Picnic Salads

Japanese Potato Salad

Equal parts tangy and savory, this partially mashed potato salad is creamy without being heavy.

By Elizabeth GermainApril 10, 2017

Austrian Potato Salad (Erdäpfelsalat)

The best potato salads come from outside the US, still creamy, yet made without mayo.

Grilled Mustard-Herb Potato Salad

Tender-yet-crispy grilled potatoes get a double dose of flavor with handfuls of fresh herbs and grainy mustard.

By Courtney HillMay 15, 2024

Bacon and Egg Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese potato salads are defined by a mashed potato–like texture, a velvetiness richness from Kewpie mayonnaise, and the crunch of salted and squeezed-dry cucumbers. Some versions include carrots, corn, dashi or even cheese or salmon roe. We highly

By Courtney HillSeptember 5, 2025

Harissa Potato Salad with Mint and Lemon

Harissa—a chili paste from North Africa that is a Milk Street pantry staple—brings earthy spice, heat and bold flavor to an otherwise basic potato salad. Harissa varies in spiciness brand to brand, so start with 2 tablespoons and taste, then add more

By Laura RussellOctober 17, 2023

Spicy and Sour Julienned Potato Salad with Sichuan Pepper

Completely unlike any potato salad you've ever have, these tender matchsticks are dressed in vinegar, tossed with a sizzling spice-infused oil and finished with scallions and cilantro.

By Calvin CoxJune 11, 2021

Pasta Salad with Charred Corn and Cilantro

Creamy-rich yet bright and fresh, this pasta salad takes inspiration from Mexican esquites, corn that typically is grilled or roasted and finished with a mixture of herbs, lime, chili and cheese. We simmer corn cobs in the water that’s later used for

By Dimitri DemopolousOctober 17, 2023

Japanese Macaroni Salad

The key to Japan’s creamy-yet-fresh-tasting macaroni salad: Kewpie mayo that’s lush and rich, yet tangy-sweet.

By Dimitri DemopolousApril 25, 2023

Pasta with Tomatoes, Sweet Corn and Avocados

This colorful pasta salad is best made with in-season tomatoes and sweet, fresh corn. In non-summer months, however, frozen corn works well. The kernels are dropped into the pasta during the final minutes of boiling and cooked only briefly so they ret

By Dimitri DemopolousOctober 17, 2023

Smashed Cucumber Salad

Smashing the cucumbers helped release their seeds and created rough surfaces for the dressing to cling to. For a simple variation on this recipe, add ¼ cup creamy peanut butter and 2 tablespoons water with the soy sauce and sesame oil to smooth the dr

French Carrot Salad

Shredding carrots makes them sweeter, and this classic French bistro side dish takes full advantage of that phenomenon.

By Matthew CardNovember 28, 2016

Thai-Inspired Smashed Cucumber Salad

Smash your cucumbers! This punchy salad is inspired by ajat, a Thai relish of sweet and sour cucumbers often paired with satay. Smashing the cucumbers creates craggy surfaces that help seasonings cling. It also loosens the seeds so they’re easy to rem

By Hisham Ali HassanMarch 26, 2025

Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream

This creamy yet refreshing cucumber salad, called uborka saláta, is a traditional accompaniment to paprikash. The skin on an English cucumber is thin, but we prefer to remove it anyway. Salting the sliced cucumber for an hour prior to dressing removes

Rice Noodle, Cucumber and Herb Salad

This refreshing noodle salad is our take on a dish that we tasted in Cambodia combined with a recipe from “The Elephant Walk Cookbook” by Longteine de Monteiro and Katherine Neustadt. Thin rice noodles are tossed with cucumber, peanuts and tons of fre

By Courtney HillSeptember 23, 2021

Antipasto-Style Zucchini and Cauliflower Salad

Stop steaming your cauliflower! Thinly sliced and boldly marinated, it’s amazing raw in this salad inspired by Italian antipasto. The cauliflower brings crisp texture as well as a subtle sweetness that combines well with thinly sliced raw zucchini. If

By Courtney HillMarch 26, 2025

Curried Carrot Salad with Golden Raisins

When vegetables such as carrots are shredded, cell walls break down and sugars and other compounds are released, resulting in sweeter, more intense flavor. In this recipe, shredded carrots are allowed to stand for 20 minutes in the dressing to slightl