Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa) is a side dish that consists mainly of boiled potatoes that are coated with a salad dressing mixed with vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. This dish is believed to have originated in Germany and continued to spread world wide with many different versions of preparation. In Puerto Rico, some individuals add chunks of apples for a different texture and flavor.
We also love to garnish this dish with strips of roasted red bell peppers but I prefer to lightly sprinkle paprika on top of the Potato Salad. The Potato Salad is usually served cold and accompanied with your main course since it is normally considered a side dish.
Food History!
The potatoes are native to the Andes Mountains of South America. The Inca Indians were the first to cultivate the potatoes in Peru.
Boiling and Chilling the Eggs for the Potato Salad!
In a 3-quart saucepan, pour 7 cups of water and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully place 8 eggs into saucepan. Boil the eggs for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
The eggs are done after 12 minutes of boiling. Carefully drain the hot water from saucepan.
In a bowl, add some ice cubes with cold water and then submerge the boiled eggs into the ice water to cool for at least 15 minutes. This process will allow the hard-boiled eggs to peel easily.
Peeling the Eggs!
When the boiled eggs are cool enough to handle, gently crack one egg in several places.
Start peeling the boiled egg. You will notice that the egg will easily peel. Continue this process until all the boiled eggs are peeled.
Chopping the Boiled Eggs!
The last step is to chop the peeled eggs, using an egg slicer.
Place a boiled egg on the base and lower the top to slice the egg.
Now we need to slice the egg in the opposite direction.
Remove sliced egg from slicer and place on cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut across the egg strips into smaller pieces.
This is such an easier method to chop the boiled eggs. Place in bowl and repeat this process until all the eggs are chopped.
We just finished chopping 8 hard-boiled eggs. They will definitely add texture to this dish.
Peeling and Cutting the Potatoes!
Peel 3 pounds of russet potatoes with a potato peeler. You can use Yukon Gold potatoes if you prefer. Once all the potatoes are peeled, rinse them in cold water.
Since the potatoes come in various sizes, cut each potato into halves.
Boiling the Potatoes!
In a 4-quart saucepan, pour 8 cups of water and bring the water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of lite salt or to taste to the boiling water and stir well.
Carefully place the potatoes into saucepan.
Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. Cover saucepan with lid slightly opened to avoid the boiling water from overflowing.
Check the potatoes for tenderness with a fork after 30 minutes of cooking. If the potatoes are fork tender then remove them from saucepan and place in a large bowl. Let stand to cool for a few minutes.
Cutting the Boiled Potatoes Into Chunks!
Since the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut the potato in half lengthwise.
Lastly cut each half into 1-inch chunks. Place the potato chunks back into the large bowl and repeat this process with the remaining cooked potatoes.
We just finished cutting 3 pounds of cooked potatoes into 1-inch chunks.
Preparing the Potato Salad!
We are ready to prepare the potato salad. Add the following ingredients to the cooked potatoes in bowl: 8 chopped hard-boiled eggs, ½ cup of chopped green peppers, ½ cup of chopped onions and ¼ cup of mustard.
NOTE: In Puerto Rico, we peel a red apple and cut the apple into small chunks (¼ inch) for texture and sweetness. This is optional.
The last ingredient to add is 2 cups of mayonnaise.
Stir all the ingredients until well blended. You can also adjust the quantity of the ingredients to your liking. Once you combine all the ingredients, place the potato salad in a regular bowl and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serving the Potato Salad!
The Potato Salad is usually served cold and as a side dish to accompany your main course. This is such a creamy and tasty potato salad. The chopped eggs, onions and green peppers provide some texture and flavor to this dish.
In Puerto Rico, the potato salad is usually garnished with strips of roasted red bell peppers. However, I prefer to lightly sprinkle paprika on top of the potato salad. Since this dish contains mayonnaise and eggs, cover bowl with lid and keep in refrigerator until it is time to serve. It should not be kept out for more than 2 hours.
Click on the link to watch my YouTube video on How to Prepare Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)!
Recipe and Nutritional Facts!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. Please refer to our Nutritional Facts Disclaimer for more information.
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Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 Servings 1x
Description
Potato Salad is a creamy side dish that consists mainly of boiled potatoes that are coated with a salad dressing mixed with vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. In Puerto Rico, some individuals add chunks of apples. This is an excellent and delicious side dish to accompany your favorite meat or fish.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into halves
- 2 teaspoons lite salt or to taste
- 8 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup chopped green bell peppers
- ¼ cup mustard
- 2 cups Mayonnaise
- Paprika to garnish on top of potato salad
Instructions
- Pour 8 cups of water into a 4-quart saucepan. Bring water to a boil and add salt.
- Carefully place the potatoes in boiling water and cook until fork tender.
- Cut the cooked potatoes into 1-inch chunks and place in a large bowl.
- Add the chopped eggs, chopped onions, chopped green bell peppers, mustard and mayonnaise into bowl with potatoes.
- Mix until all the ingredients are well blended.
- Garnish on top with paprika and serve cold.
Notes
Cover bowl with lid and place in the refrigerator until it is time to serve especially since this dish contains mayonnaise and eggs. It should not be kept out for more than 2 hours.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keywords: Ensalada de Papa, Potato Salad
2 Comments. Leave new
Can I make it without boiled eggs?
Hola Ava, Yes, you can omit the boiled eggs. However, I would then add 1¾ cups of mayonnaise instead of 2 cups. You can always add more mayonnaise if the potato salad appears too dry.