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Easy French Potato Salad

Easy French Potato Salad with warm, sliced fingerling potatoes tossed in a white wine vinaigrette and Dijon dressing. The result is a light salad that stays room-temperature ready, with bright parsley and tarragon added at the end.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

potatoes
  • 3 lb fingerling or baby potatoes
dressing
  • 0.25 cup white wine
  • 0.25 cup chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup white wine vinegar
  • 0.333 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 shallots, minced
herbs and seasoning
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook and slice the potatoes
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil, then boil the fingerling or baby potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes, with visible steaming bubbles around the pot. Keep them whole so the outside stays intact.
  2. Drain the potatoes and slice while still warm, so the cut surfaces look slightly steamy and moist. Aim for even slices so they dress uniformly.
Make the white wine Dijon vinaigrette
  1. Whisk together the white wine, chicken broth, white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, minced shallots, salt, and pepper until smooth and glossy. The mixture should look emulsified rather than separated.
  2. Pour the dressing over the warm sliced potatoes and toss gently so every piece gets a light coating with a sheen. Toss just enough to avoid breaking the potatoes.
Marinate and finish
  1. Let the potato salad marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, covered if possible, so the vinaigrette soaks in and the potatoes look more saturated. Stir once halfway if you want more even flavor.
  2. Add the fresh parsley and fresh tarragon just before serving, scattering them over the top so they remain vivid green. Toss lightly to distribute without bruising the herbs.
  3. Serve the French potato salad at room temperature so the vinaigrette tastes balanced and not chilled. Plate as a simple mound for a clean French presentation.

Notes

Pro tip: slicing the potatoes while still warm helps the vinaigrette cling instead of pooling, and the salad tastes best at room temperature. Store in the fridge up to 3 days; keep herbs separate until serving if you want them bright longer. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes. For a lighter option, use half olive oil and half low-sodium chicken broth in the dressing to reduce richness while keeping the Dijon-herb flavor.