This Healthy Potato Salad is easy to make and chock-full of healthy ingredients like potatoes, eggs, and vegetables. It's made with light/low-fat mayonnaise to lower the calories, low-fat, and is Weight Watchers friendly. Potato Salad is the ultimate summer salad! And I don't know about you, but as soon as summer hits, I find myself craving it. Is it even really summer until the potato salad comes out?
Potato Salad really isn't that bad when you're following the Weight Watchers program, as long as you stick to ones that aren't loaded with cheese and fattening things. The best part is that you'd never know this Healthy Potato Salad is WW friendly! This recipe pairs well with any BBQ or picnic food, but it's ideal with BBQ Slow Cooker Beer Ribs.
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I'm pretty fussy about potato salad, and this one is amazing! I've been making this traditional potato salad my entire life, and this is the same potato salad recipe my Mom and my Grandma made. I thought it was time to share it with the rest of the world.
Although it's been changed a little over the years by both my Mom and me, the basic, classic potato salad recipe remains. My Mom always used low-fat mayonnaise (Hellman's to be precise, because it tastes the best) and I do the same.
If you love potato salad, be sure to try my award-winning Pierogi Potato Salad too!
🥘 Ingredient Notes
This easy potato salad is healthy because it's basically made with a few wholesome and simple ingredients like potatoes, eggs, and vegetables. And using lighter mayonnaise cuts the mayonnaise fat and calories in potato salad by HALF! This is a pretty big deal.
And I personally prefer the taste of low-fat mayonnaise to regular mayonnaise. And as far as I'm concerned, potato salad just isn't potato salad unless it has mayonnaise, not Greek yogurt or sour cream, as some recipes call for! Eggs are another part of potato salad that is completely non-negotiable. I use a lot of eggs in my salad, and it makes it taste great.
For this low-fat potato salad, you'll need:
- Potatoes. I recommend red potatoes because they hold their shape even after they're cooked. They make for a creamy potato salad and are less grainy than starchy potatoes.
- Pickle juice (from a jar of dill pickles). Pickle juice gives this potato salad a nice zippy tangy flavor, without adding extra calories!
- Mayonnaise. I use Hellman's ½ the fat, as this brand tastes the best, in my opinion.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Onions- you can use red onions instead of green onions, if you prefer
- Potatoes - you can use any kind of potatoes, but the best potatoes are waxy potatoes (new potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or red potatoes) as they hold their shape even after they're cooked. They make for a creamy potato salad and are less grainy than starchy potatoes. Yukon gold is a good all-purpose potato and will work well in this salad. I do not recommend using a starchy potato (like Russet potatoes or Idaho) as they tend to get mushier.
- Mayonnaise - use any brand you prefer, and regular or low-fat
- Pickle juice - you can substitute red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar (be sure to add the dill in this case) or apple cider vinegar in a pinch
- Fresh herbs - you could garnish with a little fresh dill, if you wish
🔪How to Make Weight Watchers Potato Salad
PREP: Peel and cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 1: Place the diced potatoes in a large stockpot and add enough water so that the potatoes are covered by at least 2 inches. Cook over medium-high heat until the water reaches a boil. Then reduce heat to medium to maintain the simmer, and continue cooking the potatoes for 5-8 minutes or until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork.
- Step 2: Drain water from potatoes through a colander and cool. I chill them in the refrigerator for about 20- 30 minutes.
- Step 3: Meanwhile, hard-boil eggs (or do this the night before and keep in cold water in the fridge overnight. Put 6 eggs in medium pot with cold water covering eggs. TIP: Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water (this makes them easier to peel). Bring to a boil on high, then turn down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes uncovered. Pour out hot water and fill pot with cold water. Allow to sit in cold water for 15 minutes before peeling. Chill in fridge with potatoes for at least 20-30 minutes.* I usually cook the potatoes and eggs the night before.
- Step 4: In large bowl, add cold chopped eggs, cold potatoes, mayonnaise, radishes, green onion, pickle juice and salt together with potatoes.
- Step 5: Gently mix together.
- Step 6: Transfer the potato salad to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to fully chill. Serve chilled, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Garnish: Garnish with sliced eggs, sliced radishes, and paprika just prior to serving.
Top Tip
To get uniform slices of egg, use an egg slicer.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Don't overcook the eggs. if you want your homemade potato salad to look pretty, you need to make sure you don't overcook the eggs so you don't get that unattractive dark ring around the yolk. This can also be avoided by running cold water over the just-cooked eggs until they are completely cooled (see video below). Then refrigerate the eggs in their shells until you're ready to use them. Hard-cooked eggs in the shell can be refrigerated up to one week.
- Use uniform potato cuts for even cooking. Cut the potatoes into evenly-sized cubes (about 1 inch) so they cook at the same rate and you avoid some being mushy while others are undercooked.
- Add vegetables after chilling. To retain crunch and color, mix in delicate ingredients like radishes and green onions after the potatoes and eggs have cooled completely.
- Taste after chilling. Cold dulls flavor. Always taste the potato salad after it’s fully chilled and adjust salt or pickle juice as needed before serving.
- Use a silicone spatula for mixing. To avoid mashing the potatoes or overmixing, use a soft spatula and fold the ingredients together gently.
- Customize texture. If you prefer a creamier salad, mash a few of the potato chunks before mixing them in. It adds body without needing more mayo.
- Let it rest for best flavor. This salad is best when made at least a few hours in advance—or even the night before—as it allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Garnish right before serving. Add sliced eggs, paprika, or fresh herbs like dill just before serving to keep garnishes looking fresh and vibrant.
🌡️Storage
Store this classic potato salad for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. These ingredients do not stand up to freezing.
🥗 What to eat with WW Potato Salad
If you're looking for a lighter main, this ww potato salad goes really well with these grilled meat: Marinated Grilled Maple Pork, Grilled Greek Ribs or BBQ Beer Butt Chicken (shown).
And if you're looking for more sides for beer can chicken, check out this post on What to Serve with Beer Can Chicken!
👪 Serving Size
This ww potato salad recipe makes 10 servings. Each serving is approximately ¾ cup. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This healthy potato salad recipe is also a Weight Watchers potato salad recipe. It is 5 weight watchers points for about ¾ cup, according to my ww app. So, if you're looking for lighter potato salad, try this one!
❔Recipe FAQ's
Yes, this potato salad is perfect for making ahead! In fact, chilling it for a few hours (or overnight) improves the flavor. Just keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge and garnish before serving.
Try using even less mayonnaise or substituting half with fat-free Greek yogurt (if you're open to a tangier taste). You could also increase the vegetables and reduce the portion size to stretch servings.
While traditionally served chilled, this salad can be served slightly warm or at room temperature—just skip the final chilling step. However, it’s best cold if you are bringing it to a picnic or BBQ.
Pickle juice adds tang and depth of flavor without overpowering the salad and without the need for extra salt. Plus, it’s a great way to reduce waste from pickle jars!
This red potato salad is easy to make and goes great with just about any meal, so it's the perfect side dish! You can easily pack it for a picnic or bring it to a potluck, family gathering, or backyard BBQ. It's also ideal for making ahead, which I usually do.
So boil up some potatoes and eggs and make this Healthy Potato Salad for your next BBQ or summer meal!
Enjoy! ~
🥗More Healthy Summer Salads
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📋 Healthy Potato Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 large red potatoes peeled and diced into approx 1 inch cubes
- 6 large eggs, hard-boiled
- 4 whole green onions, chopped
- 6 whole radishes, chopped
- 4 tablespoon pickle juice *from jar of pickles
- 1 cup mayonnaise * I use Hellman's ½ the fat
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Garnish
- 2 radishes
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Peel and cut potatoes into bite size pieces.8 large red potatoes
- Place the diced potatoes in a large stockpot and add enough water so that the potatoes are covered by at least 2 inches. Cook over medium-high heat until the water reaches a boil.6 large eggs, hard-boiled
- Then reduce heat to medium to maintain the simmer, and continue cooking the potatoes for 5-8 minutes or until the potatoes pierce easily with a fork. Drain water from potatoes through a colander and cool. I chill them in the refrigerator for about 20- 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, hard-boil eggs (or do this the night before and keep in cold water in the fridge overnight.Put 6 eggs in medium pot with cold water covering eggs. Bring to a boil on high, then turn down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes uncovered. Pour out hot water and fill pot with cold water. Allow to sit in cold water for 15 minutes before peeling. Chill in fridge with potatoes for at least 20-30 minutes. * I usually cook the potatoes and eggs the night before.
- In a large bowl, gently mix eggs, potatoes, mayonnaise, radishes, green onion, pickle juice and salt together.4 whole green onions, chopped, 6 whole radishes, chopped, 4 tablespoon pickle juice, 1 cup mayonnaise, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Transfer the potato salad to a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to fully chill. Serve chilled, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
Garnish
- Before serving, garnish with paprika by sprinkling and additional eggs and radishes, if desired.2 radishes, 2 eggs
Notes
- Don't overcook the eggs. if you want your homemade potato salad to look pretty, you need to make sure you don't overcook the eggs so you don't get that unattractive dark ring around the yolk. This can also be avoided by running cold water over the just-cooked eggs until they are completely cooled (see video below). Then refrigerate the eggs in their shells until you're ready to use them. Hard-cooked eggs in the shell can be refrigerated up to one week.
- Use uniform potato cuts for even cooking. Cut the potatoes into evenly-sized cubes (about 1 inch) so they cook at the same rate and you avoid some being mushy while others are undercooked.
- Add vegetables after chilling. To retain crunch and color, mix in delicate ingredients like radishes and green onions after the potatoes and eggs have cooled completely.
- Taste after chilling. Cold dulls flavor. Always taste the potato salad after it’s fully chilled and adjust salt or pickle juice as needed before serving.
- Use a silicone spatula for mixing. To avoid mashing the potatoes or overmixing, use a soft spatula and fold the ingredients together gently.
- Customize texture. If you prefer a creamier salad, mash a few of the potato chunks before mixing them in. It adds body without needing more mayo.
- Let it rest for best flavor. This salad is best when made at least a few hours in advance—or even the night before—as it allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Garnish right before serving. Add sliced eggs, paprika, or fresh herbs like dill just before serving to keep garnishes looking fresh and vibrant.
Terri Gilson
You're going to love this potato salad recipe. It's the same one my family has been making for generations, with just a few tweaks to make it healthier. I use lots of eggs and low-fat mayo, which keeps that classic potato salad taste while cutting the calories in half. It's perfect for summer gatherings and you won't even notice it's WW friendly!