If there is a single recipe that epitomises summer dining, it’s undoubtedly a salad—be it potato salad, pasta salad, or the classic green leafy variety. With Britain poised to sizzle once more this week, potato salad emerges as the ideal accompaniment requiring minimal culinary effort. Beyond the starchy staple, mayonnaise typically serves as a primary component in potato salad.
Nevertheless, it’s hardly the most nutritious option, and may not even deliver optimal flavour results. Marie, the culinary mind behind the wholesome food and lifestyle platform Not Enough Cinnamon, has revealed her preferred alternative.
Marie advocates substituting mayonnaise for Greek yoghurt, though she emphasises selecting the full-fat variant for superior taste.
She explained: “If you’re trying for a healthy diet but are secretly team mayo dressing, here is some breaking news: There are a number of dressings that work equally well as a creamy potato salad dressing – like Greek yoghurt.
“Yes, that tub of plain Greek yoghurt in your refrigerator is one of the best substitutes for mayo – all ready and waiting for you to let it live to its full potential.”
She highlighted three significant benefits of incorporating Greek yoghurt into potato salad dressing: the yoghurt renders the dish “tangier, creamier and tastier”.
Marie additionally suggests incorporating olive oil into the mixture, which enriches the dressing whilst preventing it from simply vanishing into the potatoes.
How to make potato salad without mayonnaise
Ingredients (serves four)
For the salad
- 1kg potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- One quarter cup of cucumbers, peeled, deseeded and finely sliced
- One quarter cup of red onion, finely diced
- One large celery stick, finely diced
For the dressing
- One cup of Greek yoghurt
- Two tablespoons of lemon juice
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- One tablespoon of white wine vinegar
- One tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- Two teaspoons of honey
- One garlic clove, finely minced
- One quarter cup of fresh chives, chopped
- One teaspoon of sea salt
- Freshly cracked pepper to taste
Method
Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to the boil. Carefully add the potatoes using a ladle to prevent splashing, return the water to boiling point and then simmer the potatoes for approximately five to six minutes or until they are tender enough to pierce with a fork.
Whilst the water is heating and the potatoes are cooking, prepare the vegetables and concoct the dressing. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the dressing and set it aside.
Once cooked, drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour over the dressing and gently toss to ensure all the potatoes are coated.
Allow this to cool slightly.
It’s crucial not to introduce the vegetables to the warm potatoes as they will become soggy and release moisture. Once the potatoes have cooled, add the cucumbers, celery and red onion.
Gently mix everything together.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours (or ideally overnight) before serving, to allow the flavours to infuse. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.