegar and herbs to soak into the middle of the vegetable instead of just sitting on the outside.
Yes, Greek yoghurt works well and adds a similar tang, though the final texture will be slightly less rich.
Ina Garten Dill Potato Salad Recipe
Description
Tender baby red potatoes tossed in a creamy, herb-packed dressing with a sharp hit of white wine vinegar.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil whole potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
- Drain and let the potatoes sit for a few minutes to steam dry.
- Cut potatoes into bite-sized halves or quarters while still warm.
- Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, and herbs in a large bowl.
- Fold the warm potatoes into the dressing until they are evenly coated.
- Cover and chill in the fridge for at least one hour before serving.
