Olivier Potato Salad

This salad might be more popular in Europe, but there is no reason why anyone shouldn’t get to enjoy this creamy, delicous salad. Olivier Potato Salad is very hearty; prepared with eggs, ham, carrots, and pickles, this salad is full of robust flavour! Serve as a side, or even as a course if preparing for a fancy dinner!

I thought I had tasted the best of the best when it comes to potato salads, but I was wrong, because this Olivier Potato Salad goes right to the top of my all-time favourite list! Don’t judge me because I have a list of favourite potato salads, because nobody loves or does a potato salad better than a Newfoundlander!

I was born and raised in Newfoundland. Do you know what that means? Among other things, it means that I know potato salad better than anyone! As a food blogger, it is my job to try recipes, and I’ve tried more potato salads that I care to count. To date, I have not found any potato salad that can beat a traditional Newfoundland variety, but this Olivier Potato Salad comes very close!

My absolute favourite type of potato salad is the Vegetable Potato Salad. If you travel across the island, you will discover that just about everyone makes it just a little differently. But, there are a few constant staples. For example, almost all Newfoundlanders will use canned mixed vegetables in their potato salad. And, by doing so, they are right!

Some of them will add apples. But, I’d rather be trapped in a butterfly conservatory. Those of you who know me well can just imagine how horrifying that would be for me! Some people add raw onion. I love the flavour of onion, but not raw, and certainly not in a potato salad. Green onions will give you that onion flavour without the bitterness of raw onion. Some will add egg. I do. I love the texture and taste of eggs in a potato salad.

In essence, this Olivier Potato Salad is almost a replica of a typical Newfoundland-style potato salad without the canned mixed vegetables. Instead, this one used fresh carrots, green onions, hard-boiled eggs, fresh dill and dill pickles, and the mayo is thinned slightly with avocado oil to create the most delicious side! I should also mention that like a traditional Newfoundland potato salad used canned mixed veggies, this one used canned peas. Could you use fresh peas? Sure! But, it won’t be as good.

MORE POTATO SALAD!

Lord Byron’s Kitchen has a lot of potato salad recipes. Yes, a good percentage of them are prepared in Newfoundland style, but some of them are not. So, basically, there’s a potato salad recipe here for everyone!

Inspired by classic Greek ingredients, with bright and fresh flavours, Greek Potato Salad is a great alternative to regular home style potato salad. Complete with feta, lemon, dill and pine nuts – who could resist!? For the serious dill pickle enthusiast, Dill Pickle Potato Salad is a creamy, dill-packed side dish fit for any summertime meal! Prepared with dill pickles, fresh chopped dill, and dill pickle juice too, this salad is very dilly indeed! Familiar Tex Mex ingredients can be found in my delicious Tex Mex Potato Salad. Doesn’t it just scream summer? Prepared with baby potatoes, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and a mayonnaise and sour cream-based sauce, this potato salad is sure to be a hit!

In terms of Newfoundland-style potato salads, I’ve got you covered there too! I’ve already mentioned my favourite of the three common types, Vegetable Potato Salad. It’s made with chopped hard boiled eggs, mashed potatoes, and green onions; it’s creamy, comforting, and oh so delicious! Mustard Potato Salad is very similar to regular potato salad, but with tang and zing from yellow mustard. Also, this one doesn’t have eggs. It’s a great way to update your regular salad with a new flavour profile! And, finally, there’s my Pickled Beet Potato Salad which is a sweet and creamy side dish paired perfectly with chicken or roast beef; a perfect summer potluck take-along side dish!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Ham – See notes below for information about selecting ham for this recipe.
• Potatoes – Use 4 large white flesh potatoes.
• Carrots – 3 large carrots will do.
• Hard Boiled Eggs – Peeled and diced.
• Green Peas – Canned green peas taste much better than fresh green peas in this recipe.
• Dill Pickles – Use your favourite brand.
• Green Onions – These add a burst of freshness to the salad.
• Parsley – For flavour, colour, and freshness.
• Dill – Used in combination with the dill pickles for even more dill flavour!
• Mayonnaise – You can use any mayonnaise, even the fat free stuff!
• Avocado Oil – Any oil will do here!
• Salt and Ground Black Pepper

HOW TO MAKE AN OLIVIER POTATO SALAD

If you have not already done so, prepare the potatoes and carrots by peeling them and boiling them in salted water until fork tender. Use separate pots because to cooking time will vary. While the potatoes and carrots cook, hard-boil the eggs as well.

Once the potatoes, carrots, and eggs are cooled and cooled, chop them into a fine dice and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl and set aside.

Next, whisk together the mayonnaise, avocado oil, salt, and ground black pepper to form the dressing. Pour the dressing into the mixing bowl with the salad ingredients. Toss well to coat and mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.

REAL HAM OR CANNED HAM?

You can use one or the other. If I’m in a complete hurry, I will use canned ham. Use your favourite brand, but be careful. Since we are adding things like mayonnaise, the mixture might get a little too salty. If you use canned ham, try to find a low-sodium version. I don’t have much luck around here with low-sodium canned ham, but I have seen it in some stores from time to time.

When using canned ham, you can choose between flaked or solid. If using flaked ham, I prefer the Maple Leaf brand. I’m not sure if that particular brand is available in the United States, because I believe it is a Canadian product. But, every store has a version of canned ham in stock. If you are using solid cooked ham, or block-style, it will come in a can that looks like this. I’m using the block-style.

If you prefer to use smoked ham or deli ham rather than canned ham, you can do that too. In fact, I love both the hickory smoked ham and the Virginia ham. Both of those will result in a delicious Olivier Potato Salad.

INCLUDING THE EGG YOLKS

Whenever I make an potato salad with hard boiled eggs in it, I tend to only use half of the egg yolks. Let me explain. All of the eggs are hard boiled and then roughly chopped. Before I chop them, I cut the eggs in half and remove the yolk from half the amount of eggs. The only reason I do this is that I don’t care for an extremely yellow salad!

I don’t mind a little yellow tint to the finished product, but I don’t want the salad to be completely yellow. Does it matter? Absolutely not! You can include all of the yolks in your salad, but if you do, keep in mind that your salad will be more yellow than the one you see in the photographs.

It’s all in my head, I know! But, how many times have we all heard the expression that we eat with our eyes first? Well, my eyes tell me that I don’t want to eat yellow potato salad. Ha! You do you, Dear Reader!

STORING AND REFRIGERATION

It’s important to let the salad chill in the fridge for at least four hours. This will allow the ingredients time to hang out and get to know each other! The vegetables and dressing will marry and all of the flavours will be exchanged and absorbed.

After four hours, the salad is ready to serve. Toss it again before plating just to freshen everything up. The salad does tend to settle a little bit. You can safely store this salad in your fridge for up to three days. Be sure to keep the salad covered at all times.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!