Ina Garten's Secret Weapon For Crave-Worthy Potato Salad Dressing

Nothing says "party side dish staple" quite like one of the many delicious takes on creamy potato salad from around the world. It's starchy and rich, so it's usually a crowd-pleaser — and all it takes in its simplest form is some potatoes and mayonnaise. Of course, there are countless ways to take the flavor up a notch, and most people add at least a few herbs and seasonings to balance the rich flavors. However, celebrity chef Ina Garten, who is no stranger to potato dishes, has a secret ingredient you might not have thought to use — buttermilk.

Buttermilk should not be confused with regular milk; The two aren't interchangeable. Buttermilk is fermented, making it more acidic than regular milk. That's the reason you often see it used to tenderize chicken. It has a different flavor due to those acidic elements, plus it contains live cultures (sort of like what you'd find in yogurt). Because of its vinegar-like flavor, it can easily be incorporated into salad dressings, or as Garten uses it, potato salad.

Dressings for potato salad are generally a bit thicker than a regular salad dressing. Because you want it to coat the potatoes, dressings are often made with a mayonnaise base. Some people do toss potato salad in a vinaigrette-style dressing, though, which is why using some buttermilk is perfect; It's somewhat of a blend of both. Ina Garten makes her potato salad with a ratio of one cup of mayonnaise to a quarter-cup of buttermilk. It's enough buttermilk to get that slightly tangy flavor you'd find in a vinaigrette, but the use of more mayonnaise keeps the salad dressing creamy and thick.

Buttermilk and mayonnaise account for most of the flavor in Garten's recipe, but she does add a few other things to the dressing to bring it all together, including a blend of Dijon and whole grain mustard to build on that tang and acidity. Since the potatoes are soft once cooked, a little celery and red onion go a long way in adding some crunch. Before serving, Garten recommends refrigerating the salad for about two hours to marry the dressing's flavors.