Patatosalata (Greek Potato Salad)

This quick and easy Greek potato salad relies on lemon—an essential ingredient in many Greek dishes—to give it a touch of sharpness. Traditional patatosalata—πατατοσαλάτα in Greek and pronounced pah-tah-toh-sah-LAH-tah—is made with olive oil rather than the mayo commonly used in American potato salads. This bright and tangy salad pairs wonderfully with many main dishes, especially grilled seafood, chicken, and lamb.

The Ingredients for a Great Greek Potato Salad

• Potatoes: Waxy potatoes such as red bliss are ideal for this recipe because they hold up well and won't disintegrate like floury potatoes can in potato salad. Larger potatoes with thick skins should be peeled before cooking, but feel free to leave the skins on smaller potatoes. Slice the potatoes into bite-size chunks until they pierce easily with a fork. Keep an eye on them and be sure not to undercook or overcook them—the former will be unpleasantly crunchy, while the latter will turn to mush in your salad.
• Onion: Thinly sliced raw onions are tossed with the potatoes right after the potatoes are cooked, and the heat from the potatoes slightly cooks the onions, taking a bit of the bite out of them. Using a red onion makes a nice visual effect, and many traditional patatosalata recipes call specifically for red onions, but you can also use white onions.
• Olive Oil: The olive oil is one of the main flavor components of this dish, so be sure to choose a good olive oil with a taste you love. Make this dish really authentic by choosing a Greek olive oil.
• Lemon: Lemon juice is the star of this potato salad, so use freshly squeezed juice.
• Garlic: Since the garlic goes into the dressing raw, pick fresh garlic, as older garlic can get a pungent flavor.
• Salt and pepper: This salad keeps things simple with just salt and pepper for seasoning.
• Parsley: Adding fresh parsley just before serving is an easy way to brighten up the flavor of the dish.

How to Serve Patatosalata

You can serve this potato salad warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It's a great match for any kind of meat or seafood, including grilled chicken, fish, lamb, shrimp, and more. Serve it at your next cookout or picnic.