We are throwing in back to pay homage to the potluck dish that will forever be a nostalgic favourite…our classic potato salad recipe.
There are a million different takes on potato salad. But if you grew up going to backyard barbecues and summertime picnics, you know exactly what we are talking about when it comes to a “classic” potato salad. Of course we had to put our spin on it though!
We start with freshly-diced potatoes, roasted until perfectly tender. Then to the potatoes, we add the classic building blocks of salty bacon, crunchy dill pickles and tangy red onion. Then everything gets tossed with a creamy dressing spiked with mustard, mayo, vinegar, and garlic powder to bring everything together. Potato salad perfection.
Pasta salad ingredients
Here are some quick notes about the easy potato salad ingredients you will need for this recipe
Potatoes: We prefer buttery Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes in this recipe because they hold their shape well and won’t get too mushy.
Bacon: Cook your bacon in strips and then rough chop. This way you will get nice, crispy chunks that will be the showstopper in this potato salad.
Mustard: We used dijon in our pasta salad but if that isn’t your thing, yellow mustard will taste delic too.
Vinegar: We make this salad with apple cider vinegar, but red wine vinegar or white vinegar would also work well.
Dill Pickles: We recommend dill pickles (always!!) but if sweet is your think, go for it!
Veggies: Bell pepper and onion add a classic bit of crunch to this potato salad. Corn adds a bit of sweetness (we used canned corn because we had it on hand. Frozen works too).
Extras: We added cubed cheddar cheese and green onion to our salad. The sky is the limit when it comes to extras! This is where we encourage you to let your tastebuds take the lead
Potato Salad tips
Here are a few quick potato salad tips to keep in mind when making this recipe!
Don’t overcook the potatoes. In order to avoid a mushy potato salad, regularly check the potatoes while they are cooking. Once they can easily be pierced with a fork, they’re ready to go!
Be sure to add some crunch. Celery and onion are the classic additions to creamy potato salad. But if celery isn’t your thing, try adding in some radishes, bell peppers, cucumbers, fennel or carrots instead to the salad to give it some nice texture and crunch.
Give it time to chill. All of these delicious flavors will continue to meld as the potato salad sits, so it will be even more delicious after it has chilled in the fridge for a few hours.
Adjust seasonings to taste. Everyone has their own opinions about how potato salad should taste, so please feel free to adjust any of the seasonings (or any of the larger ingredient ratios) to taste!
What is fennel
15 years ago, I probably would have had no idea what fennel is.
Now, it’s weirdly become a bit of a staple.
It is an incredible vegetable that is far more versatile then you would think.
Fennel is a vegetable that’s actually a member of the ‘ol carrot family. Looking at it you might think an onion, a celery and a dill plant had a baby. It has a large root bulb, stalks like celery and leafy fronds at the top that look very much like some dill varieties.
The bulb can be eaten cooked or raw and has very different texture and flavour from one way to another. It has a mild licorice flavour which I think throws people off, me included. But it isn’t like a black licorice candy, it is much more subtle and deep than that. You kind of just have to trust me.
Fennel is a very unique vegetable, but it is also pretty easily accessible these days.
What to eat with this blood orange and fennel salad
This gorgeous fennel salad recipe with arugula and blood oranges is the perfect partner to so many dishes.
My favourite is roasted wild salmon just drizzle a little oil on the salmon and season it with salt and pepper. Roast it in the oven until medium. Use the blood orange and fennel salad as a bed and add the salmon on top and toss together.
Second in line would be garlic prawns just add them right on top of this salad and make it a meal.
Spice it up don’t get me wrong – you do not need to add anything else to this salad recipe, it is incredible on it’s own. But if you feel like spicing it up a notch, here are my favourite additions in no particular order (individually or in your own special combination):
- feta cheese
- prosciutto
- red onions
- blueberries
- avocado
- toasted hazelnuts
- capers
- pomegranate seeds
- mint or basil
- roasted beets
- quinoa
With only three ingredients plus the dressing in this salad recipe, you can’t get any easier than this. But don’t let the easy part fool you, it is jam packed with flavour and goes with so many dishes.
Probably my favorite thing about this citrus salad recipe is how easy it is to switch up and make yours. This three ingredient salad is truly the perfect base for whatever you’re feeling.
If you love this blood orange and fennel salad, you will definitely enjoy my simple citrus salad too.
Blood Orange and Fennel Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 fennel bulb thinly sliced
- 3 blood oranges peeled and sliced into rounds
- 3 oz arugula
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp blood orange juice using 1/2 an orange from your ingredients
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp honey or other sweetener
Optional
Instructions
- Cut one of the blood oranges in half. Set one half aside and squeeze the juice of the other half in a small mixing bowl. Add the rest of the dressing ingredients to that bowl and whisk vigorously until all ingredients are combined. You can set the dressing aside for now.
- Cut your fennel bulb in half top to bottom and then slice one half with a mandolin (save the other half for another great recipe). If you do not have a mandolin, just slice with a knife as thin as possible. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 3 oz of arugula to the fennel, add 1/4 cup of the dressing and toss the arugula and fennel until all pieces are well coated. Set aside for now. Keep the extra dressing in case anyone needs more.
- Take the 2/12 blood oranges you have left, cut the ends off and remove the peel, slicing one piece at a time, being careful to remove the pith but not the flesh. Slice into thin rounds; feel free to cut those into halves or quarters.
- Lay your arugula and fennel out onto a serving platter or individual bowls. Layer with the blood orange slices, season with salt and pepper to taste, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you make this beautiful citrus salad I’d love to hear all about it. Please comment below or post it on Instagram and tag me @mysweetmess and hashtag #mysweetmess. And if you really love it, please share the link with friends and family.
Other recipes you might enjoy
VEGAN ZUCCHINI NOODLE SALAD
SIMPLE CITRUS SALAD
PEACH CAPRESE SALAD
Till the next recipe,
Kristen xo
Oh! Look at that beautiful color! This salad is stunning! Gonna try it out!
Thos beautiful blood oranges do all the work don’t they.
Not only is this salad delicious but it’s absolutely gorgeous too! Will be making again – yum!
So glad you enjoyed it. Those blood oranges are stunning aren’t they!
I’m drooling just looking at these photos. The combination of citrus and fennel is so perfect and now all I want is this fresh and delicious salad!
One if my favourite combinations.
such a beautiful and bright salad. the fennel will lifted the flavours up! pinned!