Cucumber and Smashed Potato Salad
Imported from Instagram
30 minEasy1 serving

Cucumber and Smashed Potato Salad

A refreshing and texturally satisfying salad combining cool, crunchy cucumbers in a creamy yogurt-dill dressing with hot, crispy oven-baked smashed potatoes.

Mise turned a cooking video on Instagram into this written step-by-step recipe — 11 ingredients, 4 steps, 30 min, with a generated photo for every step.

Time30min
LevelEasy
Servings1
Method 4 steps
01

Chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and finely chop the fresh dill. In a large bowl, mix the fromage blanc (or Greek yogurt), salt, black pepper, lemon juice, crushed garlic clove, honey, and mustard. Add the chopped cucumber and dill, and mix until well combined.

02

Place the pre-cooked baby potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use the flat bottom of a glass to smash each potato evenly.

03

Spray or drizzle the smashed potatoes with olive oil and season them with salt and black pepper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and crispy.

04

Remove the crispy potatoes from the oven and add them directly to the bowl with the cucumber salad. Toss everything together and serve immediately.

Mise app icon

Cook it hands-free.

Open this recipe in Mise for full-screen steps, a photo for each one, and built-in timers — no scrubbing through the video.

Open in Mise →
Scan to download
Point your camera here
Notes

This dish balances the thermal and textural contrast between chilled, crisp vegetables and hot, roasted starch. The primary appeal lies in the interaction between the cold yogurt dressing and the porous, craggy surfaces of the potatoes. By smashing the pre-cooked tubers, you increase the surface area available for browning, which provides a rigid structure that holds up against the moisture of the cucumber. It serves as a substantial solo lunch that feels both light and grounding.

The final result depends heavily on the temperature differential. The dressing acts as a creamy insulator, softening the internal starch of the potatoes while the skins remain brittle. This version utilizes a sharp, acidic base to cut through the earthy notes of the potato, making it suitable for a quick midday meal where speed and satisfying textures are the priorities.

Before you start

  • When smashing the potatoes in step two, apply firm pressure until the skins pop but the flesh remains in one cohesive, jagged disc rather than a pulverized mash.
  • Ensure the potatoes are completely dry before drizzling with oil; any surface moisture will steam the potato in the oven instead of creating a crisp, golden exterior.
  • Mince the garlic into a fine paste before adding it to the dressing to avoid sharp, raw bites that would overpower the delicate fragrance of the fresh dill.
  • Wait to combine the elements until the potatoes are just out of the oven to ensure the salad maintains its distinct hot-and-cold sensation during consumption.

Swaps that work

  • Replace fromage blanc with the same amount of sour cream for a richer, more traditional profile with a slightly higher fat content.
  • Substitute honey with an equal portion of maple syrup to provide a deeper, woody sweetness that complements the roasted notes of the potatoes.
  • Use dried dill instead of fresh at a ratio of one teaspoon per tablespoon called for, though the herbal brightness will be more muted.

Keeping it

This salad is best consumed immediately after assembly to enjoy the contrast between the hot potatoes and cold dressing. If you must store leftovers, keep the roasted potatoes in a separate airtight container from the cucumber mixture for up to two days. Reheat the potatoes in an oven or air fryer at 180C until the skins regain their crispness before tossing with the chilled dressing. This dish is not suitable for freezing as the cucumbers and yogurt will lose their texture.

Questions

Can I prepare this dish ahead of time for a meal prep?

You can prepare the dressing and chop the cucumbers a day in advance, but the potatoes must be roasted just before eating. If combined too early, the potatoes will absorb the moisture from the yogurt and cucumbers, becoming soggy and losing their essential crispy texture.

Do I need to peel the baby potatoes before smashing them?

No, leave the skins on the potatoes. The skin is what holds the potato together when smashed and provides the necessary structure to become crispy in the oven. Peeling them would result in a messy texture that dissolves into the dressing rather than providing a crunch.

Why did my potatoes fail to get crispy after twenty minutes?

This usually happens if the oven was not fully preheated or if the potatoes were crowded too closely on the tray. Ensure there is space between each potato for air to circulate, and check that the oven has reached 180C before the baking sheet is placed inside.

More recipes
Cook step-by-step in Mise →