A staple at every party, celebration, and holiday, Puerto Rican Ensalada De Papa is a must-have dish at your fiesta. What makes it a Puerto Rican potato salad? Keep reading to find out.
It’s not a Puerto Rican party without ensalada de papa. It always cracks me up when I visit Puerto Rico and try looking for salad on a menu. We don’t really do green salads in PR. If you want ensalada, you’re gonna get ensalada de papa, or ensalada de coditos (macaroni salad). If you’re lucky, you’ll find ensalada de berro (watercress salad) but that’s pretty rare. We Boricuas love our carbs, and Puerto Rican potato salad is probably my favorite side dish to scoop up at a family picnic or potluck. This potato salad is simple, unfussy, and contains a sweet surprise…read on to find out what it is!
What Makes Puerto Rican Potato Salad Different?
We add apples to Puerto Rican potato salad! Yes, you read that right. Trust me, it’s delicious. The crunchy apples add a burst of sweetness, just like some folks in the US add sweet pickle relish to Southern-style potato salad. Apples are common in Dominican-style potato salad too.
What Ingredients Do You Need To Make Puerto Rican Potato Salad?
This recipe doesn’t call any weird or whacky ingredients (yes, I’m talking to those folks who add raisins to their potato salads). All you need to make Puerto Rican ensalada de papa are potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper, red onion, apples, mayo, vinegar, and eggs. The seasonings are super simple, just some salt and pepper.
What To Serve With Ensalada De Papa
Puerto Rican potato salad is a great side dish to serve with traditional Puerto Rican recipes like Arroz Con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas) and Slow Cooker Pernil (Puerto Rican Roasted Pork Shoulder). It’s also a great dish with barbecue dishes like Puerto Rican Pinchos De Pollo (Chicken Kabobs) and Pollo Asado (Citrus Marinated Grilled Chicken)
Want More Puerto Rican Recipes?
Check out these popular dishes from Delish D’Lites!
- Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew) Includes Slow Cooker Version!
- Puerto Rican Pollo Fricase (Chicken Fricassee)
- Carne Guisada (Puerto Rican Beef Stew)
- Pasteles De Masa (Puerto Rican Pasteles)
- Chicharrones De Pollo (Puerto Rican Fried Chicken)
Ensalada De Papa (Puerto Rican Potato Salad)
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 large carrot, peeled and diced about 1 cup
- 1 Honey Crisp apple, cored, peeled and diced substutite with Gala or Granny Smith
- 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 red bell pepper, diced about ¾ cup
- 1 small red onion, decided about ½ cup
- 2 ½ cups mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 large eggs optional
- Sliced green onions for garnish
- 1 jar pimento peppers (roasted red peppers) for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Potatoes and Eggs
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Add the potatoes, carrots, and the raw eggs to a large stockpot. Fill the pot with cold water, making sure the water fully covers the potatoes and eggs. Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. After the water in the pot comes to a boil, reduce the temperature to medium-low. Simmer the potatoes and eggs for 12-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and fuly cooked
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Drain the potatoes, carrots and eggs in a colander set inside a sink. Place the eggs in a bowl with cold water. Once they're cool to the touch, peel the eggs and set aside.
Allow the potatoes and carrots to drain and cool in the colander at room temperature.
Prepare the Potato Salad Dressing
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In a bowl, toss the diced apple pieces with the vinegar and let them sit for 5 minutes. This step will prevent the apples from turning brown.
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Add the red onion, bell pepper, mayo, salt and pepper into the bowl with the apples, and stir with a spatula until smooth.
Prepare The Potato Salad
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Peel, then chop the hard-boiled eggs after they've cooled slightly.
Add the eggs, potatoes and carrots to the bowl with the dressing. It's okay if the potatoes are still warm, this will help them absorb the dressing better.
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Fold the potatoes and eggs into the dressing mixture until they're evenly coated. Add more mayonnaise if you like. Cover the potato salad with plastic wrap or foil and transfer it to the fridge. Chill the potato salad for 8 hours (overnight is best).
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When you're ready to serve it, stir the potato salad to make sure it's not too dry. If you find your potatoes have soaked up too much of the mayo, add more mayo on top and stir it in. Taste for salt, and adjust as needed. Garnish with green onions and roasted red pepper slices, if desired.
