What's Inside: Travel to Panama with the flavors of this Panamanian potato salad or ensalada de feria. This an easy recipe to carry to your next get-together.
This potato salad is part of a Traditional Christmas dinner table in Panama. Also, you could find them in the ferias around the country.
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This beet and potato salad is called different names here: “ensalada de feria,” and “ensalada de papa rosada”.
If you do not like beets, try this simple potato salad version without beets.
Check out this article about what Panamanians eat for Christmas.
Let me show you how to whip up an easy potato and beets salad Panamanian style. And if you want to share this recipe with a crowd, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with the right measurements.
So let’s get this potato party started!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make ahead: it's a perfect recipe to cook in advance and enjoy later since it gives time for the flavors to develop in the fridge.
- Versatile: you can customize it by adding or removing some ingredients. Check out the variations section for more information.
- Easy to prepare: uses simple ingredients and a few simple steps.
📋 Ingredients & Substitutions
To make this recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Yukon gold potatoes are one of the easiest potatoes to get and work perfectly for making potato salad. It maintains its shape and soaks the dressing.
- Beets: the dish's star gives this salad a distinctive pink color and sweet flavor. You could use canned beets to make it faster, so you only have to cook the potato and eggs.
- Eggs: for added protein, you can skip them if you want.
- Onion: you can omit it if you don't enjoy raw onion.
- Celery: used for texture purposes.
- Mayonnaise: use your favorite, but depending on the brand, it can be sweeter. If you prefer a sweeter salad, use the Miracle Whip brand or add some sugar or honey to your mayonnaise before mixing it with the other ingredients.
- Salt and water
As for utensils, you'll need a chopping board, a knife, 2 medium size saucepans, a mixing bowl, a grater, and a spoon or spatula for mixing.
Large Mixing Bowl
This mixing bowl is my favorite. It comes in different sizes and is perfect for mixing cakes or salads.
📝 How To Make Potato and Beets Salad
Now that you have gathered all your ingredients let's start.
Prep
- You'll use the chopping board to cut in half your potatoes so they are roughly the same size for even cooking. Plus, cutting them will reduce cooking time.
- On the same chopping board, remove the ends of the beets and cut them into quarters. Using the same principle as the potatoes to reduce cooking time. Review the tips section on using an instant pot for faster cooking.
- Prepare a small bowl with cold water and ice and store it in the fridge. This bowl will be used later for the eggs.
💡Tip: wash your chopping board to remove the beet juices and avoid staining once you finish chopping.
Cooking
- Add the potatoes and eggs to one saucepan, and cover with enough water. In the other saucepan, add the beets and cover them with water. Cook both until they are fork-tender or fully cooked.
- It took about 20-25 minutes for the potatoes and the beets 30-35 minutes.
- Prick each piece with a knife or fork to verify that the veggies are cooked. If it goes in and out without resistance, they are done. Once done, remove from the pots, transfer to individual mixing bowls, and set aside to cool.
- Now, set a timer for 10 minutes. This will be a guide to taking out the eggs later.
- After 10 minutes from boiling (when the timer beeps), remove the bowl with ice water from the fridge, remove the eggs from the pot, and dunk them into cold water to stop cooking.
Assembly
- Once the veggies have cooled, use a chopping board to dice each into about ½ inch cubes. Place the potatoes flat face onto the chopping board, cut 2-3 times lengthwise, rotate the potato, and do the same cut. Repeat the same process with the remaining potatoes and beets and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Peel the eggs, cut them in half, remove one of the yolks, and set it aside. In the same way, you chop the potatoes and the beets, chop the rest of the egg and add to the mixing bowl.
- Add the chopped celery and onion to the mixing bowl and gently mix all the ingredients.
- Add the mayonnaise and gently mix all the ingredients to avoid breaking them apart.
- Grate the egg yolk you set aside on the salad with a small grater. This will act as the garnish, simple and colorful.
- Cover the mixing bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight so it's nice and cold before serving!
👩🏽🍳 Expert Tips
- For even cooking your potatoes and beets, start the cooking process in cold or room temperature water instead of hot water. This method will ensure that the potatoes cook evenly both inside and outside.
- Add your mayonnaise when your salad ingredients are cooled. This step will ensure the mayonnaise doesn't melt and will coat the potatoes and beets properly.
- Always chill your salad so that the flavors develop.
- You can double the recipe and serve it in individual containers for meal prep. This will serve 8 smaller side dish portions or 4 bigger ones as the only side dish.
- Don't overcook your potatoes; overcooking will result in mushy and break-apart potatoes when mixing.
Selecting Potatoes And Beets
- Make sure your potatoes and beets are firm to the touch.
- Look for all-purpose potatoes or waxy ones. Avoid russet potatoes. These are better for mashed potatoes.
- When selecting your veggie, look for roughly the same size to help speed up the cooking process and cook evenly.
- Choose beets with vibrant dark red color and smaller sizes since they tend to be tender and sweeter.
Tips For Faster Cooking (Instant Pot)
- You can use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. You'll dice the potatoes and beets first for faster cooking. You'll need 2 steamer baskets and a trivet.
- Place a cup of water and 2 teaspoons salt into the inner pot. Put in your trivet, first steamer basket and add the beets, then the other steamer basket and add the potatoes.
- Insert your sealing ring on the cover and close the Instant Pot. Press the "Pressure Cook" or "Manual" button, and set the timer to 4 minutes. This time will cook the potatoes. Once the time is up, quickly release the pressure, remove the potatoes, and set them aside to cool.
- Cover the instant pot again and set the timer for another 5 minutes so the beets finish cooking. The pressure will rise quickly since it's already cooked. Once the time is up, let it NPR for 2 minutes, then quick release.
- Once they are cooled, continue mixing the dressing with the rest of the ingredients.
Make Ahead
- Cook your beets a few days prior since those take the longest, or use an instant pot.
- Assemble the recipe the day before, so when you need it is already chilled.
How To Adjust The Recipe
The potato-egg ratio will be 1 egg for each ½ pound of potatoes.
As for the potato and beets ratio is a personal preference. An easy rule is ½ pound (potato+beets) per person. It could easily be half potatoes and half beets. Review the table below.
The more beets you add, the pinker it will get, so you can easily buy a half pound of each to make 1 pound, serving 2 people.
| Servings | Potatoes | Beets | Eggs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ¼ pound | ¼ pound | 1 |
| 2 | ½ pound | ½ pound | 2 |
| 4 | 1 pound | 1 pound | 4 |
| 6 | 1 ½ pound | 1 ½ pound | 6 |
Then follow the same steps as directed in the recipe card. Also, mix the onions and celery with the mayonnaise before adding dressing to the potatoes. This will prevent over mixing the salad.
❓FAQ
Can you freeze this recipe?
I don’t recommend freezing the beets and potato salad. The salad's texture will be altered during thawing, and the dressing may dilute.
How long will this salad last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the potato and beets salad should last between 4-5 days. If there is a color change, the salad should be discarded.
How can I make this salad more filling and protein-packed?
Serve it with some grilled chicken, or add shredded chicken and mix it in as a plus.
Can I make this salad in a larger batch for meal prep?
This potato salad recipe is great for meal prep. You can easily adjust the ingredients and make a bigger batch. Check out the section on how to adjust the recipe for proper ratios.
🔖 Recipe Variations
- Add more color by adding a carrot. Cook with the potatoes and then follow the same steps as before.
- Prefer a lower-fat option? Replace half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt. Mix them in a separate container before adding the dressing to the salad.
- Add garlic or onion powder to the mayonnaise for added flavor.
🍽 Serving Size And Suggestions
- The creamy Panamanian potato salad recipe is designed to be served as the sole side dish and paired with a protein, yielding two generous servings. However, if you wish to serve additional side dishes, it can serve up to 4 people.
- Serve it as Panamanian’s do, with arroz con pollo and tajadas or fried plantains.
- You can serve it with roasted or baked chicken, bbq ribs, hamburgers, and even baked ham.
Storage & Reheating
- Fridge: store in the refrigerator in an airtight food container, lasting 4-5 days.
- Freezer: I don't recommend freezing this potato salad because the texture will change.
If you tried this easy Panamanian potato and beet salad recipe or any other recipe at Nashi Food, don't forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! We love knowing about your cooking experience.
Panamanian Potato Salad (Ensalada de Feria)
Ingredients
- ¾ pound Yukon gold potatoes, washed
- ¼ pound beets, washed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided in half
- ½ onion, chopped
- ⅓ celery stalk, chopped
- 6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Instructions
Prep
- On the chopping board, cut the potatoes in half so they are roughly the same size for even cooking.
- On the same chopping board, remove the ends of the beets and cut them into quarters.
- Prepare a small bowl with some cold water and ice and store it in the fridge; it will be used later to cool the eggs.
Cook
- Add the potatoes and eggs in one saucepan, and cover with enough water. In the other saucepan, add the beets and cover them with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt to each saucepan. Cook both until they are fork-tender or fully cooked. Potatoes cook time: 20-25 minutes, beets cook time: 30-35 minutes. To verify that the veggies are cooked, prick each piece, and they are done if it goes in and out without resistance. Once done, remove from the pots, transfer to individual mixing bowls, and set aside to cool.
- Now, set a timer for 10 minutes. This will be a guide to taking out the eggs later.
- After 10 minutes from boiling (when the timer beeps), take out the bowl with ice water from the fridge, remove the eggs from the pot, and dunk them into cold water to stop the cooking process.
Assemble
- Once the veggies have cooled, use a chopping board to dice each into about ½ inch cubes. Place the potato's flat face onto the chopping board, cut 2-3 times lengthwise, rotate the potato, and do the same cut. Repeat the same process with the remaining potatoes and beets and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Peel the eggs, cut them in half, remove one of the yolks, and set them aside. In the same way, you chop the potatoes and the beets, chop the rest of the egg and add to the large mixing bowl.
- Add the chopped celery and chopped onion to the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients gently.
- Then, add the mayonnaise and gently mix all the ingredients to avoid breaking them apart.
- With a small grater, grate the egg yolk you set aside on the salad. This will act as the garnish, simple and colorful.
- Cover the mixing bowl with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight so it's nice and cold before serving. Then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- You could use cooked, canned beets to make it faster, so you only have to cook the potatoes and eggs.
- If you prefer it sweeter, use the Miracle whip brand or add some sugar or honey to your mayonnaise before mixing it with the other ingredients.
- For even cooking your potatoes and beets, start the cooking process in cold or room temperature water instead of hot water. This method will ensure that the potatoes cook evenly both inside and outside.
- Add your mayonnaise when your salad ingredients are cooled. This step will ensure the mayonnaise doesn't melt and will coat the potatoes and beets properly.
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