Name: Creamy Dill Potato Salad Without Mayo for Hot Weather Picnic Days
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (cut into 1-inch chunks); 1 tbsp kosher salt (for the boiling water); 3/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 3 tbsp white wine vinegar; 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin); 1 tsp honey; 1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 3/4 tsp kosher salt (for the dressing); 1/4 cup fresh dill (roughly chopped); 3 scallions (thinly sliced, white and green parts); 2 celery stalks (diced small); 1 small red onion (diced fine)

Jump to Recipe

Every July Fourth I end up standing next to a bowl of mayo-based potato salad that spent two hours in the sun, and I stopped doing that three summers ago.

This version uses Greek yogurt and Dijon as the base, which holds up in heat, costs less to make than you'd think, and tastes better cold or at room temperature.

Creamy Dill Potato Salad Without Mayo for Hot Weather Picnic Days

A tangy, herb-forward potato salad built for hot days when mayo is a liability.

4.6 (75 reviews)

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Prep15 min

Cook30 min

Chill Time1 hr

Total1 hr 45 min

Serves6 servings

LevelEasy

Ingredients

2.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks
1 tbsp kosher salt , for the boiling water
3/4 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil , extra virgin
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp black pepper , freshly ground
3/4 tsp kosher salt , for the dressing
1/4 cup fresh dill , roughly chopped
3 scallions , thinly sliced, white and green parts
2 celery stalks , diced small
1 small red onion , diced fine

Instructions

Add the potato chunks to a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 14 to 17 minutes until a fork slides in without resistance and the potatoes smell starchy and clean. Do not cook until falling apart.

While the potatoes boil, whisk together the Greek yogurt, Dijon, white wine vinegar, olive oil, honey, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until smooth and pale yellow. It should smell sharp from the vinegar and bright from the mustard. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes well and spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan for 8 minutes. You want the steam to escape so the dressing does not get watered down. They should feel warm but not burning when you touch one.

Transfer the warm potatoes to the bowl with the dressing. Fold gently with a rubber spatula so the chunks stay intact. The warmth helps them absorb the dressing. You will see the dressing go from pooling around the edges to clinging to each piece.

Add the dill, scallions, celery, and red onion. Fold again, just enough to distribute. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes. The dill smell will deepen and the dressing will tighten up as it chills.

Taste before serving and adjust salt or vinegar if needed. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Tips & Notes

Yukon Golds hold their shape better than russets here. Russets turn mealy by the time the dressing soaks in.
If your Greek yogurt is thin or runny, strain it through a cheesecloth for 20 minutes before using so the dressing does not go loose.
The 60-minute chill is real minimum time. 3 hours is better. Overnight is the best version of this salad.
Red wine vinegar works if white wine vinegar is not on hand, but the flavor is slightly heavier.
Double the dill if you are a dill person. The recipe is written for a crowd that is not.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving, and add a splash of white wine vinegar if the dressing looks absorbed or dry.

Nutrition per serving · estimated

245 Cal

7g Fat

38g Carbs

7g Protein

4g Fiber

4g Sugar

420mg Sodium

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Why Greek Yogurt Holds Up When Mayo Does Not

Mayo breaks down in heat because it is an emulsion sitting on egg yolk and oil, and both get unstable above 70 degrees Fahrenheit fast. Greek yogurt is already thick and acidic on its own, which means it does not need the same conditions to stay together.

The Dijon in this dressing does double work: it adds flavor and acts as a secondary emulsifier that keeps the yogurt and olive oil from separating as the salad sits. That is the combination that makes this safe to bring outside without a dedicated ice situation.

Getting the Potatoes Right Before the Dressing Goes On

The sheet pan step is not optional. Potatoes hold a lot of water and if you dress them straight from the colander, that water dilutes the dressing and you end up with something soupy instead of creamy.

Dressing warm potatoes instead of cold ones matters too. Warm starch absorbs liquid, so the dressing gets pulled into each piece instead of just sitting on the surface. The difference in flavor between a salad dressed warm and one dressed cold is about 30 percent more flavor with the same amount of dressing.

Creamy Dill Potato Salad Without Mayo for Hot Weather Picnic Days