We don’t typically eat potatoes, but when I saw these purple gems (seriously, they look like gems!) in the grocery store, well they were just so pretty, I HAD to give them a try.
I knew I wanted to pair them with fresh red pepper, and since it has been so hot, I thought I would put these two beautiful colors together in an easy paleo potato salad.
Purple Potatoes – an Unlikely Source of Iron
Not only are these potatoes gorgeous, but there are extra health benefits hidden in that purple pigment:
“As a source of both iron and vitamin C, purple potatoes make a perfect food choice for getting more iron.”
also,
“The purple pigments are antioxidants that protect your cells from oxidative damage and my reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. Anthocyanins may also offer protection to your brain to prevent cognitive decline.” read more here.
Easy Paleo Potato Salad: Use Pre-made Paleo Mayo
You can make your own paleo mayo, in fact, lots of people swear by it! I, however, have not mastered the technique, so I opt to buy pre-made mayo 😀
We’ve tried a few brands, and our absolute favorite is this mayo by Primal Kitchen. I order ours through Thrive Market… I won’t tell you how many jars we get shipped to us each month. :0
Instant Pot Purple Potato Salad Accessories
You can make this paleo potato salad the traditional way; boil the potato chunks until tender. Then follow the recipe as written.
Since it is 90+ degrees out right now, and our air conditioner is just a little guy, I’ve been using the Instant Pot as much as possible. No need to add to the heat in our house!
You will need a steamer basket to cook your potatoes in the Instant Pot, I recommend this one.
Perfect Potato Salad Secrets: Steam the Potatoes in Pickle Juice!
Yes- REALLY. It just adds a bit of kick to the potatoes. If you are skeptical… well, just give it a try :D. It is not necessary- if you don’t have any pickle juice on hand, just use water.
If you are making this in the Instant Pot – size matters! I cut my small potatoes into quarters. At this size, they were perfect after 14 minutes on high pressure.
Smaller potato chunks? Try cooking them at 12 minutes.
I scored a couple new kinds of microgreens (grown by Cherry Lane Farm) at our local farmer’s market. Mustard microgreens seemed like the perfect garnish for this particular dish.
They were delicious, and I couldn’t resist the extra pop of purple they added! More about Cherry Lane Farm microgreens here.
Instant Pot Purple Paleo Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs organic purple potatoes
- 1/2 lb Nitrate-Free Bacon – cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 Cup Paleo Mayo
- 1/2 Cup Diced Red Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Diced Red Onion
- 1/4 Cup Dill Pickle Relish (Preservative Free)
- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 tsp Organic Cumin
- 2 tsp Organic Chili Powder
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Pepper
- Green Onion (for garnish)
- Local Microgreens (for garnish)
- 1 Cup pickle juice (optional, for cooking the potatoes)
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes into quarters, or about 2 inch chunks
- Pour 1 cup of pickle juice (or water) into your Instant Pot (make sure the liner is in!)
- Add the potatoes to your steamer basket, place in the Instant Pot
- Set the IP: Manual – High – 14 minutes if you have larger chunks (quarters), OR 12 minutes if you cut them smaller pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine the rest of your ingredients.
- When time is up on the Instant Pot- do a quick release to release pressure.
- Allow the potatoes to cool a bit, then mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
- Garnish with green onions and local mustard microgreens.
