Sydney Baker's Potato Salad with Dill and Dijon Mustard

Spanish explorers introduced potato salad to Europe during the 1500s. The earliest versions were made from boiled potatoes mixed with wine or vinegar and spices. The America version we are familiar with arrived with European settlers. The earliest recipes for potato salad were published during the mid 1800s and were made by coating boiled potatoes in a dressing made from vinegar, oil and herbs. Culinary historians believe this mixture was influenced by German cuisine, which tends to be a mix of spicy, sour and sweet. Mayonnaise was likely introduced to potato salad recipes around the 1920s and 1930s when brands like Best Foods, Miracle Whip and Hellman’s rose in popularity.


I made this potato salad over the weekend for Memorial Day and was reminded how delicious it is. When the weather warms up and we start our yearly outdoor feasting, this is one of my go-to chilled salad recipes. It’s evolved a bit over the years; I used to make it with mayonnaise only, but recently I started subbing half the mayo for Greek yogurt to lighten it up a bit. I think the substitute actually improves the flavor, and it definitely cuts down on calories. Whole grain Dijon mustard and fresh dill are game-changers here, they take an otherwise ordinary potato salad recipe to a whole new level. Don’t use regular Dijon mustard, the flavor is too sharp for this recipe. Whole grain is milder.


My husband loves this salad, he calls it “dangerously good.” Dangerous, because once we start eating it we can’t stop! If you’re making this for a barbecue or sharing at a picnic, you can easily double the recipe to feed more people. Looking for a dairy-free recipe? Substitute mayo or vegenaise for the Greek yogurt. Enjoy!








Potato Salad with Dill and Dijon

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs red new potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks (peeled or unpeeled)
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise or vegenaise
3 tbsp chopped fresh dill, minced
1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (make sure it's whole grain!)
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste) plus 2 tsp salt for potato cooking water
1/4 tsp black pepper (or more to taste)
Sprig of fresh dill to garnish (optional)



Prep Time: 45 Minutes


Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes


Servings: 4


Kosher Key: Dairy





You can use peeled or unpeeled potatoes in this salad. If you decide not to peel them, make sure you scrub them very well to get rid of any residual dirt. Boil 3 quarts of water with 2 tsp salt. Add the new potato chunks to the salted water and bring back to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until they become fork tender. Keep a close eye on them to make sure they don't overcook. As soon as they are tender, drain the potatoes, return them to the warm pot so they will dry out, and let them return to room temperature.
In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh dill, vinegar, whole grain Dijon mustard, sugar, salt and pepper to make a dressing. 



Place the cooled potato chunks in a salad bowl. Add dressing. Stir gently to combine until all potato pieces are evenly coated with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. 



Chill salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.
Note: This recipe is gluten free when you you use GF-certified packaged products. To make the recipe dairy free, replace the Greek yogurt with mayonnaise or vegenaise.