Skip to content

Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Alsatian cervelas and potato salad

Alsatian cervelas and potato salad serves 4, takes 30 minutes, and is very easy to make, for about €2.10 per person. It combines cervelas sausage, gruyere, pickles and red onion in a mustard vinaigrette, tossed with warm potatoes. The key to success is keeping the potatoes warm when you mix them in, since they soak up the vinaigrette far better that way.

An Alsatian style cervelas salad, with gruyere, pickles and onions in a vinaigrette, served with warm potatoes.

Alsatian cervelas and potato salad
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.10
Calories per person
480 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Cervelas brings a smoky taste and a firm bite that contrasts with the soft, warm potatoes underneath. Gruyere cut into sticks adds some chew, while pickles and red onion stay crunchy and wake everything up with their acidity. The mustard vinaigrette ties it all together without covering up any of those flavors, this is a hearty, substantial salad, not a light side dish.

It's a great choice for a weeknight when you don't want to spend an hour cooking, or for a summer lunch outside. Kids usually love cervelas and gruyere, so you can just set the raw onion aside for them. Mon Chou suggests it just as happily for a quick dinner as for a packed lunch in a sealed container.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Cervelas sausages 4

Dairy

  • Gruyere 100 g

Pantry

  • Picklesoften in the pantry 6
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red onion 1
  • Potatoes 800 g
  • Chives 5 sprigs

Allergens Lactose, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the potatoes in salted water, then peel them. 20 min

    Peel them while hot using a fork, so you don't burn your fingers.

  2. Make the vinaigrette by mixing mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and oil.

    Add the oil last, it emulsifies better that way.

  3. Cut the cervelas into strips, the gruyere into sticks, and thinly slice the pickles and onion.

    Soak the onion in cold water for ten minutes to soften its bite.

  4. Toss everything with the vinaigrette in a large bowl.

    Let it sit for five minutes, the flavors come together.

  5. Slice the warm potatoes, add the chopped chives, and serve.

    Keep the potatoes warm, they soak up the vinaigrette better that way.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick waxy potatoes, like fingerling or red potatoes, they hold their shape better when sliced and won't fall apart in the salad.
  • If you don't have time to let the potatoes cool after cooking, run them under cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking without chilling them all the way through.
  • Cut the gruyere into sticks the same size as the cervelas strips, the salad is more pleasant to eat and more even in every bite.

The variations

  • Swap the cervelas for ham or Strasbourg sausage for a change, the texture shifts a bit but the overall feel stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the cervelas and double the gruyere, or add hard boiled eggs cut into wedges to keep some protein in the mix.
  • For kids, serve the vinaigrette on the side and leave out the raw red onion, which can be too sharp for younger palates.

What to serve it with

  • A chilled glass of riesling
  • Grilled country bread
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

This salad keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the onion and pickles keep gently flavoring the vinaigrette as it sits. It doesn't freeze well, since the potatoes and gruyere lose their texture once thawed. Take it out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving, it tastes better at room temperature than straight from the cold.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it 2 to 3 hours before serving and keep it in the fridge. Add the chopped chives at the last minute so they keep their color and flavor.

What kind of cervelas should I use?

A classic butcher shop cervelas works perfectly well, no need for anything fancy. Just check that it isn't too fatty, so the vinaigrette doesn't end up heavy.

Can I use a different vinegar?

Yes, cider vinegar works well and adds a touch more sweetness. Skip balsamic vinegar, it's too sweet and too dark for this light vinaigrette.

How do I keep the potatoes from falling apart?

Cook the potatoes whole with the skin on, they absorb less water and hold together better once sliced. Don't overcook them, a knife tip should still meet slight resistance.

How long does it take to make an Alsatian cervelas and potato salad?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in an Alsatian cervelas and potato salad?

About 480 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an Alsatian cervelas and potato salad cost?

About €2.10 per serving, or €8.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Cuisine from Northern, Eastern and Western France

See all

Cheese recipes

See all