Summer. Grillin’. Light. Fresh. Awesome.
Yep, summer is all that. And so is this salad.
Easy to make, hard to mess up, and perfect for prepping ahead or enjoying days after. Make for dinner, lunch, or a pot luck BBQ to enjoy the sunny summer outdoors. Make whenever you want really. Just make. 😉
Tater salads come in all shapes and sizes…
While I’m always a fan of that mayo-based pickled-filled picnic salad, sometimes I want something more fresh- a light and veggie-packed rendition. I’ve been making this grilled version for years… it started first as a grilled potato salad only. I later began making a grilled corn, tomato, and green bean salad. Then one day, I combined them. While the straight-up tater salad was a fine one, I’m a big fan of crunch and color. It’s all about the fresh.
In my many renditions, there have been dressings of all kinds… creamy and classic mayo, but my favorite is the simplest- a super light vinaigrette made of just a few ingredients.
You may ask why the grilled potatoes…
They’re mostly cooked on the stove ahead of time, but the added touch of grill at the end adds a little crisp, a little smoky flavor, and most importantly, those beautiful brown grilled lines. You can use an outdoor grill, and indoor guy, or simply roast them in your oven until golden, if preferred. But if you ask me, nothing quite does what a good ol’ outdoor grill does.
This is a great make-ahead dish as you can throw it all together then refrigerate until ready to serve. It’s also a great potluck or outdoor dish since there’s no mayo to get cray in the warm sun. Big perk. 😉
Lastly, the best thing about this salad…
It can be modified in so many ways. As long as you have some light crisp veggies and enough vinaigrette, pretty much anything tastes good in this bad boy. You’ll see, play around and enjoy!
serves four
INGREDIENTS
for the salad…
approx 15 small potatoes, halved, or less larger ones quartered
2 corn on the cob, organic (omit for Whole30)
1 cup green beans, cut into thirds
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
drizzle olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
for the vinaigrette…
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar (or AVC)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
Preheat grill to high
Grill the corn in whatever fashion you like best
I usually peel back the outer layers, pull off the stringy stuff underneath,
then pull the outer layers back over the corn to cover it
I soak them in water for a quick min, then toss ’em on for 15 or so, turning half way through
Meanwhile, boil potatoes in water until soft, approx 10 mins
I’m not talking fall-apart soft here, just soft enough to cut and gobble… still in tact, like a parboil 😉
Slice potatoes in half (or in quarters if large guys)
Small potatoes have such thin skins so I leave ’em on… your choice
Toss the taters back in the pot (without water)
Drizzle some olive oil in there and a hefty sprinkle of salt and pepper
Lightly toss to coat
Remove corn…
Leave that grill on high though!
Lay potatoes on the grill, cut side down
Grill for just a few minutes, until some solid grill marks have formed
Once cool to the touch, cut corn off the cob
Prep all remaining veggies and herbs…
Add all ingredients to a large bowl
Gently mix
Stir all vinaigrette ingredients together in a bowl or jar
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad
Taste- salt and pepper as desired
Store in the fridge for later devouring, or serve and feast now
Tasty cold or at room-temp 🙂
