Great potato salad starts with well-seasoned potatoes and ends with a dressing that balances richness, acidity and freshness. You do not need a long shopping list: salt to help cook the spuds, a tangy dairy element for lightness, herbs for aroma and a little heat to wake it up. Mayonnaise is a classic, but many cooks lighten the texture and sharpen the flavour with other creamy bases.

Jamie Oliver has long championed natural yoghurt in potato salad dressings, while Mary Berry frequently uses crème fraîche to keep salads fresh yet luxurious. Nigella Lawson often uses sour cream for creamy dressings that feel lighter on the palate. There is a more radical view from across the Atlantic. Culinary experts at Food52 suggest a different ingredient for "creamy and tangy" potato salad.

When sharing a recipe for potato salad, the food experts said, "This is picnic potato salad taken to the next level."

They suggest using mayonnaise as the base, then adding buttermilk, scallions and most importantly, horseradish to "lighten and brighten the dressing".

Adding horseradish to potato salad provides a sinus-clearing flavour boost and the warmth typically achieved with mustard, which brings a good potato salad to life.

Food52 says: "A tablespoon of fresh dill is just enough to perfume the salad without overwhelming the other components."

Ingredients

• 680g organic baby Yukon gold potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1.5 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• One tablespoon minced fresh dill
• 1/4 cup green onion (scallion), minced
• Freshly ground pepper

How to make better potato salad

Put the potatoes in a large pan and cover them with cold water by at least an inch. Add two tablespoons of salt to the water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, turn the heat down so it doesn't boil over.

Cook the potatoes for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on their size, until a knife slips easily into them.

The potato should be firm but not mushy, especially near the centre. The carry-over cooking will make them tender without being mushy and will also help the skin stay on.

Drain the potatoes in a colander and leave them to cool to room temperature.

While the potatoes are cooling, mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Once the potatoes are cool, slice them into quarters lengthwise and add them to the dressing. Stir to coat thoroughly.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding freshly ground black pepper and salt if required. Cover and chill until you're ready to serve, giving it a quick stir just before serving.