Czech Potato Salad Recipe – Bramborový salát (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Petra Kupská

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The Czechs are champions at making potato salad. Believe me, the Czech one tastes the best of all! We call our potato salad “bramborový salát” in the Czech Republic, and you’ll find it most often on the table as a salad for Christmas Eve dinner served with fried carp or schnitzel.

Czech Potato Salad Recipe – Bramborový salát (1)

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➜ What is Czech potato salad?

Czech classic potato salad is made of boiled potatoes, eggs, root vegetables, dill pickles, and mayonnaise. In addition to salt and pepper, pickle juice and yellow mustard are mixed into the salad.

Potato salad is traditionally served as a side dish with fried carp at Christmas Eve dinner. Not only at Christmas but also on other festive occasions, potato salad appears on the holiday menu.

Czech Potato Salad Recipe – Bramborový salát (2)

If you have ever tasted the famous Czech open-faced sandwiches, then you know that potato salad can be spread on white bread and forms the basis of the “obložený chlebíček” sandwich.

➜ Ingredients

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To make Czech potato salad, you will need:

  • Potatoes; use all-purpose or waxy gold/yellow potatoes that hold together and don't fall apart when cooked. Cook potatoes with the skin on until done. It takes anything between 15-20 minutes; check them for doneness with a fork. If potatoes are still too hard, cook them for a little bit longer. Cook the potatoes preferably the day before to give them time to cool completely. The potatoes are only cut into the salad when thoroughly cold.
  • Eggs; hard-boiled, peeled
  • Dill pickles; in the US, see if you have a German or Polish deli nearby. There you have a chance to find pickles that taste similar to Czech ones (e.g., German gherkins are good). In addition to the pickles, we will want to season the salad with a bit of pickle juice. Also, check my recipe on how to make homemade Czech dill pickles!
  • Onion; finely chopped
  • Carrot; fresh carrot, peel and boil them briefly in boiling water, salted and seasoned with a tablespoon of vinegar. After cooking, immediately cool the carrots in cold water.
  • Green peas; frozen. Let them thaw simply.
  • Mayonnaise; plain, I used Hellmann's mayonnaise
  • Ground black pepper and salt
  • Yellow mustard; Czech, German or Polish style

You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

In the Czech Republic, there are many variations of potato salad. Practically every homemaker has their own recipe. The one I am presenting here is tested in our family, contains basic ingredients, and is simple.

➜ Instructions with photos

STEP 1: Boil the potatoes in their skins and let them cool down completely, ideally overnight. Once cooled, peel them.

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STEP 2: Boil eggs for 8 minutes, let them cool, and peel them. Allow the frozen peas to thaw.

STEP 3: Clean the carrots and cut them into 1-2 equal-sized pieces. Cook them in boiling water with a bit of salt and vinegar for about 5 minutes, then cool them quickly with cold water. The vegetables will be soft but not mushy.

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STEP 4: Cut the potatoes, eggs, pickles, and carrots into cubes about 1/3 inch (0.8 cm) in size. Peel and finely chop the onion.

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STEP 5: Put everything in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, pickle juice, and yellow mustard. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

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MY TIP: Let the potato salad sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. Or make it a day ahead. It’s always better the next day when all the flavors have a chance to blend!

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Interested in Czech cuisine? Discover more authentic Czech food!

➜ Potato salad presentation

Potato salad is a typical side dish in Czech cuisine, usually served alongside fried breaded meat. Garnish the salad on the plate with a sprig of green parsley as a final touch.

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➜ Storage

Store the potato salad covered in the fridge and eat it up within three days. The salad is not suitable for freezing, as the low temperatures will change its texture; it would be mushy if thawed.

➜ Cook’s tips

  • For the potato salad, choose potatoes of roughly the same size to be cooked evenly.
  • Some Czech recipes call for adding celery or parsley root to the salad. If you have a chance to get these root veggies, boil them briefly, cut them into small cubes, and add some to the salad. Taste it to see how its taste changes.

➜ One helpful trick

When preparing potato salad, the Czechs often use a special slicer in the shape of a steel wheel to cut potatoes and soft vegetables. If you have the chance to buy one, don't hesitate to do so.

Working with this slicer will make your work very easy. It only costs a few bucks, and if cooking is your hobby, it's well worth the investment.

Czech Potato Salad Recipe – Bramborový salát (10)

➜ Pronunciation

Curious how Czechs pronounce "bramborový salát"? I recorded a short audio clip to give you an idea! I'm a native speaker, so I guarantee an authentic Czech voice.

More Czech salads:

  • Vlasský salat – ideal as a snack salad
  • Deli salad with mayo – pochoutkovy salat

Tried this recipe?

Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Czech Potato Salad Recipe – Bramborový salát (11)

Czech Potato Salad – Bramborový salát

Czech classic potato salad is made with boiled potatoes, eggs, vegetables, dill pickles, and mayonnaise. In addition to salt and pepper, pickle juice and yellow mustard are mixed into the salad.

4.91 from 11 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Petra Kupská

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Czech

Keyword: Czech side dishes, Potato recipes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds potatoes (900 g)
  • 2 carrots mid-size
  • 1 onion smaller
  • ¾ cup green peas frozen
  • 5 dill pickles smaller
  • 2 Tablespoons pickle juice
  • 5 eggs hard-boiled
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (230 g)
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 and ½ teaspoon salt the exact amount of salt will depend on the type of mayonnaise used
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper ground

Instructions

  • Boil the potatoes in their skins and let them cool down completely, ideally overnight. Once cooled, peel them.

  • Boil eggs for 8 minutes, let them cool, and peel them.

  • Allow the frozen peas to thaw.

  • Clean the carrots and cut them into 1-2 equal-sized pieces. Cook them in boiling water with a bit of salt and vinegar for about 5 minutes, then cool them quickly with cold water. The vegetables will be soft but not mushy.

  • Cut the potatoes, eggs, pickles, and carrots into cubes about ⅓ inch (0.8 cm) in size. Peel and finely chop the onion.

  • Put everything in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, pickle juice, and yellow mustard. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Notes

  • Makes 6 portions as a side dish.
  • Let the potato salad sit in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
  • SERVING: Potato salad is a typical side dish in Czech cuisine, usually served alongside fried breaded meat. Garnish the salad on the plate with a sprig of green parsley as a final touch.
  • STORAGE: Store the potato salad covered in the fridge and eat it up within three days. The salad is not suitable for freezing, as the low temperatures will change its texture; it would be mushy if thawed.

DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:

Conversion chart

Nutritional Estimate pro portion

Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 1434mg | Potassium: 897mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3863IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclosure

Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.

Czech Potato Salad Recipe – Bramborový salát (2024)

FAQs

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

There's no reason at all, so my advice is to leave the skins on. The skin on a potato adds a nice texture and flavor to the potato salad and it's also the healthiest part.

Why does my potato salad taste bland? ›

Forgetting To Salt The Water

Just as you would with pasta, seasoning the water is the only way to flavor the potatoes themselves. The vegetable absorbs the water it's cooked in, so if you just boil them in unseasoned water, you'll end up with tasteless taters that no amount of mayo, herbs, or bacon bits can help.

What is Russian potato salad made of? ›

This is no ordinary potato salad. This salad consists of potatoes, turkey hot dogs, pickles, scallions, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet peas. All of the ingredients are finely chopped and dressed with mayonnaise.

Do you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling? ›

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

Should you cut your potatoes before boiling for potato salad? ›

Always cut up the potatoes into a dice before boiling them. If you boil the potatoes whole, the exterior of the potato will get too soft and crumbly before the interior has a chance to cook through. Best potatoes for potato salad? Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad.

What if I put too much mayo in my potato salad? ›

If you have added too much mayo to your potato salad, you can fix it by adding more of the other ingredients to balance out the flavor. You can add more boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, diced pickles, onions, celery, or mustard.

Should potatoes be cool before adding mayonnaise? ›

Some people say potato salad tastes better the next day. Even if you're not in that camp, you need to allow about one hour for the potatoes to cool before adding the mayonnaise.

What if I put too much mustard in my potato salad? ›

You've got two options. The first option is to cook more potatoes and make more potato salad, adding more of every ingredient except mustard. Doing so will get the mustard content in equilibrium with the rest of the flavors in the salad. Your other option is to adjust the seasonings to compliment the…

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

Why is it called Chef's salad? ›

When the customers started requesting the off-menu salad made with cuts of meat, cheese and hard boiled eggs, the hotel decided to add it to the menu. Giving chef Seydoux the honor of naming the salad he is purported to have said "Well, it's really a chef's salad."

What is Japanese potato salad made of? ›

A classic side dish for homemade lunch boxes or bento picnics, a Japanese potato salad is made with boiled russet potatoes, vegetables, boiled eggs and, often, ham, all seasoned with rice vinegar and tangy Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise.

Is it OK to leave skins on for potato salad? ›

But it all depends on your potato choice; new potatoes are great for eating unpeeled as their skin is smooth and subtle, but larger, floury potatoes have heavier skin that sometimes requires scrubbing, so these are best peeled.

Is it OK to eat potatoes without peeling? ›

"From a health point of view, and I think from a taste and texture point of view, it's much better to leave the skin on," Simon says. "The skin of the potato is very high in fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B — all of those good, healthy things are in high concentration in the skin."

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad? ›

Waxy potatoes can be cooked whole or cut, with or without the skin. Starchy potatoes should be cooked whole with the skin on, then peeled and cut after they're cooked. Select medium Russet potatoes, not large ones, to ensure the skin doesn't split while cooking.

How do you keep potatoes from turning black when making potato salad? ›

Add lemon juice or vinegar

Lowering the pH of the potato helps fight off oxidation. Just like you might use a squirt of lime juice to keep guacamole from browning, a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar in the bowl with the potatoes will ward off gray hues.

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