Indian Vegetarian Recipes
potato salad recipe, how to make potato salad
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/potato-salad/
i have got many requests for adding salad recipes. i will be adding various vegetable and fruit salads recipes. i always make salads to go with the mains. even when i make everyday indian main course, i make international salad recipes to go with them. example a beetroot salad pairs up wonderfully with the main course of dal-rice or khichdi. you just need to know your flavors and you can make amazing pairings of various dishes.
potato with mayonnaise or potato with sour cream is a winning combination. while i make a potato dill salad with sour cream or yogurt, i also make this smooth potato salad with a mayonnaise dressing. a batch of homemade mayonnaise (egg-free) went in to make the dressing. you can use store-bought egg-free or vegan mayonnaise too. just make sure that the mayonnaise has a good taste and flavor.
flavors in this potato salad
texture: apart from a smoothness coming from the mayo and potatoes, the salad also has some crunch and freshness coming from the onions, celery and parsley. so do not skip these three ingredients. as a substitute for onions, you can even use scallions or spring onions. as a substitute for parsley, add cilantro or coriander leaves.
taste: usually in the classic american potato salad, pickles or pickle relish are added. these pickles are basically cucumbers or gherkins fermented in brine or vinegar. using a cucumber pickle adds some sour, salty and umami taste. in the recipe to get that sour and umami bites i have used green olives. yes, they contribute beautifully in the salad and you get a taste of sour bits here and there when eating the potato salad. dijon mustard also gives a slightly pungent and sharp taste in the salad.
how to boil potatoes for potato salad
potatoes are peeled, diced and cooked in water with some salt. the potatoes need to be simmered in water. in this recipe, the potatoes are not just cooked in your plain salted water. some vinegar and sugar are added in the water and this infuses some mild sour and sweet taste in the potatoes. not sweet like sweet potatoes, but just faintly sweet with a hint of sweetness. the sourness is also faint and not pronounced.
how long to boil potatoes for potato salad
while boiling potatoes, first make sure you have chopped or diced them evenly. usually, chopped potatoes take about 15 to 20 minutes to cook till tender on a medium flame. use a fork or a knife to check if they are cooked well. you can use any type of potatoes to make the salad. you just need to cook them right and not overdo the cooking. you do not want a mushy or pasty salad.
how to make potato salad (step by step photos)
cooking potatoes
1. pour 4 cups water in a pan or pot.
2. add 1 teaspoon salt.
3. next add 1 teaspoon sugar.
4. next add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
5. stir and keep the pan aside.
6. rinse 500 to 550 grams of potatoes or 3 to 4 large potatoes in running water very well. brush off the mud if any from the potatoes skin and rinse them thoroughly. then peel them and dice in 1-inch cubes. you will need 3 cup diced potatoes.
7. as soon as you dice the potatoes add them in the water in the pan.
8. cover the pan and keep it on a medium flame.
9. simmer and cook potatoes covered with a lid. a couple of times you can open the lid and check.
10. potatoes will take about 12 to 15 minutes to cook.
11. cook potatoes till they are fork-tender – meaning a fork or a knife should pass easily without any resistance.
12. strain the potatoes in a colander or strainer.
making mayonnaise dressing for potato salad
13. so when the potatoes are cooking, you can peel, rinse and finely chop 1 small onion, 1 stalk of celery, some parsley leaves and 5 to 6 pitted green olives. you will need ¼ cup finely chopped onions, 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley. some parsley can be kept for garnishing.
14. in a bowl take 6 tablespoons mayonnaise (vegetarian or vegan) and 1 teaspoon dijon mustard. i have used homemade mayo and it had a slight pouring consistency.
15. add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or ½ to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar.
16. next add ¼ cup finely chopped onions, 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley and 5 to 6 chopped olives (green or black olives). one minced garlic clove can also be added.
17. season with ¼ teaspoon sugar. also, add ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika. you can even add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or red chilli powder instead of sweet paprika.
18. mix very well. check the taste of the dressing and add more dijon mustard or lemon juice if needed. mayo and dijon mustard already have salt in them, so go easy on the salt and add it after you add the potatoes.
making potato salad
19. add the cooked potatoes. the potatoes can be warm when you add them. we prefer a warm potato salad so i add potatoes when they are warm. you can even cool them and then add.
20. mix and gently toss the potatoes with the dressing.
21. sprinkle ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and salt as required. check the taste and add salt. after taste testing, you can add more pepper if required.
22. mix gently again.
23. serve potato salad. serve garnished with some chopped parsley and sprinkled with 1 to 2 pinches of sweet paprika or red chilli powder. you can even sprinkle some black pepper if you prefer. if not serving immediately then refrigerate and serve the potato salad later. you can have potato salad as a meal or serve as a side with your mains.
tips for making potato salad
- mayonnaise: use your favorite mayonnaise. it can be homemade or store brought. mayonnaise is an important ingredient and it has to be really good as the main flavor of the salad comes from the mayo. so do use a mayo which has a good taste and flavor.
- type of potato: any potato variety can be used to make potato salad. just do not overcook them. depending on the size of chopped potatoes and the variety, the timing to cook potatoes will vary.
- mustard: if you do not have dijon mustard, then add ground mustard paste or mustard powder.
- onions – onions are an essential ingredient in the potato salad. so do not skip them. use onions which are not too pungent. green onions aka spring onions can be used instead.
- celery – apart from a deep herby flavor, celery also add some crunch in the salad. so best not to skip them.
- parsley – parsley add freshness in the salad. if you do not have parsley, use cilantro (coriander leaves) instead. you can definitely add your choice of fresh or dried herbs.
- cucumber pickle or pickle relishes – you can add cucumber pickles if you prefer them. as a substitute for pickle, i have used green olives. though olives can be skipped. you can even add kalamata olives or black olives.
- scaling the recipe – you can easily double or triple the recipe. use the recipe card below to scale the ingredients.
- leftovers– refrigerate the leftover salad and it stays good for 1 to 2 days. while serving, you can serve the salad chilled or can warm in an oven.
variations for potato salad
- spiced and warm – add your favorite spices or sauces. worcestershire sauce or red chilly paste can be added. even indian spices & herbs like roasted cumin powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, coriander leaves, mint leaves can be used.
- herby salad – a lot of fresh herbs or dried herbs with some extra virgin olive oil, a bit of mashed garlic can make a simple yet tasty salad. i have shared a variation earlier – herbed potato salad.
- creme fraiche or sour cream – for a sour-tasting salad, both creme fraiche and sour cream work well. you can flavor it up with some herbs and seasonings of your choice.
- yogurt salad – a creamy and smooth dressing can also be made with yogurt or curd. your choice of herbs and spices can be added in the yogurt seasoning.
few more salad recipes for you!
potato salad recipe
an easy classic american potato salad recipe that tastes delicious and is too good. made with a mayonnaise dressing with mildly sweet, tangy and pungent notes.
INGREDIENTS FOR potato salad recipe
(1 CUP = 250 ML)
for cooking potatoes
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 500 to 550 grams potatoes 1 to 1.25 pounds or 3 to 4 large potatoes or 3 cups diced potatoes
for potato salad dressing
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise – vegetarian or vegan
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard or add as required
- ½ teaspoon sugar or add as required
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice – can add ½ to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar instead
- ¼ cup onions – finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons celery – finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley – finely chopped
- 5 to 6 green olives or black olives – pitted, sliced or chopped
- ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika or red chilli powder or cayenne pepper – add as required
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or add as required
- salt as required
for garnish
- 1 teaspoon parsley – finely chopped
- 1 to 2 pinches sweet paprika or red chilli powder or cayenne pepper – add as required
HOW TO MAKE potato salad recipe
cooking potatoes
- take the water in a saucepan or a pot.
- add salt, sugar and vinegar. stir and keep the pan aside.
- rinse potatoes in running water very well. brush off the mud if any from the potatoes skin and rinse them thoroughly. then peel and dice in 1-inch cubes.
- as soon as you dice the potatoes add them in the water in the pan.
- cover the pan with its lid. heat on a medium flame.
- simmer and cook potatoes covered with the lid.
- potatoes will take about 12 to 15 minutes to cook.
- cook potatoes till they are fork-tender – meaning a fork or a knife should pass easily without any resistance.
- strain the potatoes in a colander or strainer. drain the water well.
making mayonnaise dressing
- while the potatoes are cooking, you can peel, rinse and finely chop 1 small onion, half a stick of celery, parsley leaves and 5 to 6 pitted green olives.
- in a bowl take mayonnaise (vegetarian or vegan), dijon mustard, lemon juice.
- next add finely chopped onions, finely chopped celery, finely chopped parsley and chopped olives. you can even add one minced garlic clove (small to medium-sized).
- season with ¼ teaspoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika. you can even add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or red chilli powder instead of sweet paprika.
- mix very well. check the taste of the dressing and add more dijon mustard or lemon juice or sugar if needed.
making potato salad
- add the cooked potatoes. the potatoes can be warm when you add them.
- mix and gently toss the potatoes with the dressing.
- sprinkle ground black pepper and salt as required. check the taste and add salt. after taste testing, you can add more pepper if required.
- mix gently again.
- serve potato salad. serve garnished with some chopped parsley and sprinkled with 1 to 2 pinches of sweet paprika. if not serving immediately then refrigerate and serve later.
- use your favorite mayonnaise. it can be homemade or store brought.
- any type of potato variety can be used to make potato salad. just do not overcook them.
- if you do not have dijon mustard, then add ground mustard paste or mustard powder.
- use onions which are not too pungent. scallions or spring onions can be used instead.
- celery imparts a deep herby flavor in the salad. so do add and avoid skipping it.
- if you do not have parsley, use cilantro (coriander leaves) instead.
- you can add cucumber pickles if you prefer them.
- you can easily double or triple the recipe.
- the leftover salad stays good in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. while serving, you can serve the salad chilled or can warm in an oven for some minutes.
Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Paneer Tikka Masala
Paneer Tikka Masala is a popular Indian curry where cubes of paneer (Indian cottage cheese), onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices, grilled and then tossed in a creamy tomato based curry. This dish goes extremely well with butter naan or paratha or basmati rice.
About This Recipe
You know the most famous Indian food in the world? It is Chicken Tikka Masala, at least that’s what I think. You talk to anyone in the UK or USA and even if they don’t know much about Indian food they definitely know about chicken tikka masala. I think the dish is synonyms with Indian food in the west. The vegetarian version of it is of course Paneer Tikka Masala which is also quite popular and you would find it on the menu of most Indian restaurants.
Growing up in India, I had never heard of paneer tikka masala. Sure, we had paneer tikka but adding it to a curry was unknown, at least to me. I remember watching a MasterChef India episode some 10 years back which had chef Vikas Khanna and chef Kunal Kapoor talking about the origin of this dish. They also shared a recipe and so this recipe is inspired from their version.
They of course shared the recipe for chicken tikka masala but I changed it to paneer tikka masala and also made few changes depending on my preferences and availability. This recipe uses curry powder which is a common spice mix in the west (again this spice mix doesn’t even exist in India) and it makes sense since this dish originated in the UK. There are stories of how a chef added cream sauce to chicken tikka to please the taste buds of British people and that’s where it originated from.
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the tikka part where paneer, onions and peppers are marinated with yogurt and spices and then grilled. You can cook the tikka in tandoor, oven or in your pan. The other part of the recipe is the curry which is a smooth curry made with onions, tomatoes, cream and butter. The grilled tikka is added to the curry and then served as a main course with side of bread.
This Paneer Tikka Masala
- is super creamy, smooth.
- goes well with naan, paratha.
- makes a comforting meal.
- leftovers are great as well!
Ingredients
There are 2 parts to this recipe- the paneer tikka and the curry.
Paneer Tikka
Paneer: you can use either homemade or store bought paneer but whatever paneer you use, it should be firm and be able to hold it’s shape. You can find paneer at Indian grocery stores or make it at home.
Yogurt: for the marinade, it is best to use thick yogurt. Either use Greek yogurt or if using regular yogurt, use store bought yogurt which tends to be thicker than homemade yogurt. If using homemade yogurt, strain it using a muslin cloth for at least 3 to 4 hours to get rid of all the excess water.
Spices: the marinade uses coriander powder, garam masala, two types of chili powder, ginger-garlic and lime juice. You can also use fresh herbs like cilantro, mint.
The Masala/Curry
Curry base: the base is made with onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic which is quite a staple for most creamy Indian curries. I like using white onion for that sweet, subtle flavor.
Spices: this paneer tikka masala recipe uses curry powder which is a mix of spices and is popular in the western world. It’s not so much popular in India actually, in fact I didn’t even know it existed until I moved out of India. If you don’t have it, you can use a blend of coriander, cumin, turmeric and ginger.
Flavor enhancers: to make the curry creamy, we finish the recipe with butter, cream and cilantro!
Step by Step Instructions
1- We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add yogurt (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon), make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe). To that add the following:
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- juice of 1/2 lime
2- Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
3- Now add 225 grams paneer (cubed into big cubes), 1 medium red onion (quartered and separated into petals) and 1 medium green pepper (cut into 1 inch cubes).
4- Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
5- Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1-inch cinnamon stick.
6- Let the seeds sizzle and then add 1 large white onion (roughly chopped), 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, chopped and 1-inch chopped ginger.
7- Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
8- Then add 3 large tomatoes (chopped) along with the following:
- 1& 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
9- Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
10- Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
11- Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
12- Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
13- Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
14- Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 2 to 3 tablespoons cream and 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
15- Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry.
16- Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve paneer tikka masala with the following:
- Butter Naan: nothing like fluffy, soft homemade naan to dip into the curry.
- Jeera rice: rice seasoned with cumin seeds makes the perfect pairing.
- Roti: you can never go wrong with the classic Indian everyday bread.
- Tandoori roti: another great bread to serve the curry with.
Vegan Variation
For a vegan version of this recipe you can do the following substitutions:
- use extra-firm tofu in place of paneer.
- marinate the tofu with thick coconut milk (use the top part from the can) or vegan yogurt (plain almond milk works well).
- replace butter with vegan butter.
- replace heavy cream with coconut milk.
Tips & Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added toward the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
Frequently Asked Questions
No they are different. Paneer Tikka is served as an appetizer and has cubes of grilled paneer where for paneer tikka masala the grilled paneer is added to a creamy curry and served as a main dish.
Go for a mix of coriander powder, turmeric, cumin and ginger. For replacing 1 u0026 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in this recipe, I would probably use 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger.
They are both popular paneer recipes but the way you make them is different. For the tikka masala, we first marinate the paneer, grill it and then add to the curry. For the paneer makhani, the sauce is made with nuts, onions, tomatoes and then paneer pieces are added to it directly.
This post has been updated from the recipe archives, first published in April 2014. I have updated the recipe with better photos, videos and made slight modifications to make it better. The curry part of the recipe is same but I have added onions and peppers to the tikka part. If you wish to make it like the old recipe, just skip on the onions and peppers.
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Paneer Tikka Masala
Ingredients
Paneer Tikka
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp yogurt use thick plain whole milk yogurt which has been strained or Greek yogurt
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder for color
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- 1/2 lime juice of
- 225 grams paneer cut into cubes
- 1 medium red onion quartered and separated into petals
- 1 medium green pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
Curry
- 1 tablespoon oil I used avocado oil, use oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons butter divided, unsalted or salted either works
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 large white onion roughly chopped, around 150 grams
- 3-4 large garlic cloves chopped
- 1 inch ginger chopped
- 3 large tomatoes roughly chopped, around 400 grams
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 3/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder divided (for color, not hot)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar I used granulated white sugar
- 1 cup water or more as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream 30-45 ml
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
-
We will start by making the paneer tikka. To a large bowl, add thick yogurt, make sure the yogurt is thick (if using regular homemade yogurt, drain the yogurt for 3 to 4 hours before using in the recipe or use Greek yogurt).
-
To that add ginger-garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and juice of 1/2 lime.
Using a spatula or whisk, mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
-
Now add cubed paneer, onion (quartered and separated into petals) and green pepper
Mix until the paneer, onion and peppers are well coated with the marinade. You can use your hands here. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes at the least.
-
Meanwhile, let’s work the curry part of this recipe. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add cumin seeds and cinnamon stick.
-
Let the seeds sizzle and then add white onion (roughly chopped), chopped garlic cloves and chopped ginger. Stir and cook for around 5 to 6 minutes until onions turn light golden brown in color, stir often in between.
-
Then add the roughly chopped tomatoes along with curry powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and sugar. Stir and cook the tomatoes for 7 to 8 minutes until soft and completely cooked. This step is important so do not rush this step.
-
Once the tomatoes are completely cooked, remove the pan from heat. Let it cool down a bit and then remove the cinnamon stick and transfer everything to a blender and blend to a fine paste. Set this aside.
-
Back to the tikka now, take the marinated paneer out of the refrigerator. Now, you can cook this in a pan or grill or in your oven. I have used a grill pan that I had. Spray the pan with oil and then add the marinated paneer, onions and bell peppers on the pan.
Cook until the paneer turns light golden brown in color and onions and peppers are slightly cooked, turning them few times in between for even cooking. Now it’s time to bring the curry together.
Oven instruction: arrange tikka on skewers and bake at 450 F degrees for 10 minutes and then broil for 2 to 3 minutes to get it browned (optional).
-
Now put the pan back on medium heat and add the pureed paste to it that we had prepared earlier. You can also add remaining 1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder at this point if you prefer a brighter color of the curry.
-
Add 1 cup water (or more depending on how much gravy you want), and stir well. Then add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cream and chopped cilantro. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.
-
Add the roasted paneer, onions and peppers into the curry. Mix well and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Garnish with more cilantro and serve paneer tikka masala with naan or paratha.
Video
Notes
- I don’t add cashews or any nuts to this recipe but you can definitely add some cashews along with the onions and tomatoes to make it more creamy.
- Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) can definitely be added towards the end for that nice aroma.
- If using store bought paneer, remember to soak it in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
- You can also strain the onion-tomato mixture after blending it, that will make the curry totally smooth. I didn’t do it to save time.
- Older recipe: I have updated the recipe to make it better. The older recipe didn’t have onions and pepper added to the marinade and had a tablespoon of less butter in the curry. You can definitely use the old recipe, it’s almost same except these minor changes.
Nutrition
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