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Easy French Potato Salad

Easy French potato salad with warm potatoes and a tangy white wine vinaigrette. Sliced fingerlings are marinated for 1 hour so the Dijon dressing clings, then finished with fresh parsley and tarragon.
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: 410

Ingredients
  

fingerling or baby potatoes
  • 3 lb fingerling or baby potatoes
white wine
  • 0.25 cup white wine
chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup chicken broth
white wine vinegar
  • 0.25 cup white wine vinegar
olive oil
  • 0.33 cup olive oil
Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
shallots
  • 2 shallots minced
fresh parsley
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
fresh tarragon
  • 2 tbsp fresh tarragon chopped
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
pepper
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, then add the whole fingerling or baby potatoes and boil until tender, about 20 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when a knife tip meets little resistance.
Slice and dress
  1. Drain the potatoes and slice while still warm. The warmth helps the vinaigrette soak in quickly.
  2. Whisk together the white wine, chicken broth, white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced shallots, salt, and pepper until the dressing looks fully combined. Keep whisking until it turns slightly emulsified.
  3. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and toss gently to coat. Toss until most slices look lightly glossy.
Marinate and finish
  1. Let the salad marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. Stir once halfway so all pieces get dressing coverage.
  2. Add the chopped parsley and fresh tarragon just before serving and toss gently. The herbs should look bright and fresh, not wilted.
  3. Serve at room temperature. For best texture, avoid chilling because it can mute the vinaigrette flavor.

Notes

Pro tip: slicing the potatoes while still warm helps them absorb the Dijon dressing without turning mushy. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; the flavor improves after a few hours, but keep herbs for serving time. Freezer: no. Dietary swap: for a lighter option, reduce olive oil to 1/4 cup and add an extra 1 tbsp broth for balance.