Keto Potato Salad
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My keto potato salad recipe combines tender rutabagas with pickles and crispy bacon in a tangy, creamy dressing. It is made with no cauliflower and only 5 grams of net carbs.
Craving the flavor of traditional potato salad but watching your carbs? My mock potato salad recipe is the answer!
Before I continue, I’m well aware it’s a bit of an oxymoron since there are no potatoes in the recipe. That said, you’d never be able to tell. I tested a few low-carb veggies that weren’t cauliflower- rutabaga, squash, and jicama- to see which would mimic a potato the best, and rutabaga won by a mile. The texture is soft with the perfect bite, and the tangy dressing ties it all together.
I love to make this when I’m hosting a BBQ or potluck and have low-carb friends or family coming. No one should miss out, and this salad is even loved by those who don’t follow a keto diet.
Table of Contents
Recipe highlights
- No cauliflower. I have nothing against a cauliflower potato salad, but every so often, I need a low-carb recipe with no cauliflower florets in sight.
- Perfect texture and flavor. The flavor and texture of rutabagas versus potatoes are uncanny. I’d be surprised if anyone could even tell the difference.
- Easy to make ahead. Like any cold potato salad, you can get ahead on the prep by steaming the rutabagas the day before.
- 5 grams of net carbs. That’s nothing compared to nearly 30 grams of carbohydrates in classic potato salad!
What readers are saying
★★★★★ – “Wow, couldn’t tell it wasn’t potato salad. Amazingly good, very impressed. I added hard-boiled eggs too. Thank you!!” – Rene
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into my low carb potato salad, along with kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Rutabagas. Also known as swedes, rutabagas make a fantastic alternative to potatoes. They have a similar flavor and texture, and the only difference is the carb and calorie count.
- Gherkins. Add a tangy flavor and balance out the mayonnaise. Look for dill pickles with no added sugar. I love Vlasic original dill wholes.
- Mayonnaise. Skip the store-bought version and make some homemade keto mayo.
- Dijon mustard. My mustard of choice for potato salad. That said, you can use any sugar-free mustard you prefer, including my keto honey mustard. Just be wary that it will have a subtle sweetness.
- Lemon juice. For acidity. You can also use apple cider vinegar.
- Dill. A must for any good potato salad. I prefer fresh, but dried is fine.
- Cooked bacon OR pancetta. Optional but highly recommended. It adds pops of salty deliciousness.
How to make keto potato salad
Step 1- Prep the rutabagas. Peel the rutabagas and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2- Boil. Place the rutabagas in a large pot of salted water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until tender, then drain.
Step 3- Combine. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Add the still-warm rutabagas and mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Keep an eye on the rutabagas as they boil. Remove them from the heat when they’re tender but still have a slight bite. Otherwise, they can become mushy.
- Roast the rutabagas. I tested boiling and roasting the rutabagas, and while I preferred the texture of the boiled, the roasted version had a bit more bite. If you go this route, drizzle a little olive oil so they get extra crisp.
- Add hard-boiled eggs. Several readers mentioned adding chopped hard-boiled eggs, so I re-tested this, and it was delicious. I recommend sticking to no more than 4 eggs to avoid needing to increase the dressing measurements.
- Amp up the veggies. For extra crunch, fold in chopped red onion and celery.
- Spice it up. For more flavor, season the salad with paprika, onion powder, or celery salt.
Keto Potato Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 3 pounds rutabagas
- 1 1/4 cups keto mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup pickles chopped, unsweetened
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 1/4 cup bacon chopped finely
Instructions
- Start by peeling the rutabagas and chopping them into half inch pieces. Place them in a large pot filled with salted water and place it over medium heat. Bring it to a boil, before letting it simmer until the rutabaga has softened but is still tender. Drain them immediately.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, pickles, pepper, fresh dill, and bacon, and whisk until smooth. Add the still warm rutabaga and mix until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Remove the mock potato salad from the refrigerator and transfer onto a serving dish and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
More low carb salad recipes
Originally published August 2021
This is the first time I hear about “rutabagas”. I need
To explore about it but I think my country doesnt have those anywhere…
Let me know if you need a hand finding them, Mario- I can try and source it for you if you email me where you are located (arman@thebigmansworld.com).
Wow, couldn’t really tell it wasn’t potato salad. Amazingly good, very impressed.
I added hard boiled eggs too.
Thank you!!
To start I’ve never commented on anything I’ve made but this came out so freaking good I had to share.. Absolutely loved it and was even more impressed my husband ate it..
Thanks 😊
I love to hear that, Jodi- thanks so much for your lovely review and rating. Getting the hubby’s approval is the ultimate flex 🙂
I couldn’t believe it wasn’t potato salad!
Love that, Sue!
Made this and it was delicious . The salad had a faint sweetness. Rutabaga are low in carbs, high in fiber and contain protien.. they are a great substitute for potatoes
Thanks for the recipe!!! It is so delicious and easy to make, I also added boiled eggs to add creaminess and for some extra protein!! So good! 😋
Never would have thought to try rutabagas, which I’d never tasted before. This is good! I cooked the eggs and rutabagas in an Instant Pot whiile making the sauce. Super easy. I’m trying not to eat up every bit so I can try it cold tomorrow. Thanks for this recipe!
Oh nice thinking for using an Instant Pot, Cindy. The addition of the eggs is a great idea. You are so welcome 🙂
Absolutely great receipe!
Thank you, Greg! I appreciate your kind words.
I love your recipes. I used many as a basis for my cooking. I must say I was very sceptical, I’ve never cooked with rutabagas before. My husband loved it and so did I. It definitely does not taste like potato salad, but still has an earthy flavour to it. The texture was pretty much spot on. An excellent substitution!
Thank you, I will be making this again!
Hi Tracy! Thanks for the lovely feedback and review. Hmmm, some rutabaga variations are a little earthy, but not the mainstream ones. Did you by any chance get it from a farmer’s market or similar? I’d love to troubleshoot for you.
Everyone loved it. Much preferred over the traditional potato salad that was also at the picnic.
That is what I like to hear, Kris. Thanks for taking the time to leave a lovely review and rating.
This is an awesome recipe. Wouldn’t know there is no potato in this.
I was skeptical, but tried this because after 9 months on keto, and no potatoes in that time, I wanted to try a potato alternative that wasn’t cauliflower. This blew my mind! It was acceptable after preparing and chilling it for a couple of hours, but was almost indistinguishable from real potato salad the following afternoon!!! Giving it time to marinate made a huge difference. I will definitley add this as one of my regular recipes and intend to share!
Could I perhaps use kohlrabi instead?
I don’t see why not!
Couldn’t find fresh rutabaga where I am at this time of year, so I used canned, diced rutabaga instead. I simply drained three cans, patted the pieces a bit with a paper towel, and threw them in the bowl with the other ingredients. It is SO GOOD!!! Nobody at our picnic even knew or asked if it was real potato salad!! I can’t wait to try other ways to use rutabaga!
Have you tried turnips instead? Less carbs and resembles potatoes.
Yes! Works well 🙂
I made this for Easter and it was good but didn’t fool anyone into thinking it was potato salad. The rutabagas I had were more orangey yellow so everyone could tell it was unique haha People still enjoyed it and I thought the flavors were good with the added hard boiled eggs and bacon. I also added a little diced celery. Word of caution: it tastes pretty bad after you mix it with warm rutabagas. It needs to he very cold and served the next day! Also, I had to cook my rutabagas for 25 minutes. At 10 min, they were still very hard.
This ‘potato’ salad tastes like just the real thing. I’ve never had a rutabaga before, and the texture and taste was very similar to a potato. I’m very excited to try incorporating more rutabagas into my low carb/keto diet! Thanks for the recipe!
Arman, every time I look up a damn keto recipe, there you damn are. A lot of bad cooks and recipes on the web, so when you pop up, I’m relieved.
Still looking for the perfect deep-dish, non-fathead, pizza dough recipe though. CKL comes close.
Your rutabagas look to white. When I cook them they’re a rich orange color. I don’t really care, but wondering why this is. (Turnips and rutabagas mixed was delicious, btw)
Hi Donald! I made this recipe a few times before sharing it and some rutabaga was super yellow and some was quite white- I think it depends on which one you get 🙂
My garden is booming with kohlrabi. Only 6.2g of carbs and its 3.6g of fibre makes it a whopping 2.6 net carbs per 100g serving. I will make this salad with it tonight. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.
Interesting. I thought it was going to be cauliflower. Will have to have the wife try this. Thanks for sharing!
Please do it is so easy!