While the potatoes cook (next step), prepare all your vegetables and herbs to streamline assembly. Thinly slice the green onions and set aside. Grate the carrot into 1-inch shreds and place in a separate bowl. Thinly slice the medium onion into half-moons. Chop the romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the fresh parsley and mint leaves, keeping them separate. Juice the lemon into a small bowl. Having everything prepped and ready means you can assemble the salad quickly while the potatoes are still warm enough to absorb the dressing flavors.

Place the Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tsp of salt to the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes immediately and transfer to a bowl with cold water to stop the cooking process. Let cool for 3 minutes, then drain again. This brief chill keeps the potatoes from becoming mushy while still allowing them to absorb the dressing.

Once the potatoes from Step 2 have cooled slightly, peel off the skins—they should come away easily. Cut the peeled potatoes into bite-sized chunks, roughly 1 to 1.5 inches. I prefer leaving the pieces fairly chunky in potato salad so they maintain their texture and don't get mushy when tossed with the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice from Step 1, remaining salt (1/2 tsp), black pepper, sumac, red chili flakes, and ground cumin. Whisk until the flavors are well combined and the salt is dissolved. The sumac adds a subtle tartness and the chili flakes bring gentle heat—this warm spice blend is what gives Turkish potato salad its signature character.

In a large serving bowl, combine the warm potato chunks from Step 3 with the green onions, grated carrot, sliced onion, chopped lettuce, and chopped parsley from Step 1. Pour the dressing from Step 4 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly, making sure every piece gets coated with the dressing. The warm potatoes will absorb the flavors beautifully. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed—I like to add a final pinch of sumac on top for color and flavor.

Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle the fresh mint leaves from Step 1 over the top as a garnish just before serving. The salad can be served warm or at room temperature, and the flavors will continue to develop as it sits.