Sumac Potato Salad With Herbs, Olives, and Balsamic
By Mason Brooks
Boiling whole potatoes until just tender helps them hold neat cubes when tossed, rather than turning into a broken-up salad. This Sumac Potato Salad combines buttery Yukon gold or red potatoes with tart sumac, fresh parsley, olives, pickles, and balsamic vinegar.
The dressing is deliberately simple: olive oil carries the seasonings over the potatoes, while balsamic vinegar adds tang without a creamy base. Red onion, chopped black olives, pickles, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes bring salty, sharp, and savory notes. Fresh parsley is important here because its clean herbal flavor balances the concentrated ingredients and keeps the salad tasting bright.
Watch the potatoes closely as they boil; they should be tender enough to peel and chop but not mushy. Letting them cool slightly makes handling easier and helps the cubes stay intact. The main mistake is tossing too forcefully after adding the dressing, which can crush the potatoes instead of lightly coating their surfaces with oil, vinegar, sumac, and chili flakes.
Serve the salad at room temperature for the clearest herb and spice flavor, or chill it first if preferred. If refrigerated, let it come back to room temperature before serving. It works as a Mediterranean-style side dish or a light main-course salad for gatherings, picnics, and family dinners.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Whole potatoes are boiled before peeling and chopping, helping the finished salad keep distinct, tidy cubes instead of collapsing during the final toss.
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar coat the ingredients without mayonnaise, giving the potatoes a light, tangy dressing that does not mask the herbs.
- Fresh parsley cuts through the salty olives, pickles, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes, so the many briny ingredients remain balanced rather than heavy.
- Sumac supplies a slightly tart flavor and warm color, while chili flakes add a restrained kick that can be adjusted when seasoning the salad.
- Gentle tossing protects the tender potato pieces, allowing the oil, vinegar, and spices to reach every surface without making the texture crumbly.
- It can be served chilled or at room temperature, letting the same salad fit picnics, gatherings, family dinners, or a light meal.
Ingredients
- •4 medium potatoes (4-5, Yukon gold or red potatoes work well)
- •1 small red onion (thinly sliced)
- •0.5 cup black olives (chopped)
- •3 small pickles (chopped)
- •0.25 cup capers
- •0.33 cup parsley (chopped)
- •5 sun-dried tomatoes (5-6, chopped)
- •2 tbsp olive oil
- •2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- •1 tbsp sumac
- •0.5 tsp chili flakes
- •salt (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Boil the whole unpeeled potatoes in salted water until just tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.
- 2
Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool slightly.
- 3
Peel the potatoes and chop them into bite-size cubes.
- 4
In a large mixing bowl, combine the boiled potatoes, red onion, parsley, pickles, black olives, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes, and mix slightly.
- 5
Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad.
- 6
Add the salt, chili flakes, and sumac.
- 7
Gently toss everything together to coat the potatoes and mix the flavors without breaking up the potatoes too much.
- 8
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more balsamic vinegar, salt, or chili flakes as needed.
- 9
Serve and enjoy.
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