This roasted potato salad uses sweet and purple potatoes tossed in a blended anchovy-caper-Dijon dressing instead of mayonnaise. It comes together in 35 minutes and holds up far better at a cookout than a mayo-based version. The dressing is punchy and savory, and the roasted potatoes give you crisp edges that donโt turn to mush when dressed.
The short version of why this works
Two things make this salad succeed where boiled potato salads often fail. First, roasting at 400ยฐF drives off surface moisture and caramelizes the natural sugars in both potato varieties, giving you edges that stay firm after dressing instead of going soft and waterlogged. Second, blending the dressing โ anchovy paste, olive oil, capers, caper brine, and Dijon โ fully emulsifies it, so it clings to each piece rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl. That cling is what keeps every bite consistently seasoned rather than leaving half the dressing behind.
Substitutions that actually work
- Anchovy paste: This is the ingredient people hesitate over, but it dissolves completely into the dressing and reads as savory depth rather than fishiness. If you genuinely canโt use it, a teaspoon of white miso paste blended in its place gives a similar umami hit and keeps the salad pescatarian-free.
- Purple potatoes: Any small waxy potato โ fingerlings, baby Yukon Golds โ works here. Avoid russets; they break apart too easily at the cut edges during roasting.
- Capers: Donโt skip them or the brine. Both are doing real work โ the capers add texture and the brine adds acidity that balances the olive oil. Finely chopped cornichons plus a splash of their liquid is a workable substitute.
- Fresh herbs: Flat-leaf parsley and basil are called for, but fresh tarragon or chives also pair well with this dressing profile.
Mistakes to avoid
- Crowding the pan: If the potato pieces touch each other, they steam instead of roast and you lose the crisp edges the dressing needs to cling to. Use two sheet pans if needed.
- Dressing warm potatoes: Adding dressing before the potatoes are fully cooled makes the emulsion break and the salad greasy. Give them at least 15 minutes on the pan off heat before tossing.
- Over-dressing: The recipe correctly tells you to add dressing in two additions โ follow that. Once the potatoes absorb the first half, you can judge whether the second half is needed. Err on the side of less.
- Under-seasoning the potatoes before roasting: The salt and pepper go on before the oven, not after. Seasoning raw potatoes means the seasoning bakes into the surface; adding it later just sits on top.
- Skipping the flip at 12 minutes: Both cut sides need direct contact with the hot pan to brown properly. Skipping the flip gives you one caramelized side and one steamed side.
Keeping it fresh
Dress it at the table โ a pre-dressed salad goes limp fast. If youโre making this ahead, store the roasted potatoes and blended dressing separately in the fridge; both keep well for up to three days. The potatoes will lose some crispness overnight regardless, but they stay firm enough to hold their shape. When youโre ready to serve, let the dressing come to room temperature for a few minutes and give it a quick stir or shake before tossing, since the olive oil will have solidified slightly in the cold. Add the fresh parsley and basil only at the point of serving โ herbs wilt and discolor quickly once they hit the dressing.
Savoury Roasted Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 pound purple potatoes
- ยผ cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- ยฝ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon anchovy paste
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon brine of the capers the liquid they come in
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ยผ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
Instructions
- Dice your potatoes and place them on a cookie sheet (dice them all to a similar size, about 1/2 inch).
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Top the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Bake the seasoned sweet potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, flipping the potatoes after 12 minutes, then cook until lightly browned on both sides. Remove from oven and cool.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the anchovy paste, 1/4 cup of olive oil, capers, caper brine, salt, pepper and dijon mustard. Puree until well combined and emulsified.
- Put cooled potatoes in a bowl and toss with the dressing (put 1/2 in at a time to make sure the salad isn't too wet).
- Top with parsley and basil, and toss. Serve the salad or chill in the fridge if you aren't serving it right away.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make this salad without a blender or food processor?
Yes, but the dressing wonโt emulsify as thoroughly. Whisk the anchovy paste and Dijon together first, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking constantly, and stir in the capers and brine at the end. It will be slightly looser than the blended version but will still coat the potatoes.
Do sweet potatoes and purple potatoes need the same roasting time?
They roast at the same rate when cut to the same half-inch size, which is why uniform dicing matters. If your sweet potato pieces are noticeably larger than the purple potato pieces, theyโll still be firm in the center when the others are done โ take a minute to match the sizes before the pan goes in the oven.
Can I serve this warm instead of at room temperature or chilled?
You can, but the dressing behaves differently on hot potatoes โ it thins out and absorbs faster, so the salad can taste oily rather than dressed. Room temperature is the sweet spot where the emulsion holds and the flavors are most distinct.