Potato Salad with Radishes, Sugar Snap Peas and Lemon Vinaigrette

This summery potato salad with radishes and sugar snap peas is perfect for picnics and outdoor cookouts.

One of the best parts of my job is getting to collaborate with other food lovers and creators. Whether it’s a paying client or a friend I meet through Instagram, working with new people is a true blast – I always learn so much and end the day with renewed inspiration for cooking and photography.

I was first introduced to Svitlana by a former client who insisted we just had to meet. Svitlana and I are both Ukrainian, and were both recent transplants to Syracuse at the time (where there aren’t a lot of people who work in food media). Shortly after, we met up for a drink, hit it off, and have kept in touch ever since.

Svitlana is the creator of White Canvas, a destination for one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted food photography surfaces. (Yes, this profession is as niche as it sounds.) Her surfaces range from flat and neutral to uniquely-textured and colorful, and since they’re handmade, no two are the same. She was kind enough to gift me a few and I’m obsessed with how good every recipe looks on them (see: sushi burritos and peanut butter banana smoothie).

Recently, Svitlana came over to my place for a day of shooting together. She brought a bunch of her surfaces and I made a recipe so us to photograph. Seeing as it was a hot, sunny day, I made one of my summer favorites: mayo-less potato salad. I’ve made many versions of this salad before and this time decided to focus on local vegetables from the farmers market – landing on potato salad with radishes, sugar snap peas, and lemon vinaigrette.

A great mayo-less potato salad consists of a few key elements:

• Creamy boiled potatoes

• Fresh crunchy vegetables, like radishes, fennel, celery, and/or arugula

• Tender herbs, like cilantro, dill, parsley, or tarragon

• Something briny, like olives, capers, or artichokes

• A bright vinaigrette = olive oil + citrus juice/vinegar + mustard + S&P

• Lots of freshly ground black pepper

This potato salad with radishes and sugar snap peas is the perfect combination of textures (creamy potatoes + crunchy veg) and flavors (peppery radishes + sweet peas). The freshness of the parsley perks up all the other ingredients and the capers add little bursts of salty brininess.

This salad is delicious when it’s first assembled but gets even better after about 30 minutes, when all the flavors meld together. It’s perfect for picnics, grilling feasts, or just a light summer lunch.

I love how different the salad looks on both of these surfaces and had so much fun collaborating with Svitlana. Head to my Instagram for a behind-the-scenes video of this recipe.

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