This potato salad recipe has apples in the mix for a bit of sweetness and a lot of crunch.
Did you know that potato salad isn’t only for summer BBQs? In fact, in Germany it’s popular to have potato salad (with sausages…yum!) on Christmas Eve.
That may seem a bit strange. But ask yourself why it is that potato salad is so perfect for BBQs. It’s because potato salad is easy to make in large quantities, right? Large quantities that are full of deliciousness. So much deliciousness that I’d be happy to eat large quantities of it at every celebration, from summer to winter and all the months in between.
Lighter Potato Salad
But if we’re going to eat potato salad all year long, I think it’s necessary that we revise the ingredients a little bit to make it a tiny bit healthier (but still celebratory, of course!).
When I think about lightening potato salad, I usually think about the mayonnaise. I end up opting for low-fat mayonnaise, less mayonnaise, or no mayonnaise. But this time I was fixated on the carb loaded potatoes. I thought that one way to make potato salad a bit healthier might be to put less potatoes in it. But what to add instead?
Making Apple Potato Salad
I decided to try adding apples. Why? One of the things I like to add to potato salad is celery. Celery and apples taste amazing together. I was hoping that they would work here. I also added some apple cider vinegar to the dressing to tie that apple flavor in throughout.
The result? You’ve got to try it! The apples add a little bit of sweetness and a lot of crunch. And they just plain work. So much so that I swear I’m going to put apples in all of my potato salads, all year long, from now on.
I used Jazz apples for mine, which are crisp with a good amount of sweetness. Feel free to use Gala or your favorite variety though. For the potatoes, you can use a baking potato like a russet or an all-purpose like Yukon gold potatoes. Find more about the types of potatoes and their uses here.
More Side Dish Recipes
I have over 100 side dishes for you to discover, but here’s a few that I think you’ll especially enjoy if you love this potato salad recipe.
Apple Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooling Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
This potato salad recipe has apples for wonderful crunch and a bit of sweetness. It’s delicious. You got to try it!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. baking potatoes
- Salt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat or regular)
- 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. neutral-flavored oil, like grape seed or vegetable
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 2 jazz apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks (leave the peel on)
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Put potatoes into a medium pot with 2 teaspoons of salt. Cover with cold water. Heat to a boil over high heat, partially covered.
- Uncover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until fork-tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Drain and allow to cool for 15-30 minutes.
- In a large bowl use a fork to whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Add the celery, green onions, and apples along with the cooled potatoes.
- Stir and serve.
This post originally appeared in July 2014 and was revised and republished in July 2022.