Chunky Potato and Beet Salad

Potato salads are a favourite of mine.  I like just about any kind you can pile on my plate.  This Chunky Potato and Beet Salad is quick and easy to put together and has a pretty pink colour to grace your meal.  It has the sweet and sour taste from the beets which mix well with the blander potato and the sweet onions just lend that little crunch and nip which, I think, makes this potato salad so tasty. 

Some months ago I posted a recipe for Newfoundland Beet Salad but this one is full of chunks of potato and beet instead of the smoothness of mashed potato. I acutally like this one better than the other as I like the texture of chunks of potato in the salad.  I suppose you could call this a deconstruction of the classic Newfoundland Beet Salad.  

I like real mayonnaise in this salad but that's my taste.  If you don't like mayonnaise use a Miracle Whip type dressing.  The salad dressing will give it a tangier and sweeter flavour than mayonnaise, but it's you who will be eating it so make it with your favourite dressing.  
 

Chunky Potato and Beet Salad
4-6 medium potatoes, scrubbed clean or peeled
½ -1 cup good quality pickled beets, cut in chunks
¼ cup sliced mild, sweet onion
¼-½ cup mayonnaise or enough to moisten
1 or 2 tablespoons pickled beet juice, if needed
1-2 tablespoons sugar

Cut the potatoes into quarters or in a medium dice. In a medium pot, boil prepared potatoes in lightly salted water until tender but not mushy. (This may take about 10-20 minutes, depending how large or small you cut the potatoes.)  Let potatoes cool and cut into medium chunks if needed. 

Mix remaining ingredients with the potatoes  You may not need to use the beet juice but if you like a wetter salad mix it in.  Some potatoes will absorb more liquid as they chill.  Taste the mixture and adjust the mayonnaise or sugar to your taste.  Chill for several hours to let the flavours meld together.

Serve cold with green salad and roast or sandwich. 

Makes 4-6 servings.

 To peel, or not to peel, that is the question--

 (Sorry, Billy Shakespeare.)

Well, the question of peeling was answered with both.  I started peeling the potatoes but then left the skin on most of them because they were new potatoes with nice thin skins with few blemishes.  I also chopped the potatoes into a medium chunk or dice before boiling.

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender but not mushy.  The diced potatoes took about 10 minutes once the water came to a boil.

Choose any mild, sweet onion.  This is a mild white onion but I often use red or purple onions in this salad.  The onions give a nice crunch and just a little nip to the mix. 

Combine the cooled potatoes and remaining ingredients together.

Mix until you have a lovely pink mixture.  Add enough mayonnaise to moisten to your own liking.  A little picked beet juice can also be added as some potatoes will absorb the liquid as they cool.  You don't want a dry salad.

Served with a side of green salad.  

This salad is delicious with a cold roast or a sandwich.

 

Pretty in Pink!