This is the Best Healthy Potato Salad I have ever had! At the time we were eating this meal, I kept commenting how wonderful this salad is. I think my words were that it was “Killer.” And I’m not exaggerating!
Origin of the Salad
This was back in 2014 and three couples were on a Houseboat Vacation on Rainy River in northern Minnesota on the Canadian line. It was MaryJo’s brother John and his wife Flora. Cousin Al and wife Sue. And MaryJo and I.
We took turns cooking meals every day…Al and Sue one day. MaryJo and I the next. Then it came to John and Flora.
We had just caught a bunch of walleyes and northern pike and John fried those up beautifully. Flora was in charge of the potato salad.
This was a healthy potato salad recipe she had developed over years of trial and error and she assured us that this was the best.
The Unusual Ingredients
I have always made potato salad with gobs of mayonnaise and a few squirts of yellow mustard. And of course,` some sugar to sweeten the whole thing. Just like my mom used to make. This salad has none of that.
You see, Flora is a physician and very health conscious. She’s like… wake up at 4:30 am and take a 3 mile run before getting ready for work.
So this salad is probably quite different than you’ve ever experienced. I know it was for me. But it is so danged good. The flavors of the ingredients work so well together. And what is unique is the tang you get from the dried mustard powder.
You would serve this with any grilled meats and I know it was wonderful with fresh fried walleye.
How to Make The Best Healthy Potato Salad
I remember both of my grandmothers boiling whole potatoes, then peeling them to make potato salad. This creates a potato that kind of crumbles when you cut it into pieces and the texture is perfect for the salad. The potatoes remain quite starchy too unlike they would be if peeled, chopped, then boiled.
Chop the peppers into small pieces and the flavors will get distributed better. When you take a bite, the crunch is there and this is especially true of the celery. It’s only one stalk of celery and 1/2 of each red and green pepper but when chopped fine, they will be there in every bite.
Unlike most other potato salad recipes, this one uses very little mayonnaise. That is the main reason that this recipe comes in at less than 200 calories per serving.
And the sweet pickle relish. Each bite will have a hint of sweet pickles. And it’s a tangy sweetness that blends with the other ingredients.
Finally, what really makes this unique is the dried mustard powder. It gives the flavor a little heat and you would swear that there was a touch of cayenne pepper in there. It’s a good heat though, not the burn-your-mouth type heat. It’s a flavor that pairs well with grilled meat. You know, like perfect picnic grilling party flavors.
The next time you’re grilling out, give this healthy potato salad recipe a try. The combination of flavors is amazing. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Here are a few more tasty recipes you might like:
- Tomato Spinach Pasta with Spicy Shrimp
- Stuffed Cucumber Bites
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
- Grilled Potato Salad with Pickled Red Onion
- Mini Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
How to Make The Best Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 5 medium russet potatoes, (about 2 pounds)
- 1/2 green pepper , 1/4" diced
- 1/2 red pepper ,1/4" diced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion , small diced
- 1 stalk celery , finely sliced
- 2 tbsp heaping tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons dry powdered mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pink himilayan sea salt
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise, (heaping tbsp, 55 grams)
- chopped fresh parsley as a garnish, optional
- sweet paprika for color, if desired
Instructions
- Place whole potatoes in a stock pot with cold water, bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins with a spoon or the back of a small knife. Then chop into pieces 1/2 to 3/4 inches.
- Place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and fold together making sure to distribute the mayonnaise well. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- The potatoes can be peeled and chopped then boiled. The texture of the salad will be a little different by doing this. Boiling the potatoes whole and then peeling creates a kind of rustic texture as the potatoes will somewhat crumble when chopped.
Nutrition
This recipe post was updated on November 10, 2021.
Joe
This is a great lower calorie recipe for potato salad.