Harissa Tahini Potato Salad

This harissa tahini potato salad is the perfect barbecue side. It’s perfect for anyone who isn’t a fan of mayonnaise-based potato salads. The harissa tahini dressing is spicy, creamy, garlicky and bright, offering a wonderful twist on a classic potato salad.

Table of Contents

• Ingredient Breakdown
• Harissa and Tahini: A Match Made in Heaven!
• Choosing the Right Tahini
• How to Cook the Perfect Baby Potatoes
• Combining the Salad
• Sourcing Specialty Ingredients
• Storage
• Fancy More Potato Recipes?

Ingredient Breakdown

• Baby Potatoes: The base of the salad, providing a tender and creamy texture that absorbs the flavours of the dressing beautifully.
• Tahini: A key component of the dressing, adding a rich, nutty flavour and creamy consistency.
• Water: Helps to thin the tahini, ensuring a smooth and pourable dressing.
• Harissa Paste: Brings a spicy kick and deep, smoky flavour to the dressing.
• Agave Nectar: Adds a touch of sweetness, balancing the heat of the harissa and the tanginess of the lemon juice.
• Lemon Juice: Provides brightness and acidity, which enhances the overall flavour profile of the salad.
• Garlic: Adds a robust, savoury depth to the dressing.
• Red Onion: Offers a crunchy texture and a sharp, tangy flavour.
• Gherkins or Cornichons: Contribute a tangy and slightly sweet crunch.
• Capers: Add a burst of briny flavour that complements the other ingredients.
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Used to finish the salad, adding a fruity richness.
• Fresh Chives: Provide a mild onion flavour and a pop of green colour for garnish.

Harissa and Tahini: A Match Made in Heaven!

Before we dive into the recipe, we must first discuss what harissa and tahini are. Harissa is a North African chilli paste made from roasted red peppers, chillies, garlic and various spices. It has a vibrant red colour and a bold, smoky and spicy flavour. Harissa can vary in heat levels, so it’s important to taste it before adding it to the dressing to make sure things don’t get too spicy. The smoky and spicy notes of harissa create a dynamic base for the dressing, turning a simple vegan potato salad into something amazing.

Tahini, on the other hand, is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It has a rich, nutty flavour and a creamy texture. It’s is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine and is often used in dips, dressings and sauces. In this vegan potato salad, tahini adds a luscious creaminess to the dressing, making it a perfect counterpart to the spicy harissa paste. The combination of harissa and tahini creates a dressing that is both creamy and smooth and also packed with flavour.

Choosing the Right Tahini

Not all tahini is created equal. Poor-quality tahini can be thick, clumpy, gritty and bitter. Good-quality tahini, on the other hand, is smooth, pourable and balanced in flavour. When choosing tahini for this recipe, it’s best to avoid supermarket own-brand tahini and opt for Middle Eastern brands instead. Some of my favourite tahini brands are Baracke, Al Nakhil, Al Taj and Belazu. These brands offer a superior texture and flavour, ensuring that the dressing for your potato salad is silky smooth and delicious.

How to Cook the Perfect Baby Potatoes

Cooking the potatoes correctly is crucial for achieving the perfect texture in this harissa tahini potato salad. Here’s how to do it:

• Start with Cold Water: Place the baby potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. This ensures that the potatoes cook evenly.
• Generously Season with Salt: Season the water very generously with salt. This is key to infusing the potatoes with flavour as they cook.
• Bring to a Boil: Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Cook Until Tender: Cook the potatoes until they are tender. This usually takes about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. You can check for doneness by piercing a potato with a fork or knife; it should slide in easily.
• Drain and Steam Dry: Drain the potatoes and leave them to steam dry until cool. This step is important as it prevents the salad from becoming watery.

Combining the Salad

Once the potatoes are cooked and cooled, it’s time to bring everything together. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and add the finely chopped red onion, gherkins and capers. These ingredients add a crunchy texture and tangy flavour that complement the creamy dressing. Next, add the harissa tahini dressing and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss the salad well to ensure that all the potatoes are evenly coated with the dressing. Finally, to serve, transfer the potato salad to a shallow serving bowl and top with thinly sliced fresh chives. The chives add a mild onion flavour and a pop of colour, making the dish look as good as it tastes. And there you have it – the most delicious harissa tahini potato salad!

Sourcing Specialty Ingredients

• Harissa Paste: Available in most supermarkets, Middle Eastern grocery stores or online. Check the heat level before using, as it can vary.
• Tahini: Look for Middle Eastern brands for the best quality. Available at Middle Eastern grocery stores, some supermarkets or online.

Storage

Stored in an airtight container, this vegan harissa tahini potato salad will keep in the fridge for up to three days. The flavours will continue to meld, making it even more delicious as the days on it. It’s therefore a great make-ahead dish for BBQs and picnics.

Fancy More Potato Recipes?

If you love this harissa tahini potato salad, why not try one of my other potato salad recipes:

• Avocado Pesto Potato Salad: You can’t go wrong with new potatoes tossed in a delicious, flavourful dressing made with avocado and classic basil pesto ingredients.
• Sticky Harissa Sweet Potatoes: This recipe features hasselback sweet potatoes, brushed a delicious harissa glaze. They’re served over thick tahini yoghurt and topped with coriander and pomegranate seeds.
• Zingy Avocado Potato Salad: This summery potato salad features new potatoes tossed in a bright, zingy dressing made with avocado, fresh herbs, lime and other tasty ingredients.