I love mayo as much as the next gal, but every now and then you’ve got to mix things up. That’s when this Mayo Free Potato Salad comes into play. If you're looking for the perfect side dish for a crowd, or a simple at home recipe, I've got you covered.
Pssst...I have a secret to give it a creamy consistency without the mayonnaise.
Read on, spud lovers.
Growing up, my Grandma made the BEST potato salad. I’d call it a traditional Midwest potato salad - you know, the kind loaded with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and topped with hard boiled eggs and paprika.
Always, paprika! It was (and still is) to die for!
I’m soooo glad I ate this as a bowlful as a kid because these days, I’m trying to eat a little healthier and if I ate that much mayo I might as well just glue it onto my hips.
As you can tell, I have serious guilt issues anytime a recipe calls for a jar of mayo. Yep, some good old-fashioned Catholic guilt gets me every time.
So here's our alternative.
You can prepare this mayo-free potato salad with Yukon gold potatoes but fingerling or new potatoes work just as well. Just don’t use a Russet or baking potato – you’re not going to get the same creamy results.
Healthy Potato Salad
Summertime around here is chocked full of backyard barbecues and is the land of potluck party buffets. Many times, the food sits for a little while as people come and go to the party.
These gatherings would be delicious with my creamy potato salad recipe but I'm not a big fan of mayo sitting in the heat for hours.
In these party scenarios, a vinegar based potato salad is my pick!
What’s in No-Mayo Potato Salad?
All you'll need to make this tasty potato salad are:
- yukon gold potatoes
- white vinegar
- minced garlic
- sugar
- salt
- ground black pepper
- olive oil
- green onions
- cooked bacon
How to Make Potato Salad Without Mayo
Ok, you all know I love a shortcut so here’s my tip about prepping the potatoes.
You can boil them, you can pressure cook them or you can even microwave them.
If you ever need to prep a side dish and you are channeling a zero in the ambition department, listen up!
YOU CAN STILL MAKE THIS SALAD.
Buy a bag (or two) of pre-washed, microwaveable potatoes. There is practically no effort on your part and you’ll come out looking like a superhero.
Or, since we're using yukon gold potatoes, there's no need to peel them. Because no one likes to peel a potato, am I right?
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While the potatoes cool, make your mix of vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and olive oil in a large bowl.
No matter how you make your potatoes, here’s the trick to making a creamy potato salad.
Let the potatoes cool, but not completely. As soon as they’re warm but not too hot to handle, chop them into bite-size pieces and toss in the vinegar mixture, stirring to combine.
When you do this, the potatoes absorb the liquid and start to combine making a creamy combination. Don't be afraid to briskly stir.
Show 'em some love!!
Add some green onion and let it chill for a few hours or overnight.
This salad is best served at room temperature, so pull it out of the fridge about an hour before serving (it will give the olive oil time to loosen up).
It tastes even better the next day!
Top with cooked, crumbled bacon and there you go – Mayo-Free Potato Salad!
Gobble these up alongside some Thai Coconut Lime Chicken on the grill, or some Honey Dijon Turkey Burgers!
Other recipes you'll like:
- Creamy Potato Salad
- Warm Spinach Salad with Root Vegetables
- Italian Farro Salad
- Canned Baked Beans with Bacon
Made with love,
Deanne
Mayo Free Potato Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 pounds gold potatoes
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 3 green onions , green parts only, chopped
- 6 slices bacon , cooked & crumbled
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I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
- Cook potatoes until tender; drain and cool slightly until you’re able to handle them. While still warm, cut potatoes into bit size pieces.
- Mix vinegar, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large bowl. Add potatoes and toss, mixing to combine and stirring until the mixture starts to become creamy.
- Add green onions. Chill 4 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving and top with cooked and crumbled bacon.
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Sharon Kenney says
This looks yummy!! I am going to make this. Thanks for sharing
Deanne says
Awesome, let me know what you think! Have a great weekend, Sharon 🙂