The Reason Potato Salad Dressing Should Always Be Made In Advance

Most dishes are best served as fresh as possible, and that's especially true when it comes to salads. Prep a salad too early and you risk letting the dish get soggy, wilted, or otherwise go bad before you have a chance to serve it. In some cases, though, preparing a dish early can actually have the opposite effect: It allows the flavors to meld and marry for a bit, bringing out a stronger, richer flavor. This is true for many "wet" dishes such as soups, stews, and chilis — maybe you've noticed they taste a little better after they've been sitting in the fridge overnight.

This melding magic also applies to creamy potato salad; or, rather, potato salad dressing. The next time you're prepping for a picnic and want to take that potato salad to the next level, make your dressing early to utilize the power of flavor marriage. You'll end up with more rounded, balanced flavors, and less harshness from raw ingredients such as garlic or raw onions.

Potato salad doesn't have to be dull! According to RJ Harvey, a chef who has worked at such prominent dining establishments as Alinea and The French Laundry, making that dressing early makes all the difference. Most classic American potato salads have a dressing made with a mix of mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, and various spices. If you're looking for a lighter salad, though, a French-style dressing with lots of Dijon mustard, vinegar, herbs, and olive oil can also work well. Either way, whisk well and let that set in the fridge as long as possible to develop flavor.

Another tip for ensuring a picture-perfect potato salad? Don't just dump that dressing onto the potatoes after refrigerating it! First stir your smaller chopped ingredients into the dressing, such as celery, green onion, and herbs. Then once those ingredients are combined thoroughly, you can gently fold the potatoes into the dressing. Be careful: Overmixing might cause the potatoes to turn to mush — and while proper, buttery mashed potatoes are delicious, they don't start with a botched potato salad.

Remember that a good potato salad starts with the right kind of potatoes. Select yours based on what kind of dressing you'll be using. Creamy, classic American potato salads usually go well with starchy potatoes such as russets; the potatoes have a light, almost airy texture to them that mixes well with the rich dressing. For a more vinegar-based salad that lets the potatoes shine through, use red potatoes, new potatoes, or Yukon gold. These varieties are less starchy and less likely to fall apart at the prod of a fork.

Once the salad has been made, don't sweat letting it sit out for a bit while people chat and munch! Even mayo-based salads can stand the heat for a little while. If it's especially toasty out, take the salad back in after one hour. However, according to Harvey, if you're using store-bought mayo you'll be fine for up to four hours as it's well-pasteurized.