During my years in Boston, I used to curse under my breath as I trekked through the snow, wishing I was back in Los Angeles. Now that I'm back in sunny California, I miss those chilly days, especially when it's 91 degrees at the beginning of April. The one benefit of ridiculously warm days in spring? The idea that I can now prepare dishes appropriate for the summer including this roasted potato salad with lemon aioli. Potato salad can be a boring dish, but add a few extra ingredients and it becomes something else entirely. Roasted Yukon potatoes are finished with lemon aioli, fresh dill, and pickled red onions, the perfect summer or spring side for any meal.
Roasted Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs yukon potatoes cut into wedges
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper
Quick pickled red onions
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Lemon aioli
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon creamed horseradish
- ¼ cup mayo
- salt and pepper
Remaining ingredients
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Season water with 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain well.
- Toss potatoes with 4 cloves sliced garlic, 4 sprigs of thyme, and 3 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, flipping the potatoes over halfway. Remove from heat and discard thyme sprigs.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pickled onions. Microwave the vinegar for 45 seconds to 1 minute or until warm. Add sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Pour mixture over the red onions and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Prepare the lemon aioli. Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 2 teaspoon horseradish and ¼ cup mayo in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the roasted potatoes on a platter and dollop the lemon aioli on top. Sprinkle pickled red onions, grated parmesan, and dill on top. Serve.
**Helpful tips and common mistakes
When I was younger, I took advantage of every major holiday as a time to experiment with recipes. I remember one Christmas when my sister and I decided to cook a feast for our family. One of the sides included roasted potatoes - I mean how can you mess up roasted potatoes? Turns out it was harder than we expected. Even after 45 minutes, the potatoes weren't quite what we had hoped for. Fast forward years later and I am now a pro at producing the tastiest roasted potatoes and I'm here to share my tips.
First off, the potato. I personally love Yukon potatoes because they can get a crispy exterior while the interior is deliciously creamy. Russet potatoes are a little drier but either variation will work. My error as a kid? I chose red potatoes. Red potatoes are waxy potatoes so although they will be creamy, there will be no crisp.
Secondly, parboil the potatoes. I cannot begin to tell you what a difference this makes. The potato is able to cook evenly, allowing the interior to become creamy without burning the skins. No one told me this when I was a kid but now I know better.
Third and lastly, do not crowd the potatoes on the baking sheet when roasting. If there are too many potatoes in the pan, they will steam rather than roast.
Once the potatoes are ready, finish with the lemon aioli, fresh dill, grated parmesan, and pickled red onions to have one spectacular roasted potato salad. You can enjoy the potatoes as is but the toppings take them to the next level.
Sure this can be a little extra work than the classic potato salad, but trust me, it's completely worth it.
For more side dish inspiration check out this romesco orzo pasta salad!
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