Roasted Potato Surimi Salad

The small change here is roasting the potatoes instead of boiling them. Red-skinned wedges hit high heat in the oven and come out caramelized on the outside and creamy in the middle, with none of the waterlogged flavor that plagues most picnic potato salads.

Garlic roasts along with the potatoes, which mellows and sweetens it. Boiled-potato salads have to use raw garlic, which can turn a cold salad sharp and acrid by day two.

Surimi (flake-style imitation crab) gives a gentle sweet-salty seafood note without the price of real crab. If you want to upgrade, use lump crab meat or flaked cooked shrimp instead, but surimi is what keeps this salad affordable and meal-preppable.

The dressing is lighter than classic American picnic potato salad. Equal parts mayonnaise and plain non-fat yogurt cuts the fat roughly in half, while mustard, fresh dill, and apple cider vinegar do the flavor work.

Chill the finished salad at least an hour before serving. The cold rest lets the garlic, dill, and vinegar soak into the potatoes properly.

Pro Tips

• Roast the potatoes cut-side down on the pan so they get the best caramelized crust.
• Let the potatoes cool fully before mixing with the dressing. Hot potatoes break the mayo-yogurt mixture and turn the salad oily.
• Fresh dill beats dried here. If you must use dried, cut the quantity to one teaspoon.
• Add the chopped hard-boiled eggs last and fold gently. Stirring too hard breaks them up and muddies the salad color.

Variations

• Swap surimi for cooked shrimp, flaked tuna, or real crab meat.
• Add a tablespoon of capers or chopped dill pickles for a tangier, brinier bite.
• Stir in a teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning for a Chesapeake-style twist.