Polish Potato Salad (Sałatka Kartofli)

Written by
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Barbara Rolek
Updated 07/20/19
Gourmet Polish Potato Salad

Matejay / Getty Images
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Chill: 60 mins
Total: 2 hrs
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
257 Calories
17g Fat
23g Carbs
3g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 257
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17g 22%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 230mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Protein 3g
Calcium 28mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Polish potato salad, known as sałatka kartofli (sah-WAHT-kah karr-TAW-flee), or more properly, sałatka ziemniaczana (sah-WAHT-kah zhyem-nyeeah-CHAH-nah) is made with carrots, celery, onion, and dill pickles.

As in all Polish salads, the vegetables are cut into 1/4-inch cubes and even finer for the onion, celery, and pickles. The salad is bound with mayonnaise and sugar to taste or salad dressing, which already contains sugar, can be used instead.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds potatoes (red or white)
  • 3/4 cup carrots (cold, cooked, cut into 1/4-inch dice)
  • 3/4 cup celery (finely chopped)
  • 4 tablespoons dill pickle (finely chopped)
  • 3 tablespoons onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise (or as necessary)
  • 1 to 4 teaspoons sugar (or to taste)

Steps to Make It

  1. Cook the potatoes in their jackets, cool, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch dice.

  2. In a large bowl, toss together potatoes, carrots, celery, pickle, onion, salt, and pepper being careful not to break the potatoes apart.

  3. In a separate small bowl, mix mayonnaise and sugar (up to 4 teaspoons) together and gently fold it into the potato mixture, making sure all the vegetables are coated.

  4. Chill, covered, until serving time.

More Polish Salads

Another popular lettuce-based Polish salad is known as wilted lettuce with bacon crumbles and hot bacon drippings that wilt the greens. And for those on raw diets, this uncooked carrot salad is popular with Poles. It includes raisins, apples, oil, and a little lemon juice.