Do you ever make cold potato salad when it is not summer? I can’t remember a time when I have. Is that strange? Maybe a little, but it probably has more to do with never wanting to turn the oven on in the summer to cook anything or eating anything that is hot. And fall and winter is not time for anytime cold, I just want my potatoes hot.
I just reasoned myself my own question.
Anyway, cold potato salad. A classic summertime staple just in time for all the BBQ’s, picnics, lazy days spent at home doing nothing , and basically eating anywhere, anytime. Yes,a great side dish but I have been known to have myself a little bowl here or there for a nice snack. Heck, it would make for a nice filling breakfast treat as well. It’s your potato salad ad you can it it whenever you dang well please.
This potato salad is pretty classic in the since that is is boiled potatoes covered with creaminess except the creaminess comes form beans and not mayo. And let me tell you, the mayo is not missed in the slightest here. The bean cream is made from cannellini beans which when blended, are nice and smooth and not overly beany. Added to the cream is pickle juice and mustard for a slight tang. And it all gets mixed together with onions to complete the dish. Simple yes, but so good. And because it is mayo free, everyone can eat it, making it a perfect side dish to bring along or share at any eating event with people that might have a different style of eating. Because we all deserve some so good potato salad, don’t ya think?
Now to the potato salad!
The stuff. Potatoes, caneillini beans, an onion, a few cloves garlic, brown mustard, ground flax seeds, pickle juice, and salt and pepper
Start by dicing up potatoes into inch-ish sized chunks.
Rinse then place the potatoes into a pot completely submerged in cold water. Sprinkle in a good pinch of salt and set on stove to boil.
In the mean time, dice up onions into small pieces. Also chop garlic into smaller pieces.
Place onions into a big bowl along with a pinch of salt and1/4 cup of pickle juice (or vinegar if you prefer)
Now make bean cream. Strain all the liquid from the beans then place 1/4 cup back in. Add the rest of the pickle juice, the mustard, the chipped garlic, and the ground flax seed. Blend until smooth.
Once the potatoes are nice and from tender, remove from heat and strain away the liquid.
Toss the warm potatoes into the bowl with the pickling onion. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes so potatoes have time to cool and absorb picking liquid.
When potatoes have slightly cooled, dump the bean puree an and toss until combined.
And there you have it, super delicious creamy cannellini bean potato salad. If you want to be a little fancy, dice up something green (I used broccoli) to sprinkle on top. It never hurts!
Happy Summertime eating!
-C
Creamy Cannellini Bean Potato Salad
About 2 1/2 pounds potatoes ( I used Yukon gold)
a large onion
2 heaping tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 heaping tablespoon ground flax seed
2 cups cooked cannellini beans with 1/4 cup bean liquid
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pickle juice (or any type of vinegar)
salt and pepper
Start by dicing up potatoes into cubes about and inch big. Place potatoes in a large pot, rinse in water, strain, then refill pot with cold water until all potatoes are submerged. Add a large pinch of salt to pot and then stick pot on high heat on stove until it starts to boil. Once water is boiling, lower heat but keep at a soft boil. Cook potatoes until fork tender which should take about 15 minutes.
While potatoes are cooking, dice up the onion into small pieces. Place in a large bowl along with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of pickle juice. Toss around and set aside.
The cannellini bean cream. Strain the beans but reserve 1/4 cup of liquid. Add liquid back to beans along with the other 1/4 cup pickle juice, the garlic, the mustard and flax seeds, and a small pinch of salt and lots of pepper. With either a hand blender or regular blender, blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Also if the puree seems really thick, add in another splash of pickle juice. To thin, add in another tablespoon ground flax seeds.
Once potatoes are fully cooked, strain from water and toss the potatoes, still warm, into the bowl with the onions. Gently toss around and let sit for a few minutes to cool and absorb any pickle liquid. Once the potatoes cooled off a bit, dump the bean cream into the bowl and toss around until potatoes are all evenly coated.
And that is it. You can be fancy and spindle something green like some chopped dill or parsley or broccol on top for a little color and flavor…If you want.
And then eat right away still slightly warm or stick in the fridge to completely chill and eat cold. Last for 3-4 day in the fridge covered.