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Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Warm beef and potato salad

Warm beef and potato salad is a leftover based dish for 4 people, ready in 30 minutes, very easy to make, for about €2.70 per person. The key to success is warming the beef in the vinaigrette instead of a pan, so it stays tender and flavorful instead of overcooking and drying out.

Tonight, we give Sunday's beef a second life with a warm salad of potatoes, pickles, and shallot.

Warm beef and potato salad
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall

This salad gives Sunday's roast or pot au feu a second life. Soft potatoes, warm mustard vinaigrette, and crunchy pickles bring the beef back to life without ever drying it out. You eat it straight with a fork, standing in the kitchen or sitting at the table, and nobody guesses it started as leftovers.

It's the ideal dinner for a Monday or Tuesday night, when there's cooked meat left from the weekend and you don't want to fuss. It works well midweek for a quick, low effort meal, and just as well on a Sunday evening, served warm after an afternoon outside.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Leftover cooked beef 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Waxy potatoes 800 g
  • Shallots 2
  • Parsley 1 bunch

Pantry

  • Picklesoften in the pantry 8
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the potatoes in salted water, then peel them and cut them into rounds. 20 min

    Cook them whole with the skin on so they keep their flavor.

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

    Warm it in a small saucepan, it flavors the meat better.

  3. Finely slice the shallot, cut the pickles into rounds, and chop the parsley.

    Rinse the shallot in cold water if you find it too sharp.

  4. Slice the beef into thin strips.

    Cut across the grain for more tender slices.

  5. Toss the warm potatoes with the vinaigrette, add the shallot and pickles, then lay the beef on top.

    Toss gently so you don't break up the potato rounds.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick waxy potatoes, they hold their shape in slices better and don't soak up too much vinaigrette.
  • Toss the potatoes with the vinaigrette while they're still warm, they absorb it far better than once cold.
  • Taste the vinaigrette before adding it, cold cooked beef needs slightly stronger seasoning than a hot dish.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for shredded roast chicken for a lighter version that's just as tasty.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with hard boiled eggs cut into wedges, the mustard vinaigrette works just as well with them.
  • For kids, cut back on the pickles and shallot, and serve the beef on the side instead of mixed in.

What to serve it with

  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • Grilled country bread
  • A glass of sparkling apple juice

Storage

This salad keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well because of the cooked potatoes. Let it sit out briefly before serving so it's not too cold, or gently warm the vinaigrette and toss again.

Questions about this dish

What leftover beef works best for this salad?

Leftover roast beef, pot au feu, or boiled beef all work well. Avoid pieces that are too dry or overcooked, they won't slice as nicely into thin strips.

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the potatoes and make the vinaigrette a few hours ahead. Toss everything together at the last minute and add the beef just before serving so it stays tender.

Can you substitute the wine vinegar?

You can use cider vinegar or sherry vinegar, the flavor will be slightly different but still balanced. Skip balsamic vinegar, it's too sweet for this vinaigrette.

Why warm the beef in the vinaigrette instead of a pan?

A hot pan overcooks the meat and makes it dry and stringy. The warm vinaigrette gently heats the beef in a few seconds while seasoning it, without ever toughening it.

How long does it take to make a warm beef and potato salad?

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

How many calories are in a warm beef and potato salad?

About 700 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 a warm beef and potato salad cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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