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French Potato Salad

French potato salad with a white wine vinaigrette and tender fingerling potatoes tossed warm, then marinated for a light, elegant side. Finish with fresh parsley and tarragon for a bright herb aroma and a glossy coating.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Fingerling potatoes
  • 3 lb fingerling potatoes
White wine vinaigrette
  • 0.25 cup dry white wine
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and prepare potatoes
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of salted water to a boil, then add the fingerling potatoes and cook until tender, about 18–22 minutes. The potatoes should yield easily when pierced with a knife.
  2. Drain the potatoes and slice them while warm into bite-size pieces. Keep them warm so the vinaigrette clings to the cut surfaces.
Make white wine vinaigrette
  1. Whisk together dry white wine, olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallots, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified. Watch for a uniform, slightly opaque vinaigrette.
Toss and marinate
  1. Pour the vinaigrette over the warm sliced potatoes and toss gently to coat all sides. Stop as soon as the potatoes look evenly glossy.
  2. Let the potato salad marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. The potatoes should absorb flavor and look more uniformly coated.
Finish and serve
  1. Before serving, fold in fresh parsley and fresh tarragon. You should see bright green flecks throughout the salad.
  2. Serve the French potato salad at room temperature. The texture should be tender with a light, non-watery sheen from the vinaigrette.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the fingerling potatoes while they’re still warm so they absorb the white wine vinaigrette instead of pooling it. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; let sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes before serving. Freezing is not recommended as the potatoes and herbs lose texture. For a lighter option, use half Dijon and half whole-grain mustard to keep the tang with a slightly softer bite.