This horseradish potato salad turns the classic into something thrilling — creamy, dill-flecked and alive with a sinus-clearing kick.
It was Father’s Day here, which usually means backyard grilling — if the weather cooperates. This June in New York felt more like Seattle; we dodged rain and puddles but I still made potato salad in case the sun showed up for even an hour.
Yield | Prep / cook notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
About 6–8 servings | Use small ~2-inch potatoes; boil until fork-tender, cool to room temperature, quarter. Dressing mixes quickly. | BBQs, potlucks, weeknight sides |
I’d been threatening to make a horseradish potato salad for weeks because horseradish divides people — some find it fierce, but many jarred horseradishes are relatively mild. I wanted that cool, heady, sinus-clearing aroma paired with a creamy dressing and fresh herbs. The Russian I live with approved heartily and even looked forward to next Father’s Day (when he hoped he wouldn’t be stuck doing the dishes).
Make-your-own horseradish sauce is an option — the author used prepared because it’s convenient and keeps this recipe friendly for grocery-store cooks. Homemade horseradish is simple if you want a punchier result.
Cook’s notes & context: the recipe follows classic potato-salad logic but aims for brightness and a horseradish bite. It’s related to other potato-salad entries the author has shared previously.
Ingredient | Amount / notes |
|---|---|
Small potatoes (about 2-inch) | 3 pounds (choose variety; rainbow potatoes pictured) |
Red onion, chopped | 1/4 cup |
White-wine vinegar | 1 tablespoon (adjust to taste) |
Sour cream | 1 cup (or 1/2 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup yogurt) |
Fresh dill, finely chopped | 2 tablespoons |
Fresh chives, chopped | 1/4 cup (optional; author couldn’t find them) |
Dijon mustard | 1 tablespoon |
Prepared horseradish | 3 tablespoons |
Salt | 1 teaspoon |
Black pepper | 1/2 teaspoon |
Boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender. Drain and cool them to room temperature. Quarter the potatoes.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped red onion, vinegar, sour cream (or sour cream + yogurt), chopped dill, chives (if using), Dijon mustard, prepared horseradish, salt and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well blended.
Fold the dressing gently over the warm or cooled quartered potatoes until evenly coated.
Taste and adjust seasoning — you may want another tablespoon of vinegar for more zing.
Serve alongside grilled meats or refrigerate briefly before serving.
Note: The author suggests this salad will impress family (and “wow the Eastern Europeans in your life”), and encourages seasoning to taste.
Tip | Source text anchor |
|---|---|
Use small (~2-inch) potatoes; cook until fork-tender and quarter them for the right bite. | “3 pounds small (2-inch) potatoes… Boil the potatoes until fork tender, cool them to room temperature and quarter them.” |
Substitute half the sour cream with yogurt if desired. | “1 cup sour cream (or 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup yogurt).” |
Start with prepared horseradish for convenience — make homemade if you want a stronger kick. | “I used a prepared one… But if you’re feeling more ambitious, homemade horseradish sauce is not hard to make.” |
Adjust brightness with extra vinegar — try an extra tablespoon if you want more ‘zing’. | “Adjust seasoning to taste — you might add another tablespoon of vinegar if you feel it needs more ‘zing’.” |
Fresh dill and chives lift the salad; include them if you can find good, fresh herbs. | “2 tablespoons fresh dill… 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives.” |
