This coronation potato salad has all the flavours of the classic coronation chicken, in a delicious new form. Soft, buttery potatoes are mixed with that lovely sweet, spicy creamy coronation sauce to make a wonderful make-ahead salad, perfect for garden parties, picnics or barbecues. Plus, it takes just 25 minutes.
I’ve gotten quite into potato salads recently. I always remember the one my nana used to make back home in New Zealand and it just takes me immediately back to summer barbecues on her deck. They feel a bit nostalgic to me, and they’re utterly delicious. This version, which really came about because I had some leftover coronation sauce, is a real winner and already becoming a new classic for me.
Coronation chicken was the official recipe released for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953 and it’s since become an absolute British classic. Essentially, it’s a creamy, curried mayo-based sauce tossed through shredded, cooked chicken. It’s great stuffed into sandwiches and a fab way to use up roast chicken. Pairing that creamy, sweet and spicy sauce with potatoes is a fun twist on the classic and makes a wonderful, easy make-ahead salad.
Ingredients
There are just nine ingredients you’ll need here, and nothing is tricky to find.
- Coronation sauce. My version makes a couple of little tweaks from the classic. It still uses curry powder, ground turmeric and sultanas, but I’m swapping mango chutney for sweet chilli jam, adding flaked almonds and using garlic aioli to amp up the flavour. I love to use my egg-free aioli here (it also makes it vegan), but you can use regular aioli or the traditional mayo. You could also use half aioli and half Greek yogurt, and swap sultanas for another dried fruit (apricots or mangoes are great). Swap the flaked almonds for chopped or crushed almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts or even dukkah, or, keep it nut-free by using pumpkin (pepita seeds or sunflower seeds).
- Baby potatoes. It’s important to use a waxy potato here because they keep their shape well after cooking, so new potatoes, Jersey Royals or Charlotte potatoes are the ones to go for.
- Mint. I love the freshness mint leaves bring here, but you could use coriander (cilantro), flat-leaf parsley or spring onions (scallions). Or use a mix.
How to make it
Get your potatoes into a large pot with a good amount of salt. The secret to great, well-seasoned potato salad is cooking them in properly salted water, so don’t skimp on this. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer them for 15 minutes, until you can pierce them easily with a fork. Drain and leave to cool. Add your coronation sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix to combine well.
Add the cooled, drained potatoes, coronation sauce and herbs to a mixing bowl and toss to combine well. You want to make sure every potato is covered. Then just transfer to a serving plate, top with a little more mint and serve.
Got a question?
It will last for five days in an airtight container in the fridge, so it keeps really well. It’s a great one to make in advance if you’re looking for something to take along to barbecues or picnics. Serve it cold or at room temperature.
You want to go for waxy potatoes for this recipe – keep away from the fluffy types you’d use for roast potatoes (like Maris Piper or King Edward). New potatoes, baby potatoes and Jersey Royals are ideal.
You could replace them with another dried fruit like apricots or mangoes – they both work really well here.
Yes! Just swap the almonds for pumpkin (pepita) seeds or sunflower seeds.
Hosting (or heading to) a coronation party?
25 Make-Ahead Recipes for a Coronation Party
If you’re hosting, or going to, a party to mark the coronation of King Charles III, these 25 recipes will give you fab ideas of what to take along.
From the official coronation quiche (and a mini version) to seasonal salads, quick dips and a twist on the classic coronation chicken, all these ideas can easily be made ahead of time and will transport well.
Like this recipe? Here are some others you might enjoy
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave me a comment below.
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Quick Coronation Potato Salad
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 side servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This coronation potato salad has all the flavours of the classic coronation chicken, in a delicious new form. Soft, buttery potatoes are mixed with that lovely sweet, spicy creamy coronation sauce to make a wonderful make-ahead salad, perfect for garden parties, picnics or barbecues. Plus, it takes just 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1kg/2.2lb baby or new potatoes
- 4 tablespoons vegan, egg-free aioli or mayonnaise (or use regular)
- 1/3 cup sultanas
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1.5 tablespoons sweet chilli jam/mango chutney
- 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup torn mint leaves
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Chop any large potatoes in half, then get them into a large pot of cold water along with 2 teaspoons of salt over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then hurt the heat down slightly and simmer for 15 minutes, until they can be pierced easily with a fork, but still with a little give. You want them to hold their shape when you mix them with the coronation sauce so you don’t want them to be falling apart at this stage. Drain, then leave to cool.
- Make the coronation sauce. In a small bowl, mix the 4 tablespoons of aioli, 1/3 cup sultanas, 1.5 tablespoons chilli jam or mango chutney, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon of the almonds and 1 teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
- Make the salad. Get the cooled potatoes (If you’re serving right away, it’s ok if they’re a little warm, but if you’re prepping ahead, make sure to let them cool) into a large bowl and add half the chopped mint leaves. Add the coronation sauce and give everything a gentle toss before transferring it to a serving plate. Top with the remaining coriander/cilantro and flaked almonds and dig in.
Notes
MAKE AHEAD: The potato salad keeps really well for up to 5 days, stored in the fridge, so it’s great if you’re wanting to make something in advance to take to a barbecue or picnic.
INGREDIENT NOTES: It’s important to use a waxy potato variety here, rather than something more fluffy and starchy. That’s because we want the potatoes to hold their shape after cooking, and the fluffier varieties tend to fall apart. Baby potatoes, new potatoes, red potatoes or Jersey Royals are great, and Yukon gold will be fine at a pinch. Avoid Maris Piper and Agria.
SUBSTITUTIONS: You could swap the mint for coriander/cilantro, flat-leaf parsley or spring onions (scallions), and try using dried apricots or mango instead of the sultanas. I love using my vegan aioli in the sauce (I highly recommend giving it a try – I promise it’s easy), but you can use whatever aioli you like best. Keep the sauce nut-free by swapping flaked almonds for pumpkin (pepita) seeds, sunflower seeds or nigella seeds. You could also swap the flaked almonds for chopped almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, or pistachios, or use dukkah.
WATERY SALAD? This is likely because your potatoes were still a little warm when you mixed them with the dressing. This is generally fine when you’re serving the salad straight away, but if you’re making it ahead of time, the remaining moisture in the potatoes will continue to evaporate. That means it’ll seep into the dressing, making it watery. So if you’re making this ahead of time, make sure you let your potatoes cool completely first.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: salad
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: british
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 200g
Keywords: potato salad, potatoes, salad
Yum!!! Made this for a potluck and it was so popular
★★★★★
That’s so fab to hear Sarah!!