Introduction

This Creamy Grilled Smashed Potato Salad is a delicious twist on a classic side dish. Tender baby potatoes are smashed, grilled to perfection, and tossed in a zesty lemon-herb yogurt sauce with quick-pickled shallots for a burst of flavor. It’s perfect for warm-weather meals or any time you want a fresh, creamy potato salad with a smoky kick.

The dish is served on a large white oval plate set on a white marbled surface. The bottom layer is made up of small roasted baby potatoes with golden brown skins and some dark purple edges, scattered unevenly. On top of this is a layer of thinly sliced, light pink pickled onions, spread across the potatoes. A creamy white sauce with small green herb flecks is drizzled generously over both the potatoes and onions, adding a smooth texture. Fresh green basil leaves sit on top for decoration, and small chopped chives are sprinkled across the dish for color and detail. Two silver spoons rest inside the plate on opposite sides, one near the top and one near the bottom. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 lbs mixed baby potatoes or baby Yukon gold potatoes (washed)

Water for boiling potatoes (enough to cover potatoes)

Sea salt for salting water (to taste)

2 bay leaves

Olive oil or avocado oil spray for grilling

¾ cups Greek yogurt or sour cream (or dairy-free yogurt to make it dairy free)

1 large garlic clove (grated or chopped finely)

1 medium lemon (zested)

1 medium lemon (juiced)

½ tbsp basil (finely chopped)

½ tbsp cilantro (finely chopped)

2 ½ tbsp chives (divided, reserve 1 tbsp for garnish) (finely chopped)

½ tbsp smoked paprika

1 large shallot or 2 smaller (peeled, cut in half and finely sliced)

1 cup warm water

3 tbsp rice vinegar

½ tbsp sea salt

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the pickled shallots by peeling the shallots, cutting them in half, and slicing very thinly into half circles. Separate the slices with your fingers and place them in a bowl with warm water, rice vinegar, and sea salt. Let them pickle on the counter while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Step 2: Wash the potatoes and add them to a pot. Cover with water an inch above the potatoes, add a pinch of sea salt and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes after boiling starts, or until a fork passes through easily. Drain and place on a baking dish.

Step 3: When the potatoes have cooled slightly, use the bottom of a glass to gently smash each potato, keeping them mostly intact. Spray both sides generously with olive or avocado oil.

Step 4: Heat a grill to medium-high. Grill the smashed potatoes until grill marks appear, about 3–5 minutes per side. Flip carefully and grill the other side.

Step 5: While the potatoes are cooking, combine Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, cilantro, 1 ½ tbsp chopped chives, and smoked paprika in a bowl. Stir well and let the sauce marinate while potatoes finish grilling.

Step 6: Drain the pickled shallots and mix them gently into the yogurt sauce. Toss the grilled potatoes with the creamy sauce.

Step 7: Garnish the potato salad with the reserved 1 tbsp chopped chives before serving.

Tips & Variations

Use a mix of baby potatoes for varied texture and color, or substitute with fingerlings if preferred.

For a smoky depth, add a pinch of smoked paprika to the grilling oil or sprinkle over the potatoes after grilling.

To keep this salad dairy-free, substitute the Greek yogurt with a plant-based yogurt of your choice.

If you don’t have a grill, you can broil the smashed potatoes in the oven until crispy and golden.

Serve the salad slightly warm or at room temperature for the best flavor.

FAQs

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the potatoes and sauce in advance and assemble the salad right before serving. This helps keep the grilled texture fresh and the herbs vibrant.

What can I use instead of shallots for pickling?

If you don’t have shallots, thinly sliced red or white onions work well as a substitute and pickle quickly in the vinegar solution.