Tzatziki Potato Salad
Say it with me, now: Tzah-zee-key... Tzat-zi-ki.... Tzatziki! See? Now you're a pro!
It's a wonder that something so hard to pronounce on the first try is so simple to make and enjoy. Tzatziki sauce is generally enjoyed with gyros, grilled seasoned meats and veggies, and in Greek and Mediterranean dishes. It's base is greek yogurt, so it's zippy and delicious while carrying crazy nutritional value. With 0 grams of fat and a whopping 23 grams of protein per cup, I try to work greek yogurt into dishes pretty often. Combine that with fresh cucumber, dill and garlic and you have a party.
Besides the amazing nutrients, tzatziki is so versatile! Use it as a dip, a dressing, sandwich spread, lotion... Okay scratch that last one. I just love it so much! Because of my undying love for this elixir, I thought "why not combine it with my other loves in life, bacon, potatoes and celery??"
Yes, I know mixing too many good things may cause side effects of sidesplitting joy and world peace, but can you blame me? I was blinded by love; it happens.
The best thing about this dish? It gets better as it sits. The flavors all meld together and on day 2-3 it's heaven. Make this a night before a barbeque, baby shower or night at home and you're set. Or! Whip it up 2 hours before and it's still amazing. Tzatziki, you wizard.
Tzatziki Potato Salad
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 15-20 side servings
Ingredients:
- 20 small red potatoes
- 3 medium stalks celery, chopped
- 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup 0% plain greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp mayo
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh dill, chopped
- 3/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1. Peel and grate cucumber, place gratings into paper towel lined strainer. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and let sit for 20 minutes to "sweat" out a bit of water. Set a large pot of water to boil, and wash potatoes. When water if boiling, put potatoes in and cover for about 15-20 minutes or until a fork is able to prick potatoes with ease.
2. Over sink, squeeze cucumber in the paper towel to release excess water (don't strain yourself! A bit of water is okay, but get as much out as possible). Combine cucumber, greek yogurt, mayo, garlic, lemon, chopped dill and salt and pepper in a bowl until well mixed. Cover and set in fridge until ready to mix salad.
3. When potatoes are done, strain and spread out on a cookie sheet/cutting board to cool until able to be handled. Cut into quarters, toss in a bowl, add the tzatziki sauce and mix (this helps prevent the potatoes from sticking to each other and allowing a bit of everything in every bite). Add chopped celery, and crumbled bacon and mix one final time. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.
4. ENJOY and post with #perfectleehungry.
