Patates Salatasi - Turkish Potato Salad

What is Turkish Potato Salad?

Potato salad (patates salatasi in Turkish) is one of the simple and beloved dishes in Turkish cuisine that everyone knows about. It is basically a combination of potatoes, herbs and a spicy lemon dressing.

What makes Turkish potato salad special is that everyone has their own twist on the recipe. Some keep it simple with just potatoes, herbs, and dressing, while others add a variety of vegetables to make it richer. But there’s one thing very clear about Turkish potato salad: it never contains mayonnaise.

Patates salatasi a staple at potluck parties, ladies' afternoon tea parties, and even as a light lunch during summer. It also makes a great side dish to pair with grilled meats. You might even see it on the breakfast table because, in Turkish breakfast, almost anything can be served.

No Mayo, But Full of Flavor!

Patates Salatasi doesn’t contain any mayo, but that doesn’t mean it lacks flavor. In fact, it’s packed with deliciousness thanks to the fresh ingredients and amazing dressing. 

The combination of herbs, like parsley and green onions, adds a burst of freshness. The grated carrots and chopped lettuce give it a nice crunch.

The real magic is in the dressing. Made with olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, and red chili flakes, it’s tangy, slightly spicy, and incredibly tasty. This dressing soaks into the potatoes, making every bite flavorful and exciting. So, even without mayo, Turkish potato salad is anything but boring!

The Perfect Dressing for Patates Salatasi

The dressing is what makes Turkish potato salad taste so amazing. 

A must-have spice in this dressing is sumac. It adds a tangy, lemony flavor that really brightens up the salad. It’s a key ingredient in a patates salatasi that you don’t want to skip.

Another important spice is Turkish red pepper flakes, known as pul biber. You can use Aleppo pepper for a milder option. If you can't find these, use any red chili flakes you have.

You can find sumac and pul biber on Amazon or at online Middle Eastern shops serving your area.

For the best flavor, use extra virgin olive oil in your dressing. It has a richer taste that enhances the overall flavor of the salad.

Finally, always use freshly squeezed lemon juice.

About the Ingredients

Everyone in Turkey has their own twist on homemade potato salad, and we’re excited to share our way of making it. Here’s what you’ll need:

Potatoes: Use yellow potatoes (the most popular Turkish potatoes) or all purpose potatoes like Yukon Gold. Look for firm ones. Also, you can use waxy potatoes like red potatoes or baby potatoes (new potatoes). They hold their shape well and have a nice texture. If you prefer baby potatoes, you can leave the skins on. 

Green Onions: Use both the white and green parts.

Grated Carrot: Adds a bit of sweetness and a nice crunch and color to the salad. If you don't have carrots, you can skip them.

Onion Slices: Red onions are great, but you can use white or yellow onions too.

Lettuce Leaves: Any type of lettuce works, but romaine is ideal. Just a few leave.

Parsley: Use lots of it for that freshness.

Besides the ingredients above, we sometimes add chopped fresh dill and fresh mint in our patates salatasi. If we have leftover red cabbage in the fridge, we just slice it thinly and throw it into the bowl as well.

Also, in Turkey, we love garnishing salads with olives. Throw a few black olives, green olives or kalamata olives on your salad if you like.

So, feel free to add whatever you normally like in your salad.

How to Boil Potatoes

Put the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water and add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20-30 minutes. Check for tenderness with a fork after 20 minutes; cook longer if needed. 

Drain and cover with cold water for 3-5 minutes, then drain again. Peel the potatoes while they're slightly warm, and they're ready for your salad!

How to Make This Recipe

(Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!) 

After boiling, cooling, and peeling the potatoes, chop them into large chunks and place them in a big bowl. Add chopped green onions, grated carrot, sliced onion, chopped lettuce leaves, and parsley to the bowl.

In a small bowl, mix olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, sumac, and red chili flakes to make the dressing. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and vegetables. Toss everything together gently until well combined. Taste the salad and adjust the salt if needed. Serve immediately.

Version with Hard Boiled Eggs

You can make Turkish potato salad even heartier by adding hard boiled eggs. 

Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add 4 eggs and reduce the heat slightly. Cook for 8 minutes, then drain the eggs and cool them under cold water. Peel the eggs and slice them.

You can either mix the sliced eggs into your patates salatasi or use them as a garnish on top or on the side just like we do in piyaz (Turkish white bean salad). The eggs add extra protein and make the salad more filling.

Serving Suggestions

Turkish potato salad can be served in many delicious ways. On a meze platter, it pairs beautifully with other Turkish appetizers like mucver (zucchini fritters), haydari (yogurt & feta dip), and Turkish hummus.

At afternoon tea parties, it's a perfect match for dishes like kisir (Turkish bulgur salad), borek, and yaprak sarma (stuffed grape leaves).

Patates Salatasi is also one of the best Turkish side dishes to serve with meats like kofte (Turkish meatballs).

Storage

Place the leftover potato salad in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days. We don't recommend keeping it longer than this, as the taste won't be as good.

Before serving, let the salad sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes to come to room temperature. This helps bring out the flavors. Give the salad a good toss to redistribute the dressing and flavors.

More Turkish Salads

• Turkish Chicken Salad
• Turkish Shepherd Salad
• Russian Salad
• Turkish Eggplant Salad
• Sumac Onions 
• Green Olive Salad
• Turkish Pasta Salad
• Mevsim Salatasi

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