In Pursuit of International Potato Salads, from Kartoffelsalat to Aloo Dum
There's a whole world to explore beyond American potato salad, from Schmidt's warm potato salad to Momo Ghar's turmeric-tinged version.
Where to Find Kartoffelsalat, Maionese de Batata, Gamja Salad & More
By Bethia Woolf
While potato salad might seem like the most ubiquitous of American summer side dishes—ever present at cookouts and picnics—there is, in fact, a whole world of salads featuring the beloved root vegetable out there. Dining around the Columbus food scene as we do, we’ve sampled potato salads from all over the world, including Chinese, Nepali, Peruvian and other varieties.
Aside from classic American potato salad, you might be familiar with German potato salad (aka kartoffelsalat) and Schmidt’s is the name most associated with it in Columbus. Schmidt’s has been serving its Bavarian style of German potato salad, made with bacon in a tangy vinegar dressing, since the restaurant opened in 1967. The recipe was created by one of the restaurant’s German waitresses. According to brand ambassador Matt Schmidt, last year the German Village restaurant sold a staggering 130,520 pounds of German potato salad, which is served warm and most commonly paired with the house sausages.
The typical American mayonnaise-based potato salad also hails from Germany, where it is more of a northern specialty. It’s perhaps no coincidence that deli owner Richard Hellmann, who created Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, emigrated from northern Germany to New York City.
Meanwhile, the famous Olivier salad, a Russian staple, has inspired many global potato salads. It was invented in the 1860s by Lucien Olivier, a chef of French and Belgian origin who worked at Moscow’s celebrated Hermitage Restaurant. His original recipe included expensive ingredients like grouse and crayfish, but over the years his namesake salad has been simplified and adapted across the globe.
One example is Brazilian potato salad, which is most commonly found in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil where many German immigrants settled. Known as maionese de batata, it seems to be a simplified version of Olivier salad even though it is associated with German immigrants there. Brazilian potato salad is a classic side dish at gatherings, especially churrasco barbecues. Locally, you’ll find it at Brazilian Grill & Bakery and Brazilian steakhouses like Fogo de Chao. Maionese de batata is a little saltier and more savory than other variations and is composed of small cubes of potato and carrot, along with peas and parsley.
Given that potatoes originated in Peru, it’s not surprising that the country has its own versions of potato salad. Papa a la huancaína is a staple Peruvian dish in which cold boiled potatoes are dressed in a creamy sauce made with ají amarillo peppers, milk and queso fresco. The potatoes are typically served with lettuce, hard-boiled eggs and olives. Another popular Peruvian potato dish is called causa, featuring mashed potatoes—typically seasoned with ají amarillo paste—that are layered with various fillings like chicken or tuna and avocado. You can find both dishes at El Pollo Perucho on the West Side or Dublin’s Peru Taco Bar.
Potato salads are also popular in Asia and include some of our favorites.
Johae Chong, owner of Don Pocha Korean BBQ, told me he grew up near a U.S. Army base in South Korea. Near the base were several restaurants that catered to American tastes, serving barbecue chicken and ribs. That’s where he first tasted and fell in love with potato salad, he says. Koreans learned potato salad from Americans, but as with many foods they adapted it to suit local tastes. There are several types of potato salad in South Korea. One is called sarada (a borrowed Japanese term) and includes cucumber, apple, raisins, peas, boiled eggs and ham. It’s more of an at-home dish, often served as part of a party buffet.
Don Pocha serves another type of Korean potato salad, known as gamja salad, as one of its rotating banchan (side dishes). Gamja salad—made with mashed potatoes, mayonnaise and egg—is similar to traditional American potato salad but has a creamier texture. It’s a common side dish at KBBQ restaurants and is often garnished with crumbled egg yolk.
Commonly found in bento boxes and school lunches, Japanese-style potato salad—often called potesara—has been a popular side dish in Japan since the 1950s. The salad first appeared in Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the Meiji era, when the country began opening up to Western influences. The aforementioned Olivier salad served as inspiration for the Japanese version.
As potesara was adapted to local tastes, mashed potatoes became standard and pickles were often replaced with thinly sliced cucumber. In Columbus, you’ll find Japanese potato salad at Tensuke Market, where it’s made by Akai Hana and typically restocked on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Tensuke’s version is mayo-based with mostly mashed potatoes, carrot, cucumber, onion and celery. It may look a little gloopy, but it has a mildly sweet, subtle flavor that allows the vegetables to shine.
Totally different from American potato salad—but one of our favorite renditions—is the shredded potato salad from northern China. Thin slivers of potato are blanched, cooled and tossed in a spicy, vinegary dressing. The matchstick-like potatoes remain al dente, adding wonderful texture to the dish. We particularly enjoy Jiu Thai Asian Cafe’s spicy potato salad, which includes julienned bell peppers, cilantro and sesame seeds. NE Chinese Restaurant adds carrots to its version.
You’ll find two more interesting takes on potato salad at North Market Downtown. Tajine House offers Moroccan potato salad, vinaigrette-dressed chunks of the starchy tuber tossed with red onion and fresh herbs. In Morocco, potato salads may be served warm or cold. Across the market at Momo Ghar, there’s aloo dum, another mayo-free version. Visually simple, the rusty orange color of the salad hints at the flavor it packs. This dish has a mild kick, with spices like cumin and turmeric.
Yes, there’s a world of potato salad to explore in Columbus, but sometimes you need a classic American potato salad to take to a picnic. For that, we’re partial to the mustard-tinged deviled egg potato salad from Fran’s Meat + Three at East Market.
So, what’s your favorite potato salad in Columbus? Did we miss any interesting international variations? Let us know in the comments.
I love Jiu Thai's potato salad!
Years ago I had a potato salad (?) at the Nepali (or maybe Tibetan?) booth at the Columbus International Festival that I have been chasing ever since - very similar to aloo dum, but vinegary. I can get close if I sprinkle rice vinegar over aloo dum, but it's not quite the same. No idea what it was called, but it was delicious.