Classic Vegan Potato Salad
Why is vegan potato salad such a summertime favorite? Three good reasons: we all used to love it growing up, it brings back memories of good times, and, it’s just so incredibly tasty! Potato salad is the perfect combination of two essential food groups: potatoes and salads. This dairy-free and egg-free potato salad recipe will completely floor you with fantastic flavor, as well as bringing back the cheeriest of childhood vibes.
It’s creamy, super satisfying, and so easy as a “bring-along” dish to any vegan barbecue, garden party or vegan tea party, vegan picnic, or potluck. Plus, it’s even more delicious the next day. A summer plate wouldn’t be perfect without an authentic American potato salad.
So fellow potato lovers, are you ready to make this ap-peeling recipe? Spudtacular!
Why You NEED to Make This Dairy Free Vegan Potato Salad
Everyone needs a great go-to potato salad recipe, and we hope this will become yours. Here are just a few reasons why:
- Easy-peasy! When you have to go somewhere and need to prepare something in advance you really want to keep it simple and uncomplicated, right? Apart from boiling potatoes, this recipe has no other lengthy or complicated steps. Just boil, peel and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Voila!
- Perfect Side. This filling vegan potato salad makes a great companion to other yummy vegan mains. A fantastic side for a vegan black bean burgers, vegan hot dogs, or some plant-based sausages. What about eating alongside (or on top of) a green salad? So many options. Hard to choose, right? Why not try them all?
- Budget-Friendly. You can make a big batch of this vegan potato salad using very inexpensive ingredients. A 5-pound bag of potatoes is super affordable, and we always have (most likely!) some vegan mayo in our fridge anyway. As if that was not budget-friendly enough, this salad keeps in the fridge for up to a week! Weekly lunches sorted!
- Gluten-free. For those who suffer from gluten intolerance or sensitivities, this salad is the total winner! Potatoes mean no gluten and also lots of nutrients. Perfect! And don’t miss our other gluten-free vegan recipes to go with it.
- Versatile. Simple ingredients allow you to get creative and let your inspiration run wild! You can use different herbs like parsley or dill. Or you could try sweet potatoes or mixed white and sweet (or even purple!) and have a super colorful vegan potato salad!
Key Ingredients For This Eggless Potato Salad
It will come as no surprise that the spud takes the stage as the potato salad superstar. While it’s possible to substitute other veggies for the plain potato, nothing comes quite as perfect as this ravishing root vegetable. This tempting team of powerful plant foods is top notch!
- Potatoes – Provide the base and bulk of the salad, offering a soft and creamy texture. They also have a mild flavor that pairs well with the other ingredients and absorbs the dressing well. You can substitute potatoes for sweet potatoes (which adds a sweeter twist and added nutrients) or cauliflower for a lower-carb option with a similar texture. Even zucchini would work!
- Celery – Adds a crisp texture, providing a pleasant contrast to the soft potatoes. Celery lends a fresh, slightly peppery flavor that enhances the overall taste. Feel free to swap the celery for cucumbers or bell peppers, which gives a different crunch and a slightly sweet flavor.
- Red Onion – Gives a sharp, tangy flavor to the salad that balances the richness of the potatoes and dressing. This ingredient also provides a pop of color, making the salad more visually appealing. You can swap the red onion for green onions (scallions) for a milder onion flavor and added color. Shallots also work well, with a less intense flavor with a hint of sweetness.
- Dill – Adds a fresh, slightly citrusy herbal note that brightens up the salad. This delicate herb enhances the overall aroma, making the salad more appetizing. Substitutions include parsley (for a different herbal note that’s fresh and mild) or chives (a subtle onion-like flavor and fresh green color).
- Vegan Mayo – If you want to make it a bit lighter, you can use less vegan mayo and dilute with water or soy milk. You can tweak your version to your liking! Perfect, right? Feel free to use avocado, oil-free hummus, vegan pesto, vegan sour cream, tahini, or dairy-free yogurt instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make
Creating this classic vegan potato salad is a breeze and perfect for any summer gathering. With simple ingredients and easy steps, you’ll have a creamy, flavorful dish that everyone will love. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Boil the Potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Chop potatoes (peeled or unpeeled) into bite-sized chunks and add them to the boiling water. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until fork-tender.
Step 2: Prepare the Mix. In a large bowl, combine chopped celery, onion, dill pickles, vegan mayo, mustard, and fresh dill.
Step 3: Gently combine the mix
Step 4: Cool the Potatoes. Drain the cooked potatoes and rinse with cold water. Allow them to cool for a few minutes.
Step 5: Combine and Season. Add the cooled potatoes to the bowl with the prepared veggies. Gently toss to combine and adjust seasonings as needed.
Step 6: Chill and Serve. Refrigerate the potato salad until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips on Serving Up This Easy Vegan Potato Salad Recipe
The thing we love most about potato salad is that it’s not only awesome on its own, but even better when it’s paired with a plate of plant-based food. Here are our favorite tips and tricks for making the most out of this downright delicious dish:
- Keep the Potatoes in the Pot – The best tip to make sure you get the texture right is that once you have boiled the potatoes you leave them in the pot with the lid on for a few hours. The potatoes become tighter and less prone to fall apart as you mix them up with the mayo. Pretty cool, huh?
- Opposite Temperatures For Optimal Taste – Since potato salad is cool and creamy, the texture and temperature is only enhanced when served alongside a warm and crispy main dish. The foods we favor for this include pizza burgers, vegan fried chicken, and BBQ seitan wings.
- Too Hot for Tots – Consider adding a touch of spice to your potato salad with a squeeze of sriracha, a shake of red pepper flakes, or your favorite fiery hot sauce.
- The Perfect Pickle Pairing? Go wild and add a few different types of pickles to this recipe. Instead of the classic dill, peruse the pickle aisle and choose bread & butter, sweet or sour pickle relish, gherkins, cornichons, or make your own refrigerator pickled veggies!
- Veer Toward Veggies! You can ramp up the nutrition in this potato salad recipe by adding in other veggies like string beans, green peas, or sliced red pepper! You may want to add in a bit more mayonnaise to compensate for the extra ingredients.
Recipe FAQs
The basic principle is the firmer the better! The best choices for potatoes are the red and Yukon Gold, which keep their shape and texture for easy mixing and serving. So keep your eyes open if you see them on sale during the summer.
You can pretty much use any type of potato you fancy, but the starchier type tends to get too mushy when cooked and the waxy-skinned styles are better for sliced potatoes. It’s completely up to you!
Great question! American potato salad usually uses mayo in the recipe and is served cold. German potato salad is mixed with vinegar and is served warm.
The main reason that potato salad is not considered “healthy” is because of the higher fat content of mayonnaise. Because we use vegan mayo (without eggs), it’s cholesterol-free and is not as high in saturated fats as it would be if it were made with eggs.
Definitely. Instead of vegan mayo, you can use red or white vinegar, low-fat dairy-free yogurt, mustard, hummus, or an avocado.
More Mouthwatering Barbecue-Inspired Recipes To Try
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Classic Vegan Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups yellow potatoes, chopped into medium chunks
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ½ cup dill pickle, chopped into small chunks
- ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- green onion, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Begin by boiling a large pot of water. You can peel the potatoes if you'd like, or leave the skin on. I personally enjoy it with the skin. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized chunks and add them to the pot. When the water begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Gently boil the potatoes for around 12-15 minutes, or until they are fork tender.
- In the mean time, add celery, onion, dill pickle, mayo, mustard, and dill to a large bowl and mix together.
- When the potatoes are finished cooking, transfer them to a colander. Rinse with cold water and drain. Allow the potatoes to cool for a few minutes.
- Add the potatoes to the bowl with the veggies. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Every vegan mayo tastes different. If you find it needs more bite, add a bit more mustard, or you can even add a squeeze of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar if desired for some acidity.
- Chill the potato salad until serving. If you'd like you can garnish with chopped green onion, but this is optional. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Leave a Comment
The BEST potato salad recipe. I’ve brought to several non-vegan cookouts, and it always goes fast and is a crowd, please. It’s easy to scale up and make a bunch.
Yay! We’re so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing, Holden!
I tried your Classic Vegan Potato Salad a couple or three months ago. It was amazing ! My husband couldn’t stop eating it. I just printed your recipe because I am going to make it for the second time today, and many more time through the years.
That’s wonderful! So happy you and your husband loved it!
Such a perfect potato salad! You nailed that classic flavor. I’m brining this to all the summer cookouts!
Isn’t it delicious? Totally agree with the classic flavor 🙂
I love chives in my potato salad. So good.
Me, too! Especially fresh garden chives 😀
I love potatoes and to make this creamy salad really hit the spot. I had this for the week and loved it every time
Thank you for reminding me to prep another batch this week! 😀
This looks great, excited to give it a try for our next Summer party.
Let us know how you like it!
Such a classic! Perfect for summer bbq!
It really is such a great side for any summer bbq. It’s always a winner 😀
I’ve tried a lot of vegan potato salad recipes and this is the best!!
Yay! So glad that you shared this with us!
I finally made this last night. It was very good last night, but today, after all the flavors melded together, it is amazing!
Yes! I’ve definitely found the same thing. Something magical happens in overnight for sure! 😀
I love potatoes (especially Yukon Gold or Japanese Sweet!) and I used to LOVE my grandma’s potato salad recipe. It’s amazing how close this comes to her creamy, heavenly recipe! I could literally eat this entire recipe myself in one sitting – lol. You really have to try this!
When you leave them in the pan with the lid on for a few hours, is the water drained first?
With the water still in the pan 🙂
I like to know this as well
I used the Yukon Gold potatoes for the first time with delicious results. The texture was perfect. We have a potato lover over here who thoroughly enjoyed!
This is such a perfect side to a hearty veggie burger, and a great dish to share at potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. Can’t wait to make it again!