Potato Salad Monte Carlo

Seven ingredients. No celery, no mustard, no pickles. This potato salad keeps it simple: boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, scallions, mayonnaise, and a few seasonings. The flavor comes from restraint and proper resting time.

Cooking the potatoes with their skins on is a detail that matters. Skins-on boiling keeps the potatoes from absorbing excess water and getting waterlogged. Peel and dice after cooling for pieces that hold their shape in the salad instead of crumbling into mush.

The two-hour rest isn’t just a suggestion. Potato salad tastes like separate ingredients right after mixing. After two hours in the fridge, the mayonnaise soaks in, the seasonings distribute, and everything tastes like one cohesive dish.

White pepper instead of black gives a cleaner, less speckled appearance. It’s a small touch that shows attention to presentation.

Kitchen Tips

• Cool the potatoes completely before peeling and dicing. Warm potatoes absorb too much mayo and turn greasy.
• Dice the potatoes into uniform pieces for a tidier salad with a more even texture.
• Chop the hard-boiled eggs coarsely. Some people prefer them grated for a smoother salad, but coarse chunks give each bite more variety.
• Taste and adjust seasoning after the 2-hour rest. Chilling dulls flavors, and you may need a pinch more salt.

Variations

• Dill potato salad: Add fresh chopped dill and a squeeze of lemon juice for a brighter, herby version.
• Bacon egg potato salad: Fold in crumbled crispy bacon for a smokier, richer take.