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Creamy Caribbean Potato Salad
Growing up in a Trinidadian/Caribbean home in Canada, this Caribbean potato salad was on the menu every Sunday, regardless of the season. Potato salad, with or without beets, was a staple for every Sunday meal. Traditionally, Sunday meals in Trinidad are the largest meal of the week, and that tradition has been carried on by my parents even in a different country.
However, it’s currently summer here in Canada and this Caribbean Potato Salad makes the best side for any summer meal. This is especially true for BBQs, potlucks, picnics, or any similar gathering. This potato salad will be a total hit! It is creamy, sweet, savoury, nutritious, and makes a pretty filling side for any meal.
There are so many variations to potato salad all around the world. You can add whatever you see fit to potato salad, but most have potatoes, carrots, peas, and mayonnaise. This variation of potato salad is insanely good. It includes all of that, plus beetroot, which gives the salad a beautiful shade of pink. The celery also gives the potato salad a perfect crunchy texture.
Ingredients Needed
The ingredients for this Trinidad Potato Salad are simple and I can almost guarantee you’ve got everything in your kitchen.
Potatoes: you can use whichever potatoes you prefer, whether that be Russet or Yukon Gold. I personally always love using Yukon Gold!
Carrots: adds another element of flavour and texture to the potato salad.
Beetroot: if you love beetroot, then you’ll love this salad. The beetroot gives it flavour, texture, and a beautiful colour.
Green peas: complements the root vegetables perfectly.
Celery: adds a nice crunchy texture in this mostly *soft* textured salad. I love the freshness that celery adds!
Fresh parsley: another element of freshness added. Parsley really elevates the taste of the potato salad.
Lemon juice: adds the perfect brightness and acidity.
Mayonnaise: this is the ingredient that brings everything together, making it rich and creamy.
Sugar: this ingredient balances out the acidity of the lemon juice and the richness of the mayonnaise.
Salt & pepper: to season the potato salad and bring out all of the flavours in the potato salad.
How to Make Caribbean Potato Salad
Not only is this pink potato salad delicious, but it is incredibly simple to put together! Follow these simple instructions to make this mouthwatering side dish.
Start by scrubbing and rinsing the root vegetables very well to get off any dirt that might be stuck. Then, in a large pot, bring water to a boil. Once boiling, add in the potatoes, carrots, and beetroot, along with a generous sprinkling of salt. Give it a quick stir and allow to boil until fork tender.
*It is a good idea to cut the vegetables before boiling into roughly the same size so that the cooking time is almost the same, more or less. I don’t suggest cutting them into small pieces, but if you have a large potato, maybe cut it in half. Same goes for the beet.
**I like to boil the potatoes and carrots together, and the beetroot separately. If boiled together, the potatoes and carrots will have a tint of pink, which is actually not a problem at all. It’s just personal preference. In the end, everything is being mixed together and everything turns pink, so boiling them together is just fine!
***Each of the vegetables have different cook times, so you will need to pull them out of the boiling water at different times. Everything will take roughly 15-30 minutes to reach fork tenderness. The carrots have the shortest cook time and the beets have the longest cook time. Keep testing them with a fork and take them out of the pot when they are fork tender.
Once you’ve taken them out of the pot, allow them to slightly cool. You want them to be very warm still, but cool enough to handle. This is when you want to peel the skin off with your fingers or with the help of a fork or knife. The skin should come off easily without taking out any flesh.
The next task is to chop all the boiled vegetables into bite-sized cubes. Chop the carrots and beetroot just a tiny bit smaller than the potato cubes. Dump all the chopped root vegetables into a large mixing bowl.
To the root vegetables, add the remaining ingredients, except the chives, and mix gently to combine.
At this point, you can adjust for salt. If you feel like you need more mayonnaise as well, go for it! Cover and allow to chill in the fridge until ready to be served. Once ready, garnish with chives and serve. That’s it!
Additions or Substitutions
The possibilities are endless when it comes to additions and substitutions for this potato salad recipe. It all depends on your taste and preference. Here are just a few ideas of what you can add, to get you started:
- sweet corn kernels
- cubed hard-boiled egg
- pickles
- onions
Traditionally, Caribbean-style potato salad is made using the ingredients listed in the recipe, which means it won’t be quite as *authentic* if you add other ingredients. However, it still tastes delicious!
On another note, you can also omit the beets if you prefer it without. I personally omit beets sometimes, as well, depending on what I’m feeling like. Many Caribbean countries do not use beetroot in their potato salad, including Trinidad.
How to Store Potato Salad
Potato salad stays fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge, in an airtight container.
Although you technically can freeze potato salad, the texture (and possibly, taste) will change. I personally don’t recommend it, but if you must, you can give it a try.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! You can make this recipe the day before serving. Actually, it tastes better when you make it ahead, because the flavours have a chance to be soaked up by the potatoes.
You do not need to add beets to this potato salad if you prefer not. Simply omit the beets from the recipe, and everything else stays the same–the potato salad will not have the pink colour as seen in the photos. I sometimes make this recipe without beets, as well.
Looking for more Summer Recipe Ideas like this one? Try these Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos or these Lemon Blueberry Mini Cheesecakes
Caribbean Potato Salad (with Beets)
Description
Creamy and luscious potato salad makes the BEST side for a Summer BBQ. Potatoes, carrots, and beets mingle perfectly, creating a beautiful bright pink side.Â
Ingredients
Instructions
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Thoroughly scrub and rinse the potatoes, carrots, and beet. Chop the bigger vegetables so that everything is roughly the same size.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the vegetables into the pot, along with a generous amount of salt. Stir and let boil for 15-25 minutes, until vegetables are fork tender. The beetroot may take longer than the other vegetables.Â
Once done, drain the water from the vegetables. It is easiest to peel the vegetables while they are still warm. Once peeled, let them cool.Â
You may choose to boil the beetroot separately from the potatoes and carrots, as it will change the colour of the vegetables. However, at the end everything will be mixed together and will turn pink from the beetroot, so it is not a huge deal. -
Chop the boiled vegetables into bite-sized cubes. The carrots and beets should be chopped slightly smaller than the potatoes. Add them all to a large bowl.Â
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Once you've adjusted the potato salad, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to serve. Potato salad tastes best when chilled.Â
Serve with a sprinkling of chives and enjoy!Â
Note
- If you have the time, chill for at least 30 minutes. This allows for the flavours to mingle and enhances the overall taste. It also tastes better when it's chilled.Â
