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Today’s Caesar Potato Salad combines nutrient-rich potatoes with a lightened Caesar dressing.

 Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C. One medium potato provides 30% of your daily need. It also has more potassium than bananas and as much fiber as brown rice. 

There are seven main types of potatoes found in most grocery stores: russets, whites, yellows, reds, purple/blues, fingerlings and petites. The National Potato Council offers great selection tips on picking the perfect type of potato for your recipes.

Russets, also known as Idaho potatoes, are long and slightly rounded with rough brown skin. Their texture is somewhat dry, yet light and fluffy, making them great for baking, oven roasting and mashing.

White potatoes are round or slightly elongated with delicate tan skin and white flesh. These medium-starch potatoes have a slightly creamy, dense texture and hold their shape throughout cooking. They’re great steamed or used in soups, stews and potato salads.

Yellow potatoes are round or oblong with light tan skin. The golden yellow flesh is slightly waxy, yet velvety and moist. This variety (typically Yukon Gold) has a buttery flavor and creamy texture. They’re wonderful baked, roasted, mashed or in potato salads.

Red potatoes are usually round with smooth, thin red skins and white flesh. Reds have a waxy, moist and creamy texture and stay firm throughout cooking. They’re perfect roasted, mashed and in salads. For a beautiful pop of color, keep the skins on.

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Purple-blue potatoes are fairly small with shapes ranging from oblong to fingerling. The skins are purple, blue or slightly red and the flesh can vary from blue, lavender, pink and even white. These potatoes are moist and firm and can be steamed, baked, roasted or used in potato salads.

Fingerling potatoes, as the name implies, are finger-shaped. The skin of these smaller potatoes can be red, orange, purple or white. The color of the firm, waxy flesh can range from red and purple to yellow and white. Their firm buttery texture makes these potatoes perfect for oven roasting and potato salads.

Petite potatoes are small, bite-size versions of yellow, red, white and purple potatoes. The texture and flavor is the same as their larger counterparts and can be roasted, mashed, steamed and tossed into salads.

Darlene Zimmerman is a registered dietitian in Henry Ford Hospital’s Heart & Vascular Institute. For questions about today’s recipe, call 313-972-1920.

Caesar Potato Salad

Serves:  8 (about 2/3 cup per serving)  / Prep time: 10 minutes  / Total time: 20 minutes

5 cups sliced cooked red-skinned potatoes (about 2 pounds raw)

5 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon skim milk

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, peeled and minced

¼ teaspoon anchovy paste

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Place sliced cooked potatoes in a large bowl and chill in the refrigerator until cold, about an hour. In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, milk, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, garlic, anchovy paste, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over chilled potatoes and gently toss to combine. Transfer potato salad to a serving bowl, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with snipped parsley if desired.

Created and tested by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD for Heart Smart®, Henry Ford Health System

131 calories (27% from fat), 4 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat, 0 grams trans fat), 20 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 173 mg sodium, 2 mg cholesterol, 27 mg calcium, 1 gram fiber. Food exchanges:  1 starch, 1 fat

Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Sue Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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