Recipe: Healthy Potato Salad Recipe

Salad Recipes, Side Dish Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

By: Deborah Murphy, MS, RD, LDN

Say goodbye to boring and bland potato salad drenched in mayo. This healthy potato salad with Greek yogurt is packed with flavor and guaranteed to become your new favorite take on the classic side dish for BBQs and picnics this summer.

No summer cookout menu feels complete without the all-American classic side dish – potato salad. However, most potato salad recipes can be a bit boring, not to mention coated in lots of mayonnaise.

I love a good potato salad but wanted a healthier alternative to the traditional potato salad recipe, so I created this healthy potato salad recipe.

An easy swap to make a healthier potato salad was to use Greek yogurt in place of most of the mayo.

You still get a creamy and rich dressing and the tanginess of the yogurt adds more flavor to the overall salad. Celery and red onion add some needed crunch, while fresh dill and chives add loads of flavor.

Check out more great recipes for summer barbecues and gatherings in my guide to easy grilling recipes!

Ingredients for Healthy Potato Salad

Use these simple and fresh ingredients packed with nutritional value to make your new favorite potato salad.

Yukon Gold Potatoes: you’ll need to use a waxy potato variety (ie. yukon gold, red potatoes, fingerling potatoes) for this recipe – we like yukon gold yellow potatoes best. You can use 2 varieties of potatoes if you’d like to mix them.
Celery & Red Onion: chopped small, these veggies add flavor and a bit of crunch to this salad.
Hard-Boiled Eggs: these are optional, but I like to add them for a little protein. Check out our post on how to make hard boiled eggs that are easy to peel.
Chives & Dill: fresh herbs are best when it comes to adding flavor to this salad. If you don’t have chives, you can substitute with green onions.
Plain Greek Yogurt: adds creaminess and extra protein to the healthy potato salad dressing.
Mayonnaise: if possible, opt for a mayonnaise made with a healthier oil like avocado oil.
Dill Relish, Dijon Mustard & Apple Cider Vinegar: to combat the creaminess of the dressing, you need ingredients with some tanginess like this combo. If you don’t like dill relish, you can swap with sweet relish. You can also use red wine vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar.
Turmeric: optional, but adds a lovely color to the finished potato salad. Plus, check out these amazing health benefits of turmeric!

How to Make Potato Salad

This healthy potato salad is simple to put together in a few steps.

Cook the Potatoes: In a large pot, add the chopped potatoes and enough water to cover them.Bring to a boil, then cook 7-9 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes, and let them cool for at least 30 minutes or to room temperature.

Chop Veggies: Prepare celery and onions by chopping, along with chopping up hard boiled eggs into small pieces.

Make the Creamy Dressing: Whisk together greek yogurt, mayo, dill relish, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and relish. Add in salt, garlic powder, turmeric (if using), and black pepper.

Assemble: Add cooked potatoes to a large bowl, add the celery, onion, hard boiled eggs, chives and dill. Pour dressing over top and toss lightly to coat everything in dressing, being careful not to smush the potatoes. Let chill in the fridge for 30 min to 1 hour before serving.

Tools You Need

You don’t need any fancy tools to make this delicious potato salad recipe at home. Here’s what I used to make it:

What are the Best Potatoes for Potato Salad?

You want to use waxy potatoes like yukon gold, red potatoes, new potatoes, or fingerling potatoes instead of starchy potatoes like russet potatoes. The waxy potato varieties hold their shape better after cooking which is essential for potato salad where you want to avoid mushy potatoes.

Since they have a thin skin, you also don’t need to peel them – which saves you another step.

Is Potato Salad Healthy?

Traditional potato salad recipes are not usually considered healthy since they are relatively high in calories and saturated fat (mostly from the mayonnaise). For this healthy potato salad recipe, I swapped most of the mayo for plain Greek yogurt.

This simple swap lowers the total calories and fat in the recipe while also adding protein and gut-healthy probiotics.

Storage Tips

Fridge: store any leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freezer: unfortunately, potato salad does not freeze well so it’s best to make this when you are able to eat it all within a few days.

What to Serve with Healthy Potato Salad

This healthy potato salad pairs well with a variety of classic BBQ dishes liked grilled chicken or fish, burgers, or skewers. Here are a few ideas for what to serve with this greek yogurt potato salad.

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 6 serving(s)

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, diced
½ cup diced red onion
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup chopped chives
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
For the Dressing
¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup avocado oil mayonnaise
⅓ cup dill relish
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric, optional, for color
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the Potatoes: In a large pot, add potatoes and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, then cook 7-9 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes, and let them cool for at least 30 minutes.
Chop Veggies: Prepare celery and onions by chopping. If using, peel and chop the hard boiled eggs into small pieces.
Make the Dressing: Whisk together greek yogurt, mayo, dill relish, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, and relish. Add in salt, garlic powder, turmeric (if using), and black pepper.
Assemble: Add cooled potatoes to a large mixing bowl, add the celery, onion, hard boiled eggs, chives and dill. Pour dressing over top and toss lightly to coat everything in dressing, being careful not to smush the potatoes. Let chill in the fridge for 30 min to 1 hour before serving.