Potato and Feta Salad (Printable)
Tender potatoes with crumbled feta, fresh herbs, and a bright lemon-mustard dressing. A Mediterranean summer favorite.
# What's Needed:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 ¾ pounds baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved
02 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
03 - 3 ½ ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small cucumber, diced
05 - 3 ½ ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves (optional)
→ Dairy
06 - 5 ⅓ ounces feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Fresh Herbs
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the halved baby potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain through a colander and set aside to cool slightly while still warm.
02 - While the potatoes cool, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic in a small mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until fully emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the warm potatoes, thinly sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, and baby spinach or arugula if using.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the assembled vegetables. Gently toss to coat all the ingredients without breaking apart the tender potatoes.
05 - Scatter the crumbled feta cheese, chopped dill, and parsley over the dressed salad. Toss lightly once more to distribute the cheese and herbs throughout.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- Warm potatoes drink up the dressing like nothing else, turning a simple salad into something surprisingly luxurious.
- It comes together in the time it takes to boil water, which means you can actually enjoy your own gathering instead of hiding in the kitchen.
02 -
- Do not refrigerate the potatoes before dressing them because chilled starches seal themselves off and the vinaigrette will slide right off instead of soaking in.
- Tossing the salad while everything is still slightly warm was the single change that transformed this from a decent side into something people actually asked me to write down.
03 -
- Cut any larger baby potatoes into uniform halves or quarters so every piece finishes cooking at the same time and looks intentional on the plate.
- Let the dressing sit for five minutes before adding it to the potatoes because the garlic mellows and the mustard blooms, giving you a rounder, more cohesive flavor.