What are the best potatoes for potato salad?

There are so many sorts of potatoes out there; how do you know which ones are best for salad?

Well, the easiest answer would be: definitely NOT floury potatoes; these kinds of potatoes will fall apart when cooked, and the salad will be a mess. Floury potatoes are best when making mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, for instance. You can also use them to make creamy soups, gnocchi, or potato dumplings.

Use a waxy sort of potato for potato salad. They contain less starch than floury potatoes and will keep their shape best when cooked. Look for red potatoes, new or fingerling potatoes. Waxy potatoes are also suitable for roasting, boiling, gratins, or casseroles.

The in-between type or all-purpose potatoes could be used as well. They have a medium starch content and can be used for pretty much anything. These are the sort of potatoes I buy most of the time; I always have some in the cellar.

Names of different types of potatoes

Starchy potatoes: Idaho, Russet, Maris Piper, King Edward, Desiree, or Estima.

In Germany (blue label): Adretta, Gunta, Karat, Aula, or Freya.

Waxy potatoes: Red Bliss, Maris Peer Jersey Royals, Bintje, Asterix, Anabelle, Red Thumb, French Fingerling.

In Germany (green label): Anabelle, Kipfel, Charlotte, Agata, or the ones I seem to find more often than others, Linda.

In-between or all-purpose potatoes: White and Yukon Golds, Red Gold, Purple Majesty, Norland Red, or All Blue.

In Germany (red label): Christa, Finka, Bolero, Gala, Maja or Saskia.

Ingredients

As mentioned above, it is best to use waxy potatoes when making this Romanian potato salad. But if you only have in-between or all-purpose potatoes in the house, don't let that stop you.

I prefer to use red onion, but white onion is OK as well.

You can either use leftover boiled eggs or you can cook some eggs. Place the eggs into a saucepan, cover well with water, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 13 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of iced water. Let stand for about 5 minutes. Peel the eggs. Let them cool down while you prepare the rest.

I like sweet and sour dill and mustard seed gherkins (I used them for the Deviled Egg Pasta Salad too). You can use them or any other (dill) pickles you happen to like.

Black olives or a mixture of black and green (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab). Preferably unpitted olives; they taste so much better, and they are the authentic choice for this recipe. Warn the people at the table about the pits.

I use sunflower oil for making Oriental salad, it is the kind of oil my grandmother always used, and I like it like that. However, you can use another kind of oil as well, either a mild olive oil or neutral-tasting vegetable oil.

Make in advance and store

The Romanian potato salad with gherkins can be served as soon as you make it, or you can keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.

In this case, let the salad come to room temperature and check the seasoning again before serving.

The potatoes will absorb most of the dressing, and you will want to add a bit more moisture. Add a bit more oil, gherkin water, vinegar, some salt, and pepper.

The Oriental salad keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days; stir it well before each serving and add more of the liquids mentioned above if it is too dry.

More traditional Romanian salads

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