Potato Salad: compare the 2 variations
Time, effort, key ingredients, diets, nutrition and cleanup side by side, so you can pick the one that fits tonight.
Which should I make?
- Fastest Dijon Herb (No Mayo)Ready in 45 min; the other takes 2 hr 20 min.
- Easiest Dijon Herb (No Mayo)Easy like the other, but 8 steps against 12.
- Lightest Dijon Herb (No Mayo)About 250 calories a serving, against 370 calories for the other (an estimate).
- Kid helper Classic CreamyA child can do 5 of the 12 steps: no knife, no heat.
- Least cleanup Dijon Herb (No Mayo)3 things to wash: stockpot, mixing bowl, colander.
- Vegan Dijon Herb (No Mayo)The only one that fits vegan, going by the ingredient lines.
Side by side
| Dijon Herb (No Mayo) | Classic Creamy | |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 45 min | 2 hr 20 min |
| Prep | 15 min | 25 min |
| Level | Easy | Easy |
| Steps | 8 | 12 |
| Serves | 6 | 8 |
| Key ingredients | small red potatoes, apple cider vinegar and red onion | eggs, Yukon Gold potatoes and mayonnaise |
| Only in this one | Dijon mustard, maple syrup, parsley and dill | eggs, mayonnaise, yellow mustard and pickle relish |
| Dietary | ||
| Calories | 250 | 370 |
| Protein | 4 g | 7 g |
| Carbs | 32 g | 32 g |
| Fat | 12 g | 23 g |
| Cleanup | 3/5 3 things to wash | 2/5 5 things to wash |
| Kid helper | No | Yes, 5 of 12 steps |
Nutrition is per serving. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Dietary: Based on the ingredient list and estimated nutrition; check labels; not medical advice. Cleanup score: 5 means one thing to wash, 1 means six or more. We count pots, pans, bowls and appliances, not the knife, board and spoons.
How we pick
- Fastest: the shortest total time, at least 10 minutes ahead of the next.
- Easiest: the lowest level (easy, medium, hard), then at least 2 fewer steps.
- Lightest: the fewest estimated calories a serving, at least 15% and 40 calories under the next (only when two or more have an estimate).
- Kid helper: the variation where a child can do the biggest share of the steps (no knife, no heat), when that's not all of them equally.
- Least cleanup: the best cleanup score, a point ahead of the next.
- Make it ahead: the only variation whose notes say how to make it ahead.
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or dairy-free: the variation that fits a diet the others don't, from the ingredient lines.
A pick needs a clear winner; close calls are left out.