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Classic New England Recipe: Easy and Healthy Potato Salad

August 14, 2021 by rogalsgirl Leave a Comment

healthy potato salad

Has it been hot where you are? This past week has been a tidal wave of heat, humidity, a relentless sun, and it’s perfect for days spent in the ocean. We Mainers spend most of our lives in the bitter cold, longing for a spark of warmth. Yet when the heat comes, we can not help but crave the cold. We toughen the soles of our feet against the rocky, barnacle-speckled beaches just to reach the frigid, salty waters and escape the heavy heat for a short while. Humid Maine summers are squired by cold, salty dips into the ocean and a lingering appetite for cold foods. Classic summery things like popsicles, cold and juicy watermelon, and as much fresh lemonade as I can squeeze. I love to experiment with things I can truly make my own, and a healthy potato salad has been my go-to for years.

Potato salad can be so many different things. It seems everyone, everywhere has their own version. I’ve seen Japanese potato salads, potato salads with curry, vegan, no mayo, with bacon and vinegar, and many more variations. Then of course there is that classic, less than healthy potato salad that is a bit like eating spoonfuls of mayo, but it’s still kind of good. I consider my own version to be a bit rustic, and packed full of veggies without feeling too vegetable heavy. It’s satisfying and full of flavor. It’s also perfect for hot days when you can’t bear to turn on the stove, or if you’re headed out and want to toss it into a cooler.

We’ve been spending a lot of time down at the pond and on the ocean. I do tend to overpack on our outings now (perhaps it comes with the territory of being a mom…? I don’t know.) and this healthy potato salad usually tags along with us. My kids all love it, and rarely tire of it. My oldest daughter Amelia, who tends to turn up her nose at most vegetables, would eat this every day if I were to serve it to her. She’s more of the aforementioned mayo-heavy potato salad enthusiast. But a healthy potato salad? I’ve actually come downstairs to find her eating it for breakfast some mornings. For a girl who I’d assume would love the mayo-heavy version, this one really knocked it out of the park.

Steps and Tips to Make A Healthy Potato Salad

healthy potato salad

1) The first step is to prep all of the vegetables. For this potato salad I like to use:

  • Red potatoes
  • Dill pickles
  • Celery
  • Carrot
  • Red Onion
  • Dill
  • Parsley

2) While this healthy potato salad does have a nice array of veggies in them, I like to keep them fairly subtle by chopping them vert small and keeping the potatoes larger in size. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1″ cubes, and everything else can be diced quite small. For the carrots, I like to grate them using a cheese grater (or you can use a food processor), and then chop up the grated carrot into even smaller pieces. The herbs can be roughly chopped.

3) Once all of your vegetables are prepped, most of the work is already done! Next, blanch the potatoes. Blanching sounds like a fancy cooking to term, but it’s really just boiling something and then as soon as it’s done you plunge it into cold water to stop at from cooking any further. Potatoes hold a lot of heat and when you strain them there is a lot of steam, so they will continue to cook and soften if you leave them sitting in a strainer after boiling. Since we don’t want our potatoes too mushy, I recommend boiling about 8-10 minutes. To be sure, you can poke a fork through one piece of potato and see how soft it is. You want it to be tender, but not falling apart. Once they are tender, strain them and dump them into a larger pot of cold water, or quickly rinse them off with cold water until they have cooled. Set them aside for a few minutes to dry.

4) Once the potatoes have cooled off to at least room temperature, it’s time to mix everything together. Combine all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well until everything is nicely distributed and lightly coated with mayonnaise.

5) Finish by adding salt and pepper to taste.

Healthy New England Potato Salad

This potato salad is satisfying and filling- packed with veggies and only a light amount of mayo.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Servings 6 People

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Lbs Red Potatoes, chopped into one inch cubes
  • 4-5 Pickle spears, diced
  • 2-3 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 1/4 Cup Red Onion, diced
  • 2-3 Carrots, grated and then chopped
  • 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 Large Handful Fresh Dill
  • 1 Large Handful Fresh Parsley
  • Salt + Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Blanch the potatoes by boiling them about 7-10 minutes (until just tender, but don't overcook them so they fall apart) and immediately rinse with cold water or plunge into a pot of cold water after straining. Allow them to cool.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the additional vegetables as listed above. Most of these vegetables are diced. For the carrots, grate them with a cheese grater or food processor, and then roughly chop into smaller pieces.
  • Chop the fresh dill and parsley, and set aside.
  • Once the potatoes have cooled to at least room temperature, combine all of vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mix well to coat everything lightly with mayo.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste (I start with approximately 2-3 tsp salt, and several good shakes of pepper)
  • Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

A Little About Me…

Hi! I’m Amber, a food photographer and recipe developer in Maine.

I work as a food photographer, stylist and recipe developer throughout the New England area, capturing various food stories, products and recipes. I also write regularly on my food blog, Downeats. I love to inspire others to cook and enjoy delicious, healthy meals with their loved ones. I grew up and still live in Maine with my (gorgeous, wonderful, hardworking) high school sweetheart and our (hilarious, talented and beautiful) children. I believe in living slow and enjoying life and I love to capture shared moments. You can read more about me here. If you are looking for a food photographer or recipe developer please contact me here.

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Downeats is a journal that shares food stories and recipes, and photography. It is devoted to home cooking, gathering with loved ones, living slow and imperfectly. The name Downeats is a foodie play on the Downeast region of the coast of Maine- so everything is New England inspired.

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amberrogals

Are you team pasta salad or team potato salad??
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I grew up on my Opa’s German potato salad, which was incredibly delicious every single summer and has certainly made me team potato salad. Since my mid 20s I’ve played around with a lot of different versions of potato salad (there are sooo many) but the past few years have found myself pretty loyal to this veggie one. The kids love it, too, so… bonus. 
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Now that warm weather is finally here, this is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket. The fresh herbs are really key, don’t be afraid to go heavy on them! Here’s the recipe:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3 Lbs Red Potatoes, chopped into one inch cubes
4-5 Pickle spears, diced
2-3 Stalks Celery, diced
1/4 Cup Red Onion, diced
2-3 Carrots, grated and then chopped
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Large Handful Fresh Dill
1 Large Handful Fresh Parsley
Salt + Pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
 
Blanch the potatoes by boiling them about 7-10 minutes (until just tender, but don't overcook them so they fall apart) and immediately rinse with cold water or plunge into a pot of cold water after straining. Set them back in the strainer to dry for 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the additional vegetables as listed above. Most of these vegetables are diced. For the carrots, grate them with a cheese grater or food processor, and then roughly chop into smaller pieces.
Chop the fresh dill and parsley, and set aside.
Once the potatoes have cooled to at least room temperature, combine all of vegetables and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mix well to coat everything lightly with mayo.
Add salt and pepper to taste (I start with approximately 2-3 tsp salt, and several good shakes of pepper)
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Enjoy! It’s soooo good.

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Years ago there was a blog I read regularly that w Years ago there was a blog I read regularly that would post a cake recipe on Sunday called Sunday’s Cake. I always loved it because I love weekend baking with the kids. Plus you have a yummy cake to enjoy throughout the week (though let's be real, with now 6 of us the cake lasts more like one day, ha)
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On June 1st, I'm finally getting my weekly newsletter off the ground and out into the world: The Slow Living Supper Club. I’ll be sharing seasonally inspired family recipes, thoughts on motherhood, slow living lifestyle tips, and of course, a cake recipe every weekend. A few recipes to come:
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-Maine Blueberry shortcake
-Raspberry Spoon Cake
-Glazed Chocolate Zucchini Cake
-Black Cherry Clafoutis
-Summer Fruit Cake
-Spiced Banana Cake (pictured)
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And lots more! Interested in joining the Slow Living Supper Club? The link to join is in my bio!

#foodie #maine #downeast #eatmaine #newengland #cake #slowliving #supperclub #newsletter #communityfirst #midcoastmaine #thewaylifeshouldbe #foodblogger #foodporn #foodphotography #foodstyling #foodstagram #instafood #f52community #eatcaptureshare #yum #bananacake
Happy Mother's Day! A not-so-quick message for all Happy Mother's Day! A not-so-quick message for all the moms:
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You are amazing. You are needed. You are appreciated. You are loved. I see you out there killing it- even on the days it feels like you're not. Motherhood is difficult! I'll be the first to admit the mistakes I've made on this journey. Silly mistakes, bad mistakes, embarrassing mistakes, funny mistakes... and some painful mistakes. But motherhood IS a journey, and there is no way to venture through it and get everything right on your first try (or second, or third...!)
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If you're a mom you probably know how easy it is to slip into feelings of inadequacy, overwhelm, and exhaustion- mental or otherwise. It can linger for days, weeks, or longer. While these feelings don't creep up on me as often as they used to, one thing I started telling myself years ago is that the perfect mother doesn't exist. We are human; we all have flaws. We have unpleasant normalities. We get tired, we get hungry, moody, annoyed, self-conscious.... We don't always say the right things.
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What would it take for you to give yourself a little more grace? What would it take to focus on how far you've come, instead of the times you didn't have it all together? We HAVE to give ourselves (and each other) grace as mothers, because it's the only way to truly move forward. I am not a perfect mother and I will NEVER claim to be (so far from it, ahaha). But I am a great mother for my children, and I'm certain that you are a great one for yours. ❤️
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Happy Mothers Day 🌹
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#mothersday #happymothersday #momlife #momblogger #wahm #momboss #momgoals #parenthood
Drop a 💛 if you’re ready for spring already! Drop a 💛 if you’re ready for spring already! 
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A bit of raw honesty- these past few winters have been really hard on me. They’re dark, frigid, dormant and the isolation makes me depressed. Mostly this comes out in the form of extreme fatigue, creative blocks, and self sabotage.
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Mental health is something that I’m still learning to prioritize- it’s a practice. As a mom I have found it especially hard to prioritize, but on the flip side, all the more important. Right now, my mental health practice looks like this:
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-Exercise 5x per week. I mix it up with long walks and yoga.
-Meditation. Not daily, but a few times per week.
-Water!! I drink water daily, and rotate through essences by @freedomfloweressence which I’m basically obsessed with. Call it woo woo if you want, but it has worked wonders for me. I’m taking their Confidence one currently!
-Talking with a therapist once a month (highly recommend @elizabeth.ritual if you’re looking!)
-Daily journal. This is the biggest and most impactful for my healing and wellness journey. Writing has always been my internal process, and it has done wonders for my mental health.
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I know how easy it is to not prioritize mental health or even not take it seriously, but in my experience it truly can take a toll on physical health, relationships, life goals, etc. Do you prioritize mental health? Share one of your non-negotiables 👇👇
I started my business, Downeats, a year ago after I started my business, Downeats, a year ago after spending 2021 building my skills as a food photographer. Downeats is a play on the word “Downeast”- a way to pay homage to Maine which has shaped the majority of my experience with food. I wanted to work with amazing food brands doing food and lifestyle photography and styling, and build an online blog/community that provided people with simple, beautiful and seasonally inspired recipes.
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In January 2022, when I started Downeats, I wrote down local businesses that I would be absolutely thrilled to work with. Back then I was way to intimidated to reach out and “pitch” to them, but they were on my list and I eyed them from afar…. Mostly just dreaming. A few of them were:
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@MainePieCo
@ChoomiNaturals
@EdibleMaine
@MaineCrisp
@GneissSpice
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Now, a year later, I have worked with all of them on the list- and it’s been truly amazing. Some days it feels surreal to be working with such wonderful people who have also built their brands from the ground up. It’s surreal to have people value my work, my opinion, and my perspective. Pictured here is my second published piece for @EdibleMaine
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If you are visualizing something for yourself please know that it CAN happen if you make it happen. Sometimes the things we dream of feel so close yet so far. We wonder how can we get from here to there? So much of what holds us back from the life we envision is fear- but what does it look like to face those fears? Scary, uncomfortable, awkward? YES. It is. I’ve done it. But what about after that? After the discomfort fades away? You might be left with opportunity, potential, and a newly forged path forward.
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#dreambig #maine #foodphotography #toast #lox #foodie #maineeats #eatmaine #seafood #newengland #ediblemagazine #foodstyling #foodphotographer #gutsoverfear #nofear #liveyourdreams
Fresh spring rolls are quickly becoming my happy p Fresh spring rolls are quickly becoming my happy place ✨😍 

#springroll #springrolls #freshspringrolls #eatyourveggies #eattherainbow #veggielover #healthyrecipes #cleaneating #slowliving #foodie #f52grams #f52community #delicious #eatcaptureshare #foodstagram #fresh
This weekend I hope you can: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This weekend I hope you can:
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-Embrace rest
-Practice yoga
-Catch up on some reading
-Bake a cake
-Call a loved one
-Get outside

I will be attempting all of the above.
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Happy weekend 💕
Favorite breakfast, basically. #breakfastideas #m Favorite breakfast, basically.

#breakfastideas #morning #breakfast #foodphotography #foodstyling #ricebowl #foodie #f52community #f52grams #delicious #nomnom #slowliving #foodstylist

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