Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche [No Mayo, Gluten Free]

Name: Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche [No Mayo, Gluten Free]
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 300 g baby chat potato; 300 g kipfler potato; 1 tbsp olive oil; 8 slices pancetta; 1 tbsp maple syrup; 4 marinated artichoke hearts; 1½ tbsp creme fraiche; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1½ tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp chives (chopped); salt ( to taste); pepper ( to taste)

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Give your everyday potato salad something different with marinated artichoke hearts, crispy maple-glazed pancetta tossed together with a tangy crème fraîche salad dressing. This delicious, comforting potato salad is gluten free and has no mayo, perfect for entertaining the crowds.

a grey bowl filled with potato salad, pancetta, artichoke and creme fraiche dressing. with a fork

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Why You’ll Love Our Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing
How To Create A Creamy Potato Salad Without Mayonnaise?
Recipe Overview
Ingredients
Variations and Substitutions
Instructions
How to Make This Salad Perfectly (Expert Tips)
Great Mains for This Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Recipe

Why You’ll Love Our Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing

Good ol’ fashion potatoes pan fried then tossed together with marinated artichokes and maple glazed pancetta and mingled together with a tangy crème fraîche dressing. This no mayo potato salad recipe really hits the spot for comfort food.

This version is a great alternative to the classic potato salad recipe, especially for those who need an egg free and gluten free potato salad, as there is no mayo in the salad dressing.

I do like to serve this as a warm potato salad but can also make it in advance and serve chilled. Plus you can easily double the quantity on a budget, and is perfect to entertain the crowds and share at potluck gatherings and picnics.

How To Create A Creamy Potato Salad Without Mayonnaise?

Introducing crème fraîche.

Crème fraîche is a great substitute for mayonnaise in this potato salad recipe as it is lighter but still maintains a lush, creamy finish. I also love the slightly tart flavours it lends to a potato salad.

Pronounced “krem fresh”, crème fraîche is made by adding bacteria to cream and is essentially the French version of sour cream.

The difference between sour cream and crème fraîche is the higher fat content which makes crème fraîche silkier in consistency and won’t curdle or split as easily in higher temperatures. Sour cream has a more sour taste, whilst crème fraîche is more creamy, thicker and tart.

Because of the higher fat content, crème fraîche is often used in sauces and soups. It can be whipped into salad dressings and used in sweet pastries and cakes.

a small white bowl of creme fraiche is placed next to a bunch of chives

Recipe Overview

Flavour/Texture: This artichoke potato salad recipe has got something crunchy, something salty, something sweet, something tangy and all the carbs you need!

The marinated artichoke hearts help to cut through the richness of potatoes and pancetta, and rather than using mayonnaise for potato salad dressing, I chose crème fraîche instead as the base.

With the slightly acidic taste, crème fraîche dressing helps cut through the starchy feel of the potato salad but still gives it a creamy taste. Throw in a little chopped chives for freshness.

Ease: There are a couple of cooking steps with boiling the potatoes and maple glazed pancetta; otherwise, it is generally easy to put together.

Time: As you can cook both the potatoes and pancetta simultaneously, it will take approximately 30 minutes to make this potato salad with no egg recipe.

Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need for Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing:

Potatoes: I always prefer to have a variety of textures and shapes with my potato salads, so I chose a mix of baby chat and kipfler potatoes. Both are great potato all-rounders.

I love kipfler potatoes for their shape and delicious nutty flavour. They are waxier and hold their shape when cooked.

For baby chats, they are a little more floury but still hold shape and are perfectly soft inside. I also use both of these potatoes in my Medley of roasted potato salad recipe.

Marinated artichoke hearts: Easily found in a jar at your local supermarket or deli store, marinated artichokes are great for antipasto platters, pizza toppings, homemade dips, and adding to omelettes or toast toppings. I also love them in our easy tomato and artichoke salad recipe.

The tangy, herby flavours of the jarred artichoke hearts in this recipe help cut through the richness of potato salad.

Pancetta: I opted for pancetta because of the flavourful spices that it is generally used in the curing process compared to bacon.

Maple Syrup: Adds a delicious smoky sweetness to pancetta and the overall recipe.

Crème Fraîche: You can generally find crème fraîche at the supermarket next to sour cream. I like the slightly acidic flavours it adds to creamy salad dressings.

Chives: Chopped chives add freshness to the salad and are a great companion for crème fraîche.

Variations and Substitutions

a stack of baby chat potatoes and kipler potatoes together

Type of potatoes: There is no need to use the same types of potatoes I have chosen for this recipe. Choose your favourite mix for this potato salad.

Crème fraîche substitution: If you can’t locate crème fraîche, you can substitute it with half sour cream and half plain Greek yoghurt.

Alternative to pancetta: If you can’t find pancetta, streaky bacon will work perfectly as well. For a vegetarian version, omit pancetta or use plant based bacon.

Variation for herbs: Flat leaf parsley or even dill would work perfectly if you don’t have chives readily available.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing:

How to Make The Salad

Give potatoes a wash and then cut into halves. If the kipfler potatoes are a bit big, cut into thirds.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil and add potatoes to cook until just fork tender. This will take about 10 minutes.

Heat a flat pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add potatoes and pan fry until lightly brown. Just a couple of minutes really to gently toast the sides. Remove from the pan.

Cut marinated artichoke hearts into quarters and set aside for assembly.

cut marinated artichoke hearts in a small white plate with a bunch of chives placed behind the plate

How to Make Maple Glazed Pancetta

strips of pancetta lined up on baking sheet

Brushing maple syrup on pancetta on baking sheet

Turn the oven on to 200°C or 400°F.

Place pancetta strips on a lined baking tray. Using a brush, gently brush pancetta with maple syrup on both sides.

Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Do be careful and watch the pancetta in case it burns.

Remove from the oven and cool down on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into small pieces that are approximately 1 cm.

How To Make Crème Fraîche and Chives Dressing

Place crème fraîche, olive oil, lemon juice and chopped chives in a small bowl.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix together until well combined.

a bowl of mixed creme fraiche dressing with whisk leaning on the side of bowl

How to Assemble the Salad

Add pan fried potatoes, maple glazed pancetta and crème fraîche dressing into bowl. Mix well and ensure all potatoes are well covered.

Place in a large dish and serve.

Mixing potato salad together in a clear bowl with spoon

How to Make This Salad Perfectly (Expert Tips)

Cut the potatoes into similar sizes: Make sure the potatoes are cut into similar sizes when cooking as this will make sure they cook evenly.

Do not overcook the potatoes: For this recipe you can undercook the potatoes slightly as we will complete the cooking process in the fry pan.

I do prefer a little more bite in my potato salads, so pan frying the potatoes adds a little more crunch and toasty flavour. Or you can even use roast potatoes like our Roast potato and sausage salad or Leftover chicken potato salad recipe.

Great Mains for This Salad

What to serve with Potato Salad with Crème Fraîche Dressing? Try these delicious main dish recipes:

Potato salad and meat seem to marry well together. This succulent grilled boneless skinless chicken thighs are easy to make and filled with flavour.

If you’re up a little extra special, these wagyu burgers are most certainly going ot wow you! Ot bring out the skillet and make these tender pork chops with a herb marinade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I prepare this salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare this salad up to 1 day in advance if you like. This potato salad also travels well.

How long can I store this salad?

You can store leftover artichoke potato salad for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

What potatoes to use for potato salad?

From ouramazing collection of potato recipes, you will see they are many varieties of potatoes you can use for potato salad. Choosing the right kind for potato salad can be a little overwhelming. So let’s get straight to the point – waxy is better than starchy.

A waxy potato is slightly firmer and holds its shape better when cooked. Whilst a starchy potato will fall apart during the cooking process which is perfect for a creamy mash but definitely not for potato salads.

How long to boil potatoes for potato salad?

The time required to boil potatoes for potato salad will depend on the size of your potatoes. The smaller the size, the quicker it will be. On average it will be approximately 10 minutes. Use a fork to poke the potatoes to ensure they are fork tender.

What is pancetta?

Essentially cured pork belly, pancetta adds a beautiful salty flavour to its dishes. Originating from Italy, pancetta is simply cured with salt, but occasionally, depending on secret family recipes, spices and other aromatics are added to infuse the meat.

What is the difference between pancetta and bacon? They are close as they are both made with pork belly and with salty flavours, but they are prepared differently. As mentioned, pancetta is cured with salt, whilst bacon is smoked to “cook” the meat.

The difference between pancetta and bacon is subtle, so you can substitute the pancetta with streaky bacon in this recipe if you can’t find it.

Can you eat pancetta raw?

There are two types of pancetta – rolled and flat. You can eat rolled pancetta raw as this version is cured and then dried, similar to prosciutto. Great to add to antipasti or in sandwiches.

For the flat version, this is generally not eaten raw. It is chopped up and added to pasta, stews or soups or cut in thick strips and grilled, similar to bacon.

Don’t ever be stuck in a potato salad rut with this delicious no mayo potato salad recipe. I love how all the salty, sweet, tangy and creamy flavours meld together perfectly. This crème fraîche potato salad has a little twist on the classic version we are all so used to.

That’s all!

For Gluten Free Salad Recipes

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