Roasted Potato Salad

I have been seeing all of these fun new ways of making potato salad on the internet, and while I had never really thought of making potato salad beyond boiled potatoes and mayonnaise-based dressing, I was inspired to join in the creative fun.

Potato salad used to be a favorite, but I do not like the traditional kind so much anymore. Beyond that, egg allergies in our family make mayonnaise-based foods a challenge.

So when I saw adorable “two bite” sized potatoes at the store, I just had to try them out. It seemed as good a time as any to play around with a new potato salad recipe that would work for our family. (This recipe can be made with Yukon potatoes; I just thought the small potatoes were really cute).

Instead of boiling the potatoes, I chose to roast them. This imparts a luxurious texture and infuses a hearty flavor into the dish. Plus, my three year old daughter is a pro at spreading out vegetables to be roasted. I would hate to waste her skills.

Because the roasted potatoes, which I covered in seasonings, were so flavorful, not much else was needed. A bit of red onion for a contrast in texture and color, a touch of red wine vinegar, and then (because I went with an Italian theme with the flavors) I figured some Parmesan cheese would be the perfect rounding note. Our family is dairy free, so we used my Homemade Parmesan substitute, but the real stuff would be delicious too.

Both the kids and I loved it. I am sure my husband would have enjoyed this potato salad as well, but it was long gone before he got there. He does not usually like potatoes, but I think this is a recipe he would find tasty.

1 1/2 lb two-bite potatoes (or Yukon)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 pinch dried marjoram
1/2 red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chive
1/2 batch DF Parmesan sub or 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cut the “two bite” potatoes in half, or cut the Yukon into 1 1/2 – 2″ pieces.
Spread potatoes on a sheet pan. Mix together the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and marjoram. Sprinkle the mixed seasonings over the potatoes, and stir. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the potatoes (a tablespoon or two), and toss to coat. Spread potatoes back out. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every ten. Remove potatoes from the pan, and put them into a medium-sized bowl.
While the potatoes are cooking, put the sliced red onions in a container; liberally sprinkle them with salt, and cover with water. Let the red onions soak in the salt water for 5-10 minutes, then rinse. This helps take the sharp bite out of the onion so it does not over power the rest of the dish. Dry with a towel to prevent excess moisture in the potato salad.
Mix the potatoes, onions, chives, Parmesan (or sub), and vinegar in with the potatoes. Add salt to taste if needed.