Horseradish Cheddar Potato Salad
Horseradish Cheddar Potato Salad- We’re giving a little zip to classic potato salad thanks to the addition of spicy horseradish and sharp cheddar cheese.
August 23, 2022 by Nicole Collins
Guys…
How are we at the end of the last month of summer already?
Like, didn’t the temps just start to rise? Didn’t the daylight just start to extend? Didn’t the pools just start to open for the season?
But somehow, the nights are already getting darker, the summer fun is already winding down, and the stores are displaying their pumpkin spice everything.
We all know I won’t accept that summer is over until about Christmas time. So, I’m not even going to acknowledge that the season is ending.
I’m 100% in summer food and fun mode. And today’s recipe gives us a bbq/picnic vibe that’s perfect for closing out the summer.
Or for keeping summer alive!
Today, we’re making Horseradish Cheddar Potato Salad!
We’re keeping this potato salad pretty simple and classic but adding a touch of pizazz with some special ingredients. It’s really as simple as dice your potatoes, mix your dressing, toss it all together, then let it chill until you’re ready to eat. Easy breezy!
Let’s talk potato. There are two major decisions to make when it comes to your potato situation: what type of potato, and what size chunks have the right vibe you’re going for. For me and this salad, I went with a nice, small, half inch dice on a Yukon gold potato. I absolutely love the creaminess and butteryness of a Yukon gold potato. And because they’re a little firmer, they can stand up to a smaller dice without crumbling to mush. And, while I love a chunky potato salad, a nice small diced potato is my absolute favorite.
After we have our potatoes diced, we’re going to toss them in some cold, salted water. Bring them to a boil, let them cook until they’re just fork tender, then drain them. We’re also going to dice some celery and shallot, and toss it into the bottom of our mixing bowl. Once we’ve drained our potatoes, we’ll pour them right over top of those veggies while they cool for a couple reasons. For one, the flavors of the aromatics start to infuse the hot potatoes while they’re sitting there. And for two, the steam from the hot potatoes softens the veggies just the slightest bite taking away a smidge of the sharpness from their bite.
We want the potatoes to be just warm enough that all of our potato salad dressing really soaks into the warm potatoes but not so warm that we melt our cheddar. I find letting the potatoes cool for about 15-20 mins puts the taters at just the perfect temperature for all of the other ingredients to stay happy. So while those potatoes hang out and cool down a bit, we can make the dressing.
The dressing is a very simple mix of mayo, sour cream, grainy mustard, and horseradish. It’s perfectly tangy, perfectly zesty, and perfectly savory without being too spicy or aggressive. We’ll pour our dressing over the potatoes, toss in some shredded sharp cheddar cheese and fresh minced chives. Then, give it all a gentle mix. Taste for seasoning, add another pinch or two of salt, then let the salad hang in the fridge for a couple of hours to really help those flavors marry.
Now, I’m sure some of you are wondering where the bacon is in this salad. It seems like it’d be a natural addition, right? And if you wanted to add some in, I know it would be excellent. My issue with bacon in salads like this is that it tends to get soggy, no matter how crispy it is when you mix it in. I like my bacon so crispy crunchy that it snaps in half at just the thought of me looking at it. So as to not harm my own personal relationship with bacon, we’re leaving it out of this one. If you need it though, go for it.
What I love this most about this potato salad is that it’s loaded with bold flavors in the most subtle way. The spicy horseradish, tangy mustard, and sharp cheddar don’t overpower the salad at all. They all blend and balance each other in just the right way that makes the salad exciting without being aggressive. It’s soft and creamy and rich and savory and tangy and fresh and just absolute perfection in my book!
I’m not ready to even think about letting summer go yet, so expect the summery vibes to keep on keeping on!
I hope you all enjoy. And, let’s eat!
Horseradish Cheddar Potato Salad
Serves: 6 Print
Ingredients:
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium shallot, diced
2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½ inc cubes
1 tbsp + ¼ tsp + 1/8 tsp salt, divided
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp prepared horseradish
½ tbsp stone ground mustard
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tbsp chives, minced
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Directions:
Add celery and shallots to the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Prepare the potatoes: Add potatoes to a large pot. Cover with cold water until the water reaches about an inch above the potatoes. Add 1 tbsp salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil potatoes for 5-6 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes, and add to the bowl with the celery and shallots. Do not mix. Allow potatoes to cool for 15-20 mins.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Add mayo, sour cream, horseradish, mustard, 1/8 tsp salt, and pepper to a small mixing bowl. Mix well until fully combined. Set aside.
Finish the potato salad: Once the potatoes have cooled for 15-20 mins, add the dressing, chives, and cheddar. Gently toss to coat the potatoes. Taste for seasoning, add a pinch of salt (I added another ¼ tsp), if desired, and stir again to completely mix. Chill the potato salad for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Enjoy!
Recipe notes:
*The amount of salt you need is going to depend on the brand of mayo you use, so taste as you go. Potatoes need lots of salt, and we're seasoning this salad at every level. Let your tastebuds guide you!
*I don’t like what it does to the texture, but feel free to add some crispy bacon if you really want to bump up the volume on this potato salad.
*Note that there are a couple options of how to buy horseradish at the grocery store. You’ll typically see prepared horseradish (grated horseradish root) or horseradish sauce (a creamy sauce usually mixed with mayo and/or sour cream). We want prepared horseradish for this recipe.
