Whenever we’re asked to a July 4th party, we always bring our Red, White & Blue Potato Salad. It’s special on Independence Day and potato salad occasion.

While we generally enjoy sharing, we keep our exact recipe a secret. We worked for years to get the dressing right!

But the United States Potato Board sent us a substitute red, white and blue potato salad recipe. It mixes three different potato types with onions, bell peppers, and ham in a balsamic vinaigrette. This fancy potato salad is a world away from a potato-mayonnaise mix, a delight for potato salad fans.

The recipe was created by Jill Melton, MS, RD, former senior food editor of Cooking Light and director of communications for Food Insight. We had bacon on hand and substituted it for the ham: delicious!

And a bonus: Here’s another red, white and blue potato salad recipe, with white stars cut from non-browning Envy apples.

> Fun potato trivia (below).

> The history of potatoes.

> The different types of potatoes.

> 60 more red, white and blue recipes.
 
 
RED, WHITE & BLUE POTATO SALAD RECIPE

Ingredients
 

 
Preparation

1. Cut the potatoes into 1-1/2 inch pieces (do not peel). Steam for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet. Add ham, walnuts, and garlic. Sauté 10 minutes. Add sherry vinegar, and stir well.

3. In a large bowl, toss ham mixture with potatoes, additional 2 tablespoons of oil, red pepper, green onions, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or cold with grilled steak, burgers, chicken, or fish.
 
 
Find more delicious potato recipes from the U.S. Potato Board.

[2] Petite potatoes in red, white, and blue (photo © Potato Goodness).

[3] Some varieties of purple potatoes have a more blue hue, but for July 4th, we’ll pretend these are blue (photo © Mona Makela | iStock Photo).

*Creamer potatoes are potatoes that are harvested while young, tender, and small—often as little as one inch in diameter. The flesh contains a lower level of starch, which makes them suitable for boiling. Creamer potatoes are typically Yukon Gold or red potatoes, which are called gold creamers or red creamers, respectively.
 
 

[4] Most of the potatoes sold in the U.S. are frozen. A large amount is sold to restaurants and other foodservice (photo © King Soopers).

[5] Fresh potatoes are the second largest category. These Yukon Gold potatoes are a favorite of chefs and foodies (photo © Bonnie Plants).

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, potatoes are the largest vegetable crop in the U.S., with an annual production of 41.3 billion pounds. More than one million acres of potatoes are planted annually—the equivalent of filling the entire state of Rhode Island with potato plants.

The U.S. Per Capita Potato Consumption is 117 pounds a year. Here’s the breakdown of what we eat, based on the 2010 forecast:

 
 
TOP 10 POTATO PRODUCING STATES
(in Billion Pounds)†

Potatoes are grown in all 50 states, but most of those 41.3 billion pounds are grown in:
1. Idaho 11.5
2. Washington 9.3
3. Wisconsin 2.9
4. Colorado 2.3
5. North Dakota 2.3
6. Minnesota 2.0
7. Oregon 1.9
8. Michigan 1.5
9. California 1.5
10. Maine 1.5

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†2008 Figures from USDA/NASS.