09 Sep 5 Potato Salads To Make This Spring
Spring in Western Australia is a little bit sneezy, but the days are getting longer, the temperatures are climbing, and the backyard BBQ is calling – to celebrate, let’s look at 5 WA Potato Salads to make this spring that give the humble spud the starring role it deserves.
Potato salads are one of the most versatile, crowd-pleasing dishes you can bring to the table — and with locally grown WA potatoes fresh from the farm and on supermarket shelves within 24 hours, they are an ingredient you can count on. Whether you are feeding a crowd at a backyard BBQ, or pulling together a quick and impressive weeknight dinner, one of these five recipes is about to become your new spring favourite.
Here is our edit of the best WA potato salads to make this spring — from a viral sensation to a bold Korean-inspired knockout.
- Smashed Potato Salad
If you have spent any time on social media over the past year, chances are you have seen a smashed potato salad making the rounds — and for very good reason. This is the WA Potatoes version of the viral favourite, created by Emily Rhodes of Steam and Bake, and it is every bit as good as it looks.
WA grown red or yellow potatoes are boiled until tender, then smashed and roasted at high heat until the edges are shatteringly crispy and golden. They are then tossed in the most delicious creamy herb dressing — Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, flat-leaf parsley, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar — with fresh cucumber and dill pickles for crunch and brightness. The result is a potato salad that manages to be simultaneously crispy, creamy, tangy and fresh. The key is to serve it immediately while those smashed edges are still at peak crunch — trust us, this one will not last long on the table.
Best with: WA grown Rodeo or Carisma potatoes for that perfect crispy edge.
- Spicy Korean Potato Salad
If you are looking for a potato salad that is anything but ordinary, this is the one. Developed by food creator Kate Flower, this Spicy Korean Potato Salad takes one of Australia’s most beloved BBQ sides and gives it a bold, punchy Korean makeover.
WA-grown baby potatoes are boiled with the skin on — maximising their fibre and nutrient content — then tossed in a creamy gochujang and vegan mayonnaise dressing with spicy kimchi and a fresh squeeze of lime. The result is colourful, vibrant and absolutely packed with flavour. Topped with bean sprouts, sliced spring onions and black sesame seeds, this salad is as beautiful to look at as it is delicious to eat. A note for those who prefer milder dishes — the gochujang gives this one a genuine kick, so it is best suited to an adult crowd or can be adjusted to taste.
It is also completely vegan, making it a brilliant option for entertaining a mixed crowd this spring.
Best with: WA grown yellow or white baby potatoes for the best texture and flavour absorption.
- Warm German Style Potato Salad
Not all potato salads need to be served cold — and this Warm German Style Potato Salad is proof that a warm version can be every bit as spectacular, if not more so.
WA grown red potatoes are boiled until tender, then sliced and added to a warm, flavour-packed dressing of red wine vinegar, beef stock, mustard and caramelised onions, with crispy streaky bacon and a generous handful of fresh parsley and dill. The potatoes soak up every bit of that tangy, savoury dressing as they rest, meaning every single mouthful is deeply flavoured and completely irresistible.
This is the potato salad to bring to a friends place when you want to arrive as a legend. It serves 8 to 10 as a side dish, travels beautifully and tastes just as good served cold the next day — with a generous dollop of sour cream on top to finish. It can also be made vegetarian by swapping the bacon for smoked almonds and the beef stock for a beef-style vegetarian stock.
Best with: WA grown red potatoes or blue potatoes for the best flavour and texture.
- Warm Potato and Mt Barker Pesto Chicken Salad
This is the spring lunch that has it all — two of WA’s finest producers, together in one gorgeous warm salad that is on the table in just 20 minutes. WA grown baby potatoes are crisped up in the pan alongside Mt Barker’s ready-to-cook basil pesto chicken strips and smoky bacon, then tossed warm with cherry tomatoes, baby spinach and toasted sunflower seeds.
The result is a salad that is hearty enough to be a main meal but light enough for a warm spring day — and the combination of crispy potato edges, juicy pesto chicken and fresh greens is genuinely hard to beat. This one is a brilliant weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like considerably more effort than it actually requires.
Best with: WA grown baby potatoes for their waxy texture and ability to crisp up beautifully in the pan.
- Potato, Snow Pea and Avocado Salad
Light, fresh and absolutely gorgeous on a spring table, this Potato, Snow Pea and Avocado Salad is the kind of side dish that makes everything else on the table look better. WA grown baby potatoes are boiled until tender and tossed with crisp snow peas, creamy avocado, fresh herbs and a bright, zesty dressing — with an optional bacon upgrade for those who want something a little more substantial.
This salad is naturally gluten-free, easily made dairy-free, and simple enough to pull together on a weeknight without breaking a sweat. It works beautifully alongside grilled fish, roast chicken or barbecued meats, or can be served on its own as a light spring lunch. The combination of textures — tender potato, crunchy snow pea and silky avocado — is what makes this one so satisfying despite its simplicity.
Best with: WA grown white or yellow baby potatoes for a clean flavour that lets the other ingredients shine.
Why WA Potatoes Are the Perfect Spring Salad Base
Beyond their incredible flavour and versatility, WA grown potatoes bring serious nutritional credentials to your spring salad bowl. They are naturally fat free, an excellent source of fibre, vitamin C and potassium, and one of the most filling and affordable ingredients you can put in your trolley.
And here is a spring salad tip worth knowing — if you cook your potatoes and allow them to cool before dressing them, you actually increase their resistant starch content, which is brilliant for gut health. So your cold potato salad is not just delicious — it is actively doing good things for your digestive system. That is what we call a good carb.
