Lighter version of a picnic favorite. This Potato Salad is mayo free but still has all the flavor you want!
Can I do two potato posts in one week?
Is that ok with you?
It's more than ok with me because I mean, those Smashed Potatoes... holy mother of pearl they are the greatest potatoes.
And then who doesn't like Potato Salad, especially when I made it healthier and even included bacon?
Plus, I feel like Potato Salad is totally a recipe for the 4th of July and since that's a week from today, what better time that to go ahead and post it, right?
If you've read my blog for even a small amount of time, you know that I am not a huge fan of mayonnaise.
Maybe it's from the semester I spent as a lunch lady, dealing with excessively large jars and large amounts of mayonnaise. {I just mini threw up}
Or it could be the gloopy noise it makes when you stir it. Ew
But I think the most likely reason is that it just doesn't offer many nutritional benefits.
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Most people try replacing mayo with plain yogurt, but I'm sorry, that just doesn't work for me.
Yogurt is tangy to be a mayonaisse replacement. Mayo is not {or at least it's not supposed to be}...
Therefore, I blend cottage cheese {since it has a relatively neutral, non-tangy flavor} and use that to replace the mayo in most every recipe.
So it should come as no surprise that I use cottage cheese to make my potato salad
Because bacon makes everything better, I use bacon in my potato salad and even throw in an extra teaspoon of bacon grease for good measure.
That's totally optional but since it's only about 40 calories, I don't mind and it fills the potato salad with extra bacon-y flavor. Always a good thing in my opinion.
However, if you want to make this recipe vegetarian, you can completely skip the bacon!
With or without the bacon, I was quite impressed with the results.
In fact, I am confident that any person that tries this potato salad will like it.
So if you're trying to think of what to bring to a 4th of July party next week, this Potato Salad is what it should be. Double or triple the recipe if needed.
Lighter Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 slices center-cut bacon chopped, optional
- 1 lb red potatoes unpeeled & chopped into bite sized pieces
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 clove garlic minced {optional}
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 green onions chopped
Instructions
- Put the bacon in a large, cold skillet. Heat over medium and cook until the bacon is crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain, and set aside. Reserve 1 teaspoon of bacon grease.
- Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a large pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well, put on paper towels, and let cool.
- Put the cottage cheese, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, garlic {if using}, reserved 1 teaspoon of bacon grease {optional} and salt into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until completely smooth. Transfer to a glass or plastic bowl and add green onions and cooled potatoes.
- Toss to coat completely. Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Stir in bacon pieces just before serving.
Notes
What I used to make this recipe:
Meme
Pin for later:
Connie says
5 lb red potato
1 16oz cottage cheese
1 8oz carton sour cream
1 large red onion chopped
Salt & pepper to taste