Parmesan Dill Potato Salad
This potato salad recipe has been INCREDIBLY popular since the day I shared it. There is something about the combination of parmesan cheese with tangy lemon zest, fresh herbs and creamy potato salad dressing that makes is very pleasant.
Absolutely delicious! The fresh taste of dill and the creamy sharpness and saltiness of the parmigiana reggiano add incomparable levels of flavor to this variant of classic American potato salad. ~Mit
Potato salads make a bread backyard BBQ recipe because they are always easy to make and it’s a perfect make-ahead dish. It’s also usually inexpensive, combines simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, and variations are endless.
I created this potato salad because of my love for fresh herbs, parmesan cheese, and bright fresh flavors. I grew up of potatoes with dill weed flavor because we add dill weed to so many dishes in Eastern Europe. It’s a bright and flavorful herb with a specific flavor that brightens any potato dish.
Quick Look: Dill Parmesan Creamy Potato Salad
- Total time: about 1 hour 5 minutes (mostly cooling time, hands-on work is under 20 minutes)
- Servings: 4 (about 4 cups)
- Potatoes: new or regular red potatoes, skin on.
- Cheese: freshly shaved Parmesan, not the pre-shredded kind.
- Make ahead: yes, potatoes can be cooked a day ahead.
- Best for: potlucks, BBQs, picnics, make-ahead sides.
Table of Contents
Important Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- Potatoes – use new red potatoes, also known as baby or creamer red potatoes, they’re small. Cook potatoes with SKIN ON! When cooked and cooled, you can choose to leave the skin on or peel it off. New red potatoes have thinner skin so you can always use younger potatoes and keep the skin on to hold onto the vitamins. You can use regular red potatoes if needed.
- Parmesan Cheese – For the very best flavor, do use freshly shaved or grated the parmesan cheese straight off the block.
- Dijon Mustard – Do Not substitute Dijon with plain yellow mustard!
How I Make Parmesan Dill Potato Salad: Steps and Tips
- Start the potatoes in cold water. I never add potatoes to already-boiling water. Starting cold and heating them gradually means the outside and inside cook at the same rate, so I don’t end up with a mushy exterior and an undercooked center.
- Watch for fork-tender, not falling apart. I start checking around the 15 minute mark once the water is simmering. A fork should slide into the center with almost no resistance. If the potato starts to crumble when you poke it, it’s overcooked.
- To peel or not to peel. When using young red potatoes, I like to leave skins on because the skins are thin and easy to eat. Potato skins is actually where most of potato’s vitamins are stored so leaving skins on will leave many of the vitamins in.
- Cool the potatoes completely before cutting. This is the step people skip and regret. Warm potatoes are harder to cut and release too much starch and steam once cut, which turns the dressing thin. I let mine cool fully, even in the fridge, before I touch a knife.
- Shave the Parmesan cold. Cheese shaves into clean curls when it’s cold and firm. If it’s warmed up on the counter, it tends to smear instead of curl, and you lose that shaved texture in the finished salad.
- Combine all ingredients except for dressing and give it a quick stir. This will just help spread the ingredients throughout better.
- Whisk the dressing separately, then fold it in. Combining mayo, sour cream, and Dijon in their own bowl first means the mustard disperses evenly instead of leaving streaky bites. I fold it into the potatoes gently with a spatula, not a spoon, so I don’t mash the cubes.
- Chill before serving. Even 30 minutes in the fridge helps the lemon zest and dill flavor settle into the dressing instead of tasting separate from it.
Make Ahead and Storing
- Make Ahead: You can make the whole potato salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Potatoes can also be cooked the day before that way you can easily put the salad together in ten minutes when ready.
- Storing: Store leftover potato salad in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to keep the container airtight either with the lid or plastic wrap.
- To ensure longer shelf life: If using plastic wrap to cover the bowl when storing potato salad, make sure to use a new sheet of plastic wrap after each time you open it. Don’t leave the spoon in the salad when storing it! Use a clean spoon each time you need to take some potato salad out.
- Freezing? I do not recommend freezing this potato salad. The creamy dressing and fresh ingredients won’t hold up well in the freezer.
Parmesan Dill Potato Salad FAQs
Whole potatoes will take 15-30 minutes, depending on the size. New, smaller potatoes will take closer to 15 minutes while large potatoes can take up to 30 (but that is more for Russets.). Medium red potatoes usually take 20-25 minutes at a simmer. Start checking at 20 minutes, a fork should slide into the center with almost no resistance when they’re ready.
Yes. You can cook and cool the potatoes up to a day ahead and store them in the fridge, then mix the full salad together closer to serving. The fully assembled salad also holds well in the fridge for a few hours before a party.
Store it in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Use a clean spoon each time you serve it, and don’t leave a spoon sitting in the bowl, to help it stay fresh longer.
You can in a pinch, but use about a third of the amount, since dried dill is more concentrated but far less bright. Fresh dill is what gives this salad its herbal, springy flavor, so I recommend seeking it out if you can.
Yes, a couple of chopped hard-boiled eggs is a popular addition if you want a heartier, more classic potato salad. Add them gently when you fold in the dressing so they don’t break apart.
I don’t recommend it. The mayo-based dressing separates once thawed, and the potatoes turn watery and grainy instead of creamy.
Yes, chopped dill pickles are a great addition if you want extra crunch and tang alongside the Parmesan and fresh dill. If you love that combination, my dill pickle potato salad leans fully into that flavor.
Ways to Serve Parmesan Dill Potato Salad
This salad is built for the backyard BBQ table. A few of my favorite mains to pair it with:
More Potato Salad Recipes
- Roasted Garlic Asiago Potato Salad
- Southern Potato Salad Recipe
- Corned Beef Potato Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad Recipe
- German Potato Salad Recipe
- Fennel Potato Salad Recipe
- Dill Pickle Potato Salad Recipe
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Parmesan Dill Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2- 2.5 lbs medium red potatoes
- 2 Tbsp fresh minced dill weed
- Zest from 1/2 large lemon
- 3/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
Cooking potatoes:
- Rinse potatoes and place them in a pot. Fill the pot with cold water, making sure potatoes are covered.
- Cook potatoes in salted, simmering water (over medium heat) until just done but not falling apart and cool completely before cutting.
Potato Salad:
- Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add Parmesan cheese, green onion, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper and gently stir until all evenly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, combine mayo, Dijon mustard, and sour cream until smooth and even.
- Add mayo mixture to the potato mixture and gently mix until mayo mixture is evenly incorporated throughout the salad.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- String: Store potato salad in an airtight food storage container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to keep the container airtight either with the lid or plastic wrap.
- Make Ahead: You can make the whole potato salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Potatoes can also be cooked the day before that way you can easily put the salad together in ten minutes when ready.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in June, 2014.
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Categories:
4th Of July Recipes, Backyard BBQ Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Potatoes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes,All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
