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Cottage Cheese Potato Salad made lower in fat and rich in flavor! This easy side dish is perfect for summer entertaining and pairs magically with just about any main dish.
Looking for a healthier version of potato salad? Look no further, because this one comes with a creamy low-fat dressing that is made with cottage cheese instead of mayonnaise.
While I love my traditional potato salad recipe, I also fully support the need to lighten things up for less heavy fare. For me, this easy recipe checks all of the boxes, as it still tastes rich and flavorful, let leaves you feeling energized.
The way I see it, this Cottage Cheese Potato Salad is the perfect summer side dish to go alongside grilled chicken, salmon, steak, pork tenderloin, and more! Enjoy it at any summer bbq!
Ingredient Notes:
Baby Yukon Gold Potatoes: I love using baby potatoes because they cook quickly and are easy to chop in half or quarters for the perfect size. You can also use regular sized Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes.
Cottage Cheese: Taking the place of mayonnaise, cottage cheese makes a creamy dressing without the calories and fat. It also brings a boost of protein, which I always love.
Hard-Boiled Eggs: Because there is no mayonnaise in this recipe, I add some chopped hard boiled eggs to bring richness. They also add protein, flavor, and some texture.
Dill Relish: A healthy dose of relish gives the potato salad tangy, herby essence with that slight dill pickle undertone. The relish does not overwhelm the overall flavor of the dish, but rather helps bring it all together. Swap it for chopped up dill pickles if you prefer.
Dijon Mustard: A generous squirt of Dijon mustard adds tang and a tiny kick.
Rice Vinegar: Similar to the mustard and relish, vinegar is here to provide some acidity and sourness to offset the creamy flavor of the cottage cheese. Use any kind of vinegar you like here.
Yellow Onion: Adds a boost of onion flavor to add to the experience. Red onions work too, although be forewarned that they have a stronger bite. Green onions or fresh chives are a great replacement for those who like a softer onion flavor.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the potato salad to your own personal taste using salt and pepper.
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you’re looking for low-fat potato salad, omit the hard boiled eggs.
- Add some chopped up fresh dill if you like going big on the dill flavor. Other fresh herbs like fresh parsley work well too.
- If you find the salad isn’t rich enough, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise or olive oil, to your personal taste.
- Mix in other flavorful goodies like olives, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped artichoke hearts, lemon zest, lemon juice, or capers for a Mediterranean-style flavor.
- Swap the cottage cheese for Greek yogurt or sour cream if you prefer.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Potato Salad:
Heat the eggs in a pot of water and bring them to a full boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Immediately drain the hot water and transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Place the bowl of ice water in the refrigerator to cool the eggs for at least 20 minutes (ideally longer).
I like to perform this step first to allow plenty of time for the eggs to cool so that the shells are easier to peel.
Transfer the potatoes to a large pot filled with water. Cover and heat over high heat and bring the pot to a full boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Once fully cooked, drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool. Then, place potatoes on a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Peel the eggs and chop them into small chunks.
Blend the cottage cheese, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, dill relish, sea salt and black pepper in a small blender or a food processor until smooth.
Transfer the chopped boiled potatoes, eggs, chopped onion, and cottage cheese dressing to a large bowl.
Toss everything together until well combined.
Serve right away or chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions:
Looking for main dishes that pair magically with potato salad? Here are some great options.
- BBQ Tri Tip
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Tequila Lime Chicken
- Grilled Salmon
- Lemon Garlic Foil Packet Shrimp
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
More Side Dish Recipes:
If you’re on the prowl for more delicious side dishes, also try out these healthy options.
- The Best Broccoli Salad
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Italian Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Garlic Herb Roasted Vegetables
And that’s it! The next time you’re in need of a classic side dish that is also a little lighter, whip up this dreamy cottage cheese potato salad recipe! Keep it on repeat for summer entertaining!
Cottage Cheese Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 hard boiled eggs, optional
- 1.5 lbs baby gold potatoes, boiled and chopped into bite-sized chunks*
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- ⅔ cup cottage cheese
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp dill relish
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the eggs in a pot of water and bring them to a full boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Immediately drain the hot water and transfer the eggs to an ice bath. Place the bowl of ice water in the refrigerator to cool the eggs for at least 20 minutes (ideally longer). I like to perform this step first to allow plenty of time for the eggs to cool so that the shells are easier to peel.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large pot filled with water. Cover and heat over high heat and bring the pot to a full boil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Once fully cooked, drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool. Then, place potatoes on a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Peel the eggs and chop them into small chunks.
- Blend the cottage cheese, rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, dill relish, sea salt and black pepper in a small blender or a food processor until smooth.
- Transfer the chopped boiled potatoes, eggs, chopped onion, and cottage cheese dressing to a large bowl. Toss everything together until well combined.
- Serve right away or chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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