I’m not a big potato salad lover. When I see it on the tables at gatherings, it’s usually a big ol’ skip for me.

I tend to go for the deviled eggs, the fruit salad, the bloody mary’s. Oh the bloody mary’s. Here’s my problem with potato salad: the ratio of sauce/dressing to potato isn’t always that great. I find that most of the time potato salads are sort of dry. And when they’re not, they’re just drenched in mayonnaise. I love mayonnaise, don’t get it twisted, I just don’t like a ton of it.

If you, too, are sort of a potato salad hater, this one is for you. It has a bit of a spring twist. The dressing doesn’t have a drop of mayonnaise in it. Instead, it relies on fresh herbs, while blanched leeks and bacon add some nice flavor. It’s simple but oh so delicious.

No-Mayo Potato Salad

You don't have to drench potato salad in mayo to make it good! Just add some bacon and leeks instead. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of the Fresh Tastes Blog)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt
• 3 slices of bacon
• 1 small leek, thinly sliced and washed (ends discarded)
• 1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves
• 7 mint leaves
• 1 anchovy filet
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and toss them with a few teaspoons of olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Push the potatoes to one side of the baking sheet and place the bacon on the other side of the baking sheet. (We’re saving dishes here, my friends!) Transfer to the oven and bake until the bacon is cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove the bacon and transfer to a paper towel to drain. Bake the potatoes for an additional 15 minutes more, until they’re tender when poked with a fork. Set the potatoes aside until they’re cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan filled with water, to a boil. Add the sliced leeks and blanch for about 30 seconds, until slightly softened and bright in color. Drain and add them to a medium bowl. At this time, the potatoes and bacon will be cool enough to chop. Slice the potatoes in half and add them to the medium bowl. Next, dice up the bacon and add them to the bowl with the potatoes.
3. To a blender or food processor, add the parsley, mint, olive oil, anchovy, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pulse until smooth. If the mixture is a bit too thick, pour in an additional tablespoon of olive oil and pulse once more. Pour atop the potato mixture and toss until thoroughly coated. Serve room temperature.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.