Best Cottage Cheese Potato Salad

I never thought cottage cheese belonged in potato salad until my neighbor brought some to a block party last summer. I was skeptical—mayonnaise is what goes in potato salad, right? But one bite changed my mind completely.

Turns out, cottage cheese makes potato salad lighter and tangier than the mayo version, without all that heaviness that usually comes with it. You get little pockets of creamy texture mixed with the potatoes, and when you add in pickles and fresh dill, it tastes like summer in a bowl. Plus, it’s got way more protein than regular potato salad, which means you can actually feel good about going back for seconds.

What Kind of Cottage Cheese Should I Use?

For potato salad, you’ll want to grab a standard 16-ounce tub of cottage cheese from the dairy aisle. Small curd cottage cheese tends to work better here since it mixes more evenly throughout the salad and gives you a creamier consistency. That said, large curd will work just fine if that’s what you have on hand – it’ll just give you a bit more texture in each bite. I’d recommend sticking with full-fat or at least 2% cottage cheese rather than fat-free, as it provides better flavor and helps the dressing coat the potatoes nicely.

Options for Substitutions

This potato salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Baby red bliss potatoes: You can use any waxy potato like Yukon golds or new potatoes. Avoid russets though – they’re too starchy and will fall apart in this salad.
• Cottage cheese: If you’re not a cottage cheese fan, try Greek yogurt or sour cream instead. You’ll get a similar creamy texture with a slightly different tang. Use the same amount as the cottage cheese.
• Fresh dill: No fresh dill? Use 1 teaspoon of dried dill instead, or swap in fresh parsley or chives for a different flavor profile.
• Italian dressing: You can make your own by mixing olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and Italian herbs, or use a simple vinaigrette. Just keep the tangy element to balance the creaminess.
• Scallions: Regular yellow or red onion works fine – just use about 1/3 cup since they’re stronger. You could also try chives for a milder onion flavor.
• Pickles or cucumber: Either works great here. Pickles add more tang while cucumber keeps things lighter and fresher. You can also skip this entirely if you prefer.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking your potatoes is the biggest mistake you can make with this salad – they should be fork-tender but still hold their shape, not mushy or falling apart. To test if they’re done, pierce them with a fork after about 15-20 minutes of boiling, and if it slides in easily but the potato doesn’t crumble, you’re good to go. Another common error is dressing the potatoes while they’re still hot, which can make the cottage cheese mixture separate and turn watery, so let them cool to room temperature first or pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes. Finally, don’t skip seasoning with salt and pepper at the end – cottage cheese can be pretty bland on its own, so taste your salad before serving and adjust the seasoning to bring out all the flavors.

What to Serve With Cottage Cheese Potato Salad?

This potato salad is perfect for summer cookouts and pairs beautifully with just about anything you’d throw on the grill. I love serving it alongside burgers, hot dogs, or grilled chicken for a classic backyard meal that everyone enjoys. It also works great as a side dish for pulled pork sandwiches or barbecue ribs since the creamy, tangy flavors balance out smoky meats really well. For a lighter option, try pairing it with grilled fish or shrimp skewers, and don’t forget some fresh corn on the cob to round out your plate.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your cottage cheese potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to mingle together, so it’s great for making ahead for picnics or potlucks.

Make Ahead: This salad is perfect for prepping in advance. You can make it up to a day before you need it, which gives the dressing time to soak into the potatoes. Just give it a good stir before serving and add a splash more Italian dressing if it seems a bit dry.

Serve: Potato salad is best served chilled, so pull it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before serving if you want to take the chill off slightly. If you’re taking it to a gathering, keep it in a cooler with ice packs since dairy-based salads need to stay cold.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1250-1350
• Protein: 50-55 g
• Fat: 20-25 g
• Carbohydrates: 210-230 g

Ingredients

For the potato base:

• 3 lb potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2/3 cup scallions (sliced into thin rounds)
• 1/3 cup pickles (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the dressing:

• 16 oz cottage cheese (I use Good Culture for the best texture)
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing (I prefer Ken’s Steak House for extra tang)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients and Start Cooking Potatoes

• 3 lb potatoes
• 2/3 cup scallions
• 1/3 cup pickles
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Wash the potatoes thoroughly under cold running water, then cut them into 1-inch cubes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you’re prepping.

Once boiling, add the potato cubes and cook for 12-15 minutes until they’re fork-tender but still holding their shape.

While the potatoes cook, slice the scallions into thin rounds, dice the pickles into 1/4-inch pieces, and chop the fresh dill.

Having all your mise en place ready will make assembly quick and easy.

Step 2: Make the Creamy Dressing Base

• 16 oz cottage cheese
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• dill from Step 1

While the potatoes are cooking, combine the cottage cheese, chopped dill from Step 1, Italian dressing, and Dijon mustard in a blender or food processor.

Blend until smooth and creamy—this takes just 30 seconds to a minute.

I find that blending these ingredients creates a much more cohesive sauce that coats the potatoes better than just stirring them together.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 3: Combine and Chill

• potatoes from Step 1
• creamy dressing from Step 2
• scallions from Step 1
• pickles from Step 1
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Drain the cooked potatoes from Step 1 thoroughly and spread them on a baking sheet to cool for 5-10 minutes—this prevents them from becoming mushy when you mix in the dressing.

Once cooled slightly, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and add the creamy dressing mixture from Step 2.

Gently fold in the sliced scallions and diced pickles, then season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors meld together.

Best Cottage Cheese Potato Salad

Delicious Best Cottage Cheese Potato Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 1300

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the potato base

• 3 lb potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 2/3 cup scallions (sliced into thin rounds)
• 1/3 cup pickles (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

For the dressing

• 16 oz cottage cheese (I use Good Culture for the best texture)
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing (I prefer Ken's Steak House for extra tang)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

 

1. Wash the potatoes thoroughly under cold running water, then cut them into 1-inch cubes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while you're prepping. Once boiling, add the potato cubes and cook for 12-15 minutes until they're fork-tender but still holding their shape. While the potatoes cook, slice the scallions into thin rounds, dice the pickles into 1/4-inch pieces, and chop the fresh dill. Having all your mise en place ready will make assembly quick and easy.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, combine the cottage cheese, chopped dill from Step 1, Italian dressing, and Dijon mustard in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy—this takes just 30 seconds to a minute. I find that blending these ingredients creates a much more cohesive sauce that coats the potatoes better than just stirring them together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
3. Drain the cooked potatoes from Step 1 thoroughly and spread them on a baking sheet to cool for 5-10 minutes—this prevents them from becoming mushy when you mix in the dressing. Once cooled slightly, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and add the creamy dressing mixture from Step 2. Gently fold in the sliced scallions and diced pickles, then season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors meld together.