This Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papas) will ruin you for all other potato salads. It’s a tangy upgrade to the classic, packed with bold savory flavor from olives, pimientos, mustard, vinegar, and hard-boiled eggs. A chopped apple adds the perfect hint of sweetness and crunch, making this crowd-pleasing ensalada de papa ideal for holidays, cookouts, and family gatherings.
A Potato Salad With Big Flavor
A few months ago, I was in Puerto Rico visiting family. My cousin, who was hosting us, went all out and served traditional dishes every single day, including an insanely delicious potato salad.
I’ve had many potato salads in my lifetime, but this one completely changed how I want all my potato salads to taste from now on. It’s loaded with briny, savory ingredients like olives, pimientos, celery, mustard, dried spices, and vinegar. For the much-needed creaminess factor, there’s mayo, but not so much that it obscures all those tangy, savory flavors. A few hard-boiled eggs give it heft and richness, too.
Then there’s the wild card: one chopped apple. Even among Puerto Ricans, the addition of apples can be a little controversial. I absolutely love it. It adds a crunchy texture, but more importantly, a subtle sweetness that balances all the savoriness. When I served this salad for our Easter dinner, all three of my adult kids asked me for the recipe. Friends, this has never happened before. So yes, it’s that good.
With its complex harmony of flavors, this is a potato salad you absolutely must try. The recipe serves a crowd, making it perfect for family gatherings and summer cookouts.
A Few Things To Know About The Ingredients
- Potatoes: I’ve tested this recipe with russet potatoes, red potatoes, and Yukon Golds. All three varieties worked well, but I almost always have Yukon Golds on hand so that’s what I used. If using russet, make sure to cook them just until tender as they break down and turn to mush pretty quickly.
- Pimientos: You’re looking for a jar of diced pimientos for this recipe. If you can’t find them, finely diced roasted red peppers work just as well.
- Celery: You can also use green pepper, if you wish. Just make sure to dice it very finely.
- Olives: Spanish Manzanillas are my go-to for all my Latin dishes. However, any briny green olive will work well here.
- Apple: For many Puerto Ricans, adding apples to potato salad can be as polarizing as raisins in picadillo. The first time I made this salad for my family — a very discerning crowd, I might add — I didn’t give anyone a heads-up about the apples. I was expecting at least a few complaints but, much to my surprise, everyone loved the subtle sweetness and crunch they added, so there you go. I’ve used Granny Smith, Gala, and Honeycrisp apples, and all are delicious. I typically don’t peel them when serving the salad to my family, but I will if serving guests.
- Hard-boiled eggs: Don’t be tempted to omit the eggs, they add a savory richness that makes this potato salad extra delicious and satisfying.
- Spices: Admittedly, I was a bit unsure about adding spices to potato salad, but they give the salad a unique savory depth and warmth that makes it completely irresistible. Here I use garlic powder, oregano and onion powder but you can use a few teaspoons of adobo (a Latin all-purpose spice blend) if you have some on hand.
How To Make Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papas)
Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, then add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
Boil the eggs. Cook the eggs, then immediately transfer to an ice water bath to stop their cooking and make them easier to peel.
Add celery-onion mixture to bowl. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, vinegar, spices, mustard, celery and onions.
Add hot potatoes to bowl. Once the potatoes have finished cooking, drain the water and leave them in the hot pot for a few minutes so the excess moisture evaporates. Dump the still-hot potatoes over the celery-onion mixture. Using silicone spatula, toss gently to combine. Let stand until potatoes are just warm, about 20 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients to the potatoes. Add the mayo, eggs, pimientos, apple and olives to the potatoes. Mix gently to combine.
Chill before serving. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. (Potato salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
Helpful Tips
Don’t overcook the potatoes. Especially if using russet potatoes which only take about 12 minutes to cook.
Add the hot potatoes to the oil-vinegar-onion-celery mixture: Their heat slightly softens the onion and celery they will also absorb more flavor as they cool, which means every bite is well seasoned.
Allow the potatoes to cool before adding the mayo. It’s best to add the mayo, eggs, pimientos, and apples after the potatoes have cooled to room temperature.
Don’t skip adding a splash of olive brine. The unique briny flavor is a welcome addition to this salad.
Taste for seasoning. Potatoes and eggs love salt so if the salad tastes a bit bland, it needs more salt. Be generous with pepper, too.
Chill before serving. Like most potato salads, this one gets even better as it sits. For best results, make it a few hours, or a whole day ahead before serving, and let the flavors develop in the fridge.
Wondering What To Serve With Puerto Rican Potato Salad?
You can We love to pair this potato salad with Latin American-style dishes but it’s also fabulous with non-Latin dishes. Here’s a few favorites:
- This turkey picadillo pairs perfectly with this savory potato salad. But keep in mind Puerto Ricans and Dominicans love to double-starch so you can serve the picadillo with white rice and potato salad.
- Puerto Ricans have their own version of this saucy Dominican Pollo Guisado and it pairs beautifully with this potato salad.
- My husband already requested this saucy Ropa Vieja for his Father’s Day dinner and he specified he’d like it with rice, beans and this potato salad on the side—in other words, the whole shebang!
- Burgers. Like most potato salads, this one is outstanding alongside burgers. Try it with these Poblano Turkey burgers, or these Turkey Zucchini burgers.
- Grilled or roasted chicken.
- Grilled or roasted Fish.
- Any style of steak. This weekend I’m serving the ensalada de papas with these Beef kebabs and I honestly can’t wait!
Make Ahead And Storage Tips
- Make ahead: Whenever possible, I like to cook the eggs 1 to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use. As the recipe instructs, it’s best to dress the potatoes while still warm but if I really need to get ahead I will also cook the potatoes a day ahead.
- To store: Once dressed, the salad can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
Let Me Know Your Thoughts
If you gave this Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papas) recipe a try, I would love to hear how it worked out for you. Share your thoughts in the comment section below or feel free to ask me anything — I always enjoy chatting with you.
Don’t forget to leave a star rating, too!~Sandra x
Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papas)
Ingredients
- 4 large russet potatoes (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- kosher salt or more or less to taste
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 celery ribs, diced (or 1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced)
- 1/2 small yellow or red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sliced Spanish pimiento-stuffed olives, plus 2 tablespoons brine
- 1/3 cup pimientos or chopped roasted red peppers
- 1 large firm apple, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, then add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat so the water is at a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Fill another medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest and wait a few seconds for the bubbles to subsides. Use a skimmer to gently lower the eggs into the pot. Increase heat to medium and cook the eggs for 10 to 11 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to stop their cooking and make them easier to peel.
- Once the potatoes have finished cooking, drain the water and leave them in the hot pot for a few minutes so the excess moisture evaporates.
- In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, celery, and onions until combined. Dump the still-hot potatoes over the celery-onion mixture. Using a silicone spatula, toss gently to combine. Let stand until potatoes have cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Peel and finely dice the eggs (or leave them a little chunkier if you prefer).
- Once potatoes have cooled, add the mayo, eggs, pimientos and olives. Mix gently until evenly combined. Taste and season with more salt, if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. (Potato salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
Notes
- Make ahead: Whenever possible, I like to cook the eggs 1 to 2 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use. As the recipe instructs, it’s best to dress the potatoes while still warm but if I really need to get ahead I will also cook the potatoes a day ahead.
- To store: Once dressed, the salad can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
Join the Conversation