Austrian Potato Salad Is A Refreshing Twist On The American Version

Often seen alongside huge spreads of barbecue at cookouts across the South, or sitting pretty in the glass cases of delis across the North, potato salad is a popular side dish all across America. While this creamy appetizer might be a common sight on dinner tables throughout the United States, potato salad is actually enjoyed around the word. In fact, it's a beloved dish in Europe too, especially in countries such as Germany and Austria.

While the name of this staple remains consistent internationally, its composition varies significantly. Most American versions of potato salad primarily feature ingredients like yellow mustard, sour cream, and mayonnaise, whereas the Austrian potato salad, also known as erdäpfelsalat, introduces a refreshing alternative. The dressing for this variant relies on lighter components such as olive oil and white vinegar as its foundation. This approach yields a potato salad with sweeter and tangier notes, akin to a vinaigrette salad, especially in contrast to the rich and creamy concoctions more commonly found in the United States.

While the dressing is the main element distinguishing these two potato salads, the differences in these dishes extend even further. Austrian potato salads typically keep additions minimal, using simple seasonings and garnishes like salt, pepper, and chives to enhance the luscious potatoes. Yukon Golds are commonly used as the base of this dish — their smooth, creamy flavor adds balance to the dressing's light ingredients, which easily cling to the starch. Other mild ingredients, such as onions, broth, and mustard, can also add flavor, resulting in a deeper and more complex taste as the potatoes absorb all these elements. Chicken broth is standard, but beef or vegetable broth can be used as well.

Erdäpfelsalat may be easy to make, but its simplicity is also its strength. American potato salads, in contrast, typically incorporate a wider array of ingredients, with anything from dill pickles, boiled eggs, and bell peppers to paprika often used to enrich the dish. American potato salads also tend to include a variety of potatoes beyond Yukon Gold, with red or russets frequently serving as the base.

These salads share the similarity of being enjoyable warm, at room temperature, or cold, though most people eat them cold. Ultimately, it boils down to personal preference.

Just like with any other type of food, you can easily switch up your potato salad by making a simple swap in your ingredient list — there are plenty of options beyond the traditional American recipe, all of which have the potential to be even better than a mayo-based potato salad.

Much like Austria's revitalizing take on potato salad, the French version of this dish is equally light and refreshing. With bright additions like tangy white wine and sour champagne vinegar making up the dressing for this salad, this savory side is often topped with fresh herbs such as parsley and dill to further freshen things up. 

The Italian take on potato salad is another easy and refreshing choice, with extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar serving as its base. Bright and snappy additions such as ripe grape tomatoes and sweet red onion make up this dish, too.