Huzarensalade, Hussar’s salad or Dutch potato salad. This classic salad contains bacon, potatoes, a creamy dressing and all the other traditional seasonings. This is my grandma’s version and it is totally retro. It’s so delicious and easy to make!
The perfect side dish
If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s in the Netherlands, you’re bound to be familiar with this classic Dutch potato salad. It was often served at birthday parties, holidays and barbecues.
Today, we’re going to make this classic huzarensalade, as it’s called in Dutch. Served on beautiful platter with dollops of mayonnaise and eggs on top, it’s pure nostalgia! It’s a richly filled salad that you can make yourself and that tastes incredibly good.
Traditional potato salad recipe
Did you know that this Dutch potato salad is actually a really old recipe? It has been around for a long time, it’s even been mentioned in a 1844 newspaper article. My version is definitely not old-fashioned, but more retro, and it’s a real classic. Nowadays, it’s becoming increasingly popular on restaurant menus!
In the same category and also highly recommended my oldskool macaroni salad or this traditional cucumber salad recipe.
Creamy with a bite
This is a recipe for a chopped salad, so all the ingredients are cut into large cubes. This gives the salad a nice texture, it’s really creamy with a bit of a bite which I personally really like! Of course, if you prefer, you can also make it finer.
To make it creamy, use mayonnaise — it’s very tasty with a little mustard added, by the way. For a lighter, fresher version, I recommend replacing some of the mayonnaise with Greek yoghurt. This makes it fresher and just as creamy.
Grandma’s potato salad
Although there is no single recipe for this Dutch potato salad, every grandmother will insist theirs is 😉, there are some ingredients that are almost always used. These include potatoes, gherkins, hard-boiled eggs, frozen peas, bacon slices and beef. However, there are also meat-free versions.
This salad is ideal for birthdays, holidays such as Easter, barbecues and picnics. It can be served on a sandwich or as an evening meal with a delicious baguette and a bowl of soup on the side. It’s incredibly versatile and definitely worth trying!
Ingredients
- 500 gram waxy potatoes (roughly chopped)
- 500 gram beef ribs (chopped)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 liter beef stock
- 200 gram ham* (diced)
- 150 gram peas (frozen and cooked)
- 3 hard-boiled eggs (chopped)
- 4 gherkins (chopped)
- 200 ml mayonnaise
- olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
Equipment
- Large pan
INSTRUCTIONS (how to make this recipe):
- Cook the potatoes for approx. 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to cool.
- Heat some olive oil in a large pan and fry the beef ribs briefly.
- Add the onion and garlic and fry with the meat. Then add the paprika, bay leaf and beef stock. Cook the meat for approx. 30–40 minutes until done.
- In a large bowl, mix the potato cubes, meat, ham cubes, peas, eggs and gherkins. Mix in the mayonnaise, then season with salt and pepper.
- For best results, place the salad in the refrigerator to allow the flavours to blend well.
- Garnish with finely chopped parsley before serving, if desired. Enjoy!
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