I love potato salad, but it can also taste greasy or even slimy if you use mayonnaise, so I now make it with a creamier ingredient instead.
After months of grey skies, the UK is finally basking in some well-deserved sunshine, and at this time of year, most of us simply can’t face slaving over a hot stove, turning instead to fuss-free dishes like potato salad. It’s a firm favourite for its creamy, satisfying qualities – yet it used to be something I actively avoided, largely because the traditional mayonnaise-based version can leave it feeling unbearably greasy.
It always struck me as odd to load a salad with mayonnaise – while it works brilliantly in a sandwich, it’s essentially just oil and fat, which sits far too heavily on potatoes. After a bit of kitchen experimentation, however, I’ve discovered that mayonnaise is entirely unnecessary; Greek yoghurt delivers every bit as much flavour and savouriness. It might sound unconventional as a dressing, but it completely transforms both the taste and texture of a potato salad – and it’s now firmly cemented itself as one of my go-to lunches.
Why should you use Greek yoghurt to make potato salad?
Greek yoghurt shares the same rich, thick consistency as mayonnaise, yet it’s packed with protein and considerably lower in fat, meaning you’re not piling the dish high with needless calories.
Beyond its nutritional advantages, Greek yoghurt delivers a far fresher flavour and intensifies the taste of any herbs incorporated into your dressing, making the overall result far more vibrant.
Personally, I favour Greek yoghurt simply because it lacks the oiliness of mayonnaise, which can give potato salad an unpleasant, slimy quality – particularly on a sweltering day.
It’s a straightforward substitution, yet it has transformed potato salad into a far more satisfying dish, leaving me genuinely astonished at just how delicious it is – so much so that I now whip it up for lunch on a regular basis.
How to make potato salad taste even better
You will need:
- 1kg of baby potatoes
- 300ml of Greek yoghurt
- 20ml of extra virgin olive oil
- Three tablespoons of spring onion
- Fresh chives
- Three teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
- Two teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- A tablespoon of leftover water from the boiled potatoes
- Salt and pepper
While some people opt to steam their potatoes, I favour boiling them, as the starch released into the water lends your salad dressing a wonderfully silky consistency.
A small amount of this starchy water makes the dressing beautifully smooth, though be mindful of how much you incorporate, as too much risks making it overly watery.
Method:
To start, I scrubbed the potatoes before placing them into a pot of cold water. I then boiled them for 10 to 15 minutes until thoroughly tender, before draining them.
I then left the potatoes to cool briefly for two minutes before slicing them in half. At this stage, the potatoes will be remarkably soft, and you can easily cut through them with a fork or spoon.
In a large bowl, I combined all the dressing ingredients, mixing together the Greek yoghurt, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
I blended everything until smooth, then incorporated a tablespoon of the reserved cooking water from the pot.
I spent a moment finely chopping the chives and spring onions before adding them to the bowl.
Once the potatoes had sufficiently cooled, I tipped them into the mixing bowl and gently folded them through the dressing until thoroughly coated. After that, I simply served my potato salad on a plate, seasoned it generously with salt and pepper, and my effortless lunch was complete.
It is one of the most delicious yet satisfying meals you can rustle up without spending hours in the kitchen, which is precisely what makes Greek yoghurt such an invaluable staple to have in the fridge throughout the warmer months.
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