Potato salad is the ultimate summer salad recipe. It’s both creamy and fresh, and filling without being heavy (which is why we keep having more!). This Creamy Potato Salad with Prawns is a version that my grandma used to make. In fact, it’s her recipe and I have been making it year after year since I moved our from my parents, but I have added one small change: an extra green touch, parsley (or sometimes chives). I am sure that when you try it, it will also become a potato salad staple in your family!
Creamy Potato Salad with Prawns Ingredients
Esta Creamy Potato Salad with Prawns recipe is extremely easy, but it does always succeed. When I made it again this year so I could share the recipe with you, I even received complaints from my partner and sister for having taken so long to prepare it again. Anyways, I’d be better off stopping the chatter and ,sharing some notes on the ingredients.
- Potato: it is the heart of this salad, the ingredient that makes it filling. I cook it already peeled and “snap/crack” it (in Spanish we call this action “chascar“) instead of cutting it as such, just like my grandmother used to do.
- Carrot: my grandma used to cut it into cubes, and who am I to change it. The truth is that cutting it like this means that when you boil the carrot with the potato, both are cooked on point at the same time.
- Olives: for this salad I find that hard green ones are better. If you use olives stuffed with anchovies (very typical in Spain), the filling adds a delicious touch that goes very well with the rest of the ingredients. In any case, what really matters is that they should be boneless.
- Prawns: they should be cooked and peeled. I buy them already cooked to save time, but if you have raw prawns, you can boil them with a bay leaf and pepper until they take on colour, for about 5 minutes. Save the shell and the heads to make fish broth another day, I freeze them with fish bones that I store in the freezer.
- Mayonnaise: it’s today’s dressing. I always make it homemade: cheaper, you know exactly what goes into it and it simply tastes better than any store-bought I’ve ever tried.
- Parsley: a green touch is always good, and it also provides freshness.
- Salt: needed for the water where we’ll cook the potatoes and carrots.
How to Store this Salad
- In the fridge: if you have any leftovers, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you want it for a packed lunch, since it has mayo, it’s important that you always keep it cold.
- In the freezer: you can make extra salad and freeze a few portions for another day, but it’s IMPORTANT to freeze it without adding the mayonnaise or parsley, add these the day you are going to serve it. Keep in mind that the potato and carrot will be a bit softer when thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which potato should I use?
There are so many potato varieties that choosing the best one in each case seems like an odyssey. Depending on the proportion between the water, the starch and the sugars they have, one type or another will be better for the dish. In this case I recommend the Monalisa, which is a potato with a fairly balanced proportion of starch and water, which makes it super versatile and does not break easily. As an alternative you can also use the Kennebec or Yukon Gold, also very versatile and quite compact.
If you overcook the potatoes, these varieties will be a bit floury. Keep in mind that when you drain them, if you don’t rinse them to cool them off, they will continue to cook.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes! Prepare it the day before, for example, and on the serving day simply mix it with the mayonnaise and parsley. Boiled potatoes and carrots last a long time in an airtight container so if you want you can even cook this part up to 5 days before (I haven’t tried storing them longer).
How many days does it last?
As long as your potato salad with prawns hasn’t been sitting out for hours (since it has mayo, we should be a tad careful), I find it lasts 3-4 days in the fridge.
Looking for More One-Meal Salads?
If you liked this Creamy Potato Salad with Prawns, you are going to love these:
If you make this Creamy Potato Salad with Prawns recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rate it. Hearing from you is everything! Oh, and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Creamy Potato Salad with Prawns
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes - Monalisa, Yukon Gold or Kennebec types, peeled and “snapped/cracked” (see video in the post)
- 400 g carrot - peeled and diced
- 500 g cooked king prawns - peeled and cut into chunks (preferably deveined) – see notes.
- 50 olives - preferably green, pitted and halved (they can be stuffed with anchovies)
- 100 ml mayonnaise - preferably homemade (see notes)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley - chopped
- Salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and when it starts to boil again, add the potato and carrot. Cook for 12 minutes until cooked through but still consistent (see notes). Drain and stop the cooking process by rinsing them with cold water (from the tap).
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked potato and carrot with the olives, prawns, mayonnaise and chopped parsley.
- To serve you can transfer the mixture to another clean bowl and garnish with some parsley leaves. Enjoy!
Notes
- While the potatoes are cooking, you can peel the prawns and slice them and slice the olives to save time.
- Cooked prawns: if you can only find fresh prawns, no problem, you can easily cook them in boiling water with salt and a bay leaf for 5 minutes until they have taken on colour. Cool them by rinsing them with cold water or in a bowl of ice water and proceed as indicated in the recipe.
- Homemade mayo: in a jar, put 200 ml of oil (sunflower oil, light olive oil or a mix), a large egg, a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Place a handheld electric blender in so that it reaches the bottom. Without raising it at all, blend the mixture until emulsified. At this point you can lift and lower the handheld blender so that the oil integrates well. Store in the fridge.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @paulasapron on Instagram and hashtag it #paulasapron.