Easy New Potato Salad

Skin-on new potatoes are the key here. Their thin, waxy skins hold their shape after slicing instead of crumbling into mush, and they give the salad those flecks of red or gold you would lose if you peeled. Slice them about a quarter inch thick so each piece takes on the creamy dill dressing without falling apart in the bowl.

The trick to a salad this stripped-down is the dressing seasoning. The base dill cream is on the mild side, so taste before you fold in the potatoes and adjust with extra lemon juice or Dijon mustard until the dressing has a clear edge. Bland dressing makes a bland salad, no matter how good the potatoes. Make the whole bowl the day before serving. The chill time lets the dill, scallions and acid work their way into every slice.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the potatoes whole and cool them completely before slicing. Slicing raw and boiling falls apart. Slicing hot turns them gluey.
• Add a splash of vinegar or pickle brine to the cooked potatoes while still warm. They drink it in and season from the inside out.
• Pull the dressing from the fridge 15 minutes before tossing so it loosens up enough to coat evenly.
• Toss gently with a spatula, not tongs. Tongs break the slices.

Variations

• Stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs and crumbled bacon for a heartier picnic version.
• Swap the dill cream for Greek yogurt thinned with lemon juice for a lighter option.
• Add a handful of capers and chopped cornichons for a French-leaning twist.