Pan Fried Potatoes Mingled with Tangy Marinated Artichokes and Crispy Maple Glazed Pancetta, All Tossed Together with A Tangy Creme Fraiche Dressing. This Is Comfort Food Heaven.
The Best Potatoes For Potato Salad
When serving large crowds, a good potato salad goes a long way. Thrifty and delicious, potatoes are a fantastic ingredient for budget salads. If you want to make up your own potato salad, our potato pairings chart will give you a good guide of what goes well with potato.
However, with over thousands of potatoes growing around the world, choosing the right kind for potato salad can be a little overwhelming. So let’s get straight to the point – waxy is better than starchy.
A waxy potato is slightly firmer and holds their shape better when cooked. Whilst a starchy potato will fall apart during the cooking process which is perfect for a creamy mash but definitely not for potato salads.
I always prefer to have a variety of texture and shapes with my potato salads. For this potato salad with creme fraiche recipe, I used a mix of baby chat and kipfler potatoes. Both are great potato all-rounders. I love kipfler potatoes for the shape and delicious nutty flavour. They are more waxy and hold their shape when cooked. For baby chats, they are a little more floury but still hold shape and are perfectly soft inside.
Of course there is no need to use the same types of potatoes I have chosen. Choose your own favourite mix for potato salad. Make sure they are similar sizes when cooking.
Try our other super yum potato salads! Creamy Beef Sausage and Crunchy Roast Potato Salad and Tofu Salad with Snake Beans and Peanut Butter Dressing.
What Is Pancetta?
Essentially cured pork belly, pancetta adds beautiful salty flavour to its dishes. Originating from Italy, pancetta is simply cured with salt but occasionally, depending on secret family recipes, spices and other aromatics are added to infuse the meat.
What is the difference between pancetta and bacon? They are close as they are both made with pork belly and with salty flavours but they are prepared differently. As mentioned, pancetta is cured with salt whilst bacon is smoked to “cook” the meat.
However, the difference between pancetta and bacon is subtle so you can substitute the pancetta with streaky bacon in this recipe if you can’t find it.
Can You Eat Pancetta Raw?
There are two types of pancetta – rolled and flat. You can eat rolled pancetta raw as this version is cured and then dried, similar to prosciutto. Great to add to antipasti or in sandwiches.
For the flat version, this is generally not eaten raw. It is chopped up and added to pasta, stews or soups or cut in thick strips and grilled, similar to bacon.
Why I Love Artichoke and Potato Salad with Creme Fraiche
There are days where I crave comfort food. I just need something warm, cozy and a whole lot of carbs. And who’s kidding, salad generally does not come to mind. Except for this one. Ha.
Good ol’ fashion potatoes pan fried then tossed together with marinated artichokes and maple glazed pancetta and mingled together with a tangy creme fraiche dressing. It’s got something crunchy, something salty, something sweet, something tangy and all the carbs you need!
Guarantee it will hit the spot with comfort cravings. A great recipe to add to your list of budget salads to serve the masses.
How to Make Artichoke and Potato Salad with Creme Fraiche
How to Cook the Potatoes
Give potatoes a wash and then cut into halves. If the kipfler potatoes are a bit big, cut into thirds.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil and add potatoes to cook until just tender. This will take about 10 minutes. Drain and give them a good shake in the colander.
Heat a flat pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add potatoes and pan fry until lightly brown. Just a couple minutes really to gently toast the sides. Remove from the pan.
I do prefer a little more bite in my potato salads so by pan frying the potatoes, it adds a little more crunch and toasted flavour. Heavily dressed mushy potato salad is not my thing.
How to Make Maple Glazed Pancetta
Turn the oven on to 200°C or 400°F.
Place pancetta strips on a lined baking tray. Using a brush, gently brush pancetta with maple syrup on both sides.
Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Do be careful and watch the pancetta in case it burns.
Remove from the oven and cool down on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into small pieces approximately 1 cm.
Hint – don’t let the kids see it otherwise they may be all gone before you know it. And if you can’t find flat pancetta, streaky bacon will work perfectly as well.
How to Make the Creme Fraiche Dressing
Rather than using mayonnaise for potato salad dressing, I chose crème fraîche instead as the base.
What is crème fraîche? Pronounced “krem fresh”, it is made from adding bacteria to cream and is essentially the French version of sour cream. The difference between sour cream and creme fraiche is the higher fat content which makes creme fraiche more silky consistency and won’t curdle or split as easily in higher temperatures. Sour cream has a more sour taste whilst creme fraiche is more creamy and tart.
What is creme fraiche used for normally? Because of the higher fat content, creme fraiche is often used in sauces and soups. It can be whipped into salad dressings and used in sweet pastries and cakes.
With the slightly acidic taste, crème fraîche dressing helps cut through the starchy feel of the potato salad but still give it a creamy taste. Throw in a little chopped chives for freshness.
Place crème fraîche, olive oil, lemon juice and chives in a small bowl. Mix together until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
How to Assemble the Salad
Cut artichoke hearts into quarters and place in a large mixing bowl.
Add pan fried potatoes, maple glazed pancetta into bowl and creme fraiche dressing into bowl. Mix well and ensure all potatoes are well covered.
Place in a large dish and serve.
This potato salad with creme fraiche is best served warm but of course easily devoured cold. This budget salad recipe will convert even those who don’t like salads. Perfect with summer barbeques, autumn stews, winter roast or spring grilled fish. An all rounder, anytime of the year.
That’s all!
More Salad Recipes with Meat:
Gluten Free Pasta Salad with Tarragon Mustard Chicken
Thai Pomelo Salad with Roast Duck
Creamy Beef Sausage and Crunchy Roast Potato Salad
DON’T WANT TO MISS RECIPES? Click HERE to get them sent to your inbox.
Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.
Artichoke and Potato Salad with Creme Fraiche
Ingredients
Salad
- 300 g baby chat potato
- 300 g kipfler potato
- 8 slices pancetta
- 4 marinated artichoke hearts
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Salad
- Give potatoes a wash and then cut into halves. If the kipfler potatoes are a bit big, cut into thirds.Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to boil and add potatoes to cook until just tender. This will take about 10 minutes. Drain and give them a good shake in the colander. Heat a medium fry pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add potatoes and pan fry until lightly brown. Just a couple minutes really to gently toast the sides. Remove from the pan.
- Turn the oven on to 200°C or 400°F. Place pancetta strips on a lined baking tray. Using a basting brush, gently brush pancetta with maple syrup on both sides.Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Do be careful and watch the pancetta in case it burns.Remove from the oven and cool down on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into small pieces approximately 1 cm.
Dressing
- Place crème fraîche, olive oil, lemon juice and chives in a small bowl.
- Mix together until well combined.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly
- Cut artichoke hearts into quarters and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add pan fried potatoes, maple glazed pancetta into bowl and creme fraiche dressing into bowl.
- Mix well and ensure all potatoes are well covered.
- Place in a large dish and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- You can use your favourite type of potatoes. Doesn’t have to be the ones in this salad. Choose ones that are slightly more waxy or a good all rounder so that it doesn’t break down too much when you cook it.
- You can substitute creme fraiche with sour cream if it is not available.
- Maple glazed streaky bacon would work as a substitute to pancetta as well.
10 comments
Awesome salad. Very simple and the maple glazed pancetta was a winner
Thanks Andrew! Maple glazed anything is hard to go past isn’t it? LOL
I never would’ve thought to serve artichokes with potatoes but this looks REALLY good. Honestly, I could eat this as a whole entree and be totally okay!
Hahaha and we would love it if you did! Glad you think it looks so good!
I haven’t added pancetta to my potato salad before. And with the maple glaze, it sounds like a hit, and not too difficult either.
Love this recipe and combo of flavors!
I love potato salads so much!! We make them a lot in the summer. This one looks amazing. I cannot wait for the maple pancetta. Genius idea!!
I made this recipe based on the photos alone! They look SO delicious I could lick the computer screen. And it turned out so so delicious. Thanks for this salad recipe – will definitely make it again!
Nice, I will give this a try. I’ve been looking for something different to do with some of my leftover potatoes!
I am a huge potato salad fan – and this one did not disappoint! The flavours are just gorgeous! I will be making this again for sure.