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This vegan potato salad recipe is flavor-packed, crunchy, and totally backyard BBQ-approved. Honestly, I could eat this straight from the bowl and call it lunch (and I have). Perfect for plant-based eaters, mayo haters, or anyone just looking to lighten things up without losing flavor.
What Makes this Potato Salad Vegan?
Classic potato salad usually leans on mayo or even adds chopped hard-boiled eggs for extra richness. But not this one. I ditched ’em both and went with a zesty olive oil and mustard dressing that keeps things light, flavorful, and plant-powered.
Without the heavy mayo sauce, all those vibrant veggies—radishes, celery, pickles—really get to shine. It’s colorful, crunchy, and just tastes fresher. And since there are no eggs involved, this potato salad recipe is completely vegan. Want to bulk it up a bit? Toss in some diced tofu or sprinkle with sunflower seeds for a plant-based protein boost.
Recipe Swaps + Tips
- I love recipes where I can easily sub in what I have on hand, and this potato salad is just such a recipe. If radishes aren’t your thing, swap with diced cucumbers or corn to keep in a bit of fresh crunch.
- If you really want the feel of a traditional potato salad, then add in 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise. This adds extra creaminess and binds everything together.
- I used gold potatoes, yet you can use red potatoes or even sweet potatoes for a pop of color.
- While I love using Claussen pickles for this recipe, I bet a lot of you have great local options you might prefer. I’m a true pickle lover, so tell me your fav kind and I’ll give it a try. For a less vinegary taste, try sweet pickles.
- I don’t peel the potatoes for my salad, as boiling them with the skin on helps retain more nutrients. Dijon mustard elevates the flavor in this recipe, so that is my go-to in the dressing.
What to Serve with Vegan Potato Salad
Vegan potato salad is the ultimate sidekick—it’s bright, flavorful, and goes with just about everything. Whether you’re planning a summer picnic, a backyard BBQ, or a quick weeknight dinner, here are some plant-based pairings that complement it perfectly:
- Grilled Veggie Skewers: Think bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and red onion brushed with olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Black Bean Burgers: Hearty, protein-packed, and super satisfying. Add avocado and a slice of tomato, and you’re set.
- Corn on the Cob: Slather it with vegan butter, sprinkle with smoked paprika, and squeeze a little lime juice on top.
- Veggie Wrap with Hummus: Load up a whole-grain wrap with crisp veggies, creamy hummus, and a splash of hot sauce or balsamic glaze for a portable, protein-rich main.
- Watermelon Slices or a Fresh Fruit Salad: For a sweet, refreshing finish that keeps things cool and hydrating.
- Green Goddess Salad: When in doubt, a big bowl of chopped greens tossed in creamy sauce keeps things fresh and crisp.
If you make this vegan potato salad recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Vegan Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
Ingredients
- 2 cups golden potatoes chopped into 1/2″ cubes
- 2 tbsp red onions diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tbsp black olives sliced
- 1 radish halved and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dill pickles diced
Dressing
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp pickle juice
- 1 tbsp fresh dill stems removed + finely chopped
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ⅛ tsp ground turmeric
- ⅛ black pepper, ground
- ⅛ smoked paprika
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold water. Bring to boil then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes, set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, mix all dressing ingredients together.
- Add the potatoes and remaining vegetables and herbs into the dressing and stir well.
- Garnish with radishes and paprika.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Common Questions
I’ve had it both ways! The potatoes are cooked, yet I like mine to chill a bit in the fridge before serving. Honestly, letting the salad refrigerate overnight before serving will bring out the best flavor.
Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes work best because they hold their shape and have a creamy texture, making them ideal for vegan potato salad.
Be sure to salt the water when boiling your potatoes, and use a flavorful dressing. A tangy combo of mustard, pickle juice, and fresh herbs brings vegan potato salad to life.
Olive oil, mustard, or mashed avocado are all great options. This recipe uses olive oil and Dijon mustard for a lighter, zesty twist on classic vegan potato salad.
Chickpeas, hemp hearts, white beans, or diced tofu make great additions for a protein boost while keeping your vegan potato salad totally plant-based.
It stays fresh for about 3–4 days in an airtight container—great for make-ahead lunches or easy leftovers.
Yes! Vegan potato salad actually tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. The flavors have time to meld, giving you a more delicious result.
Best potato salad without any mayonnaise. Love the pickle
Delicious, fresh taste and great textures! It’s a winner!
A fun crunchy alternative to classic potato salad! I substituted sweet pickles for dill and added red pepper in for more color. Might try adding shaved brussel sprouts next time and doubling the dressing amount. It was a challenge to go without mayo & eggs, but definitely worth experimenting with again!
I love potatoes! Most traditional potato salads are way to slimy for me, and I don’t like mayonnaise, so this recipe is a great alternative! I skipped the olives because I’m not a fan. The raw veggies, especially the celery and radishes (I used extra) gave it a nice crunch. I’m curious to know how it would have tasted with Dijon mustard as this ingredient was left out of the version in the current salad challenge. It was just a tad bland, although the dill and pickles gave it a little salt/flavour. Look forward to making this for a family bbq.
This was a close tie with the Taco Salad. Really enjoyed both.
I do find it frustrating that the recipe sent in the email is different from the recipe and info in the link where we do the review. Little unsure of which one I’m suppose to follow.
I liked the crunch of this potato salad. I had never seen a recipe to add the radish and I think it complemented the salad nicely. The Dijon mustard, left out of the 10 salad challenge recipe would definitely have helped.
Not a fan of potato salad of any kind. And I don’t like olives and radishes. It had a good flavor though.
I absolutely hate mayonnaise and the standard potato salad. Seeing as this potato salad avoids a creamy dressing, I actually liked it quite a bit. I don’t like pickles, so I used pickled daikon and vinegar as substitutes. Overall, it was quite tasty and better than I was expecting.
This recipe was a hot at my house. Everyone loved it!
Winner! Very flavorful and a great preview for a summer bbq side dish!
Pretty good for potato salad – great alternative to the traditional version drowning in mayonnaise. I’m not really a potato salad person so jumped at the idea posted by a fellow Salad Challenger to use steamed Cauliflower (I included both potato and cauliflower) – definitely preferred the cauliflower parts. It was reminiscent of an antipasto – I could lean into swapping all of the potato next time for roasted (or grilled) veggies. The dressing was flavourful and paired well with the other ingredients. Olives are a hard on for me so I substituted red bell pepper for colour and crunch.
Your salad sounds amazing, I love the idea of swapping out the potatoes for cauliflower!
I loved the triple dill flavoring, fresh dill, pickle juice and diced pickles. We are pickle hounds here though.
I thought the radish and celery added a nice crunch.
Unfortunately the pickle juice flavor was not my favorite. I like the other veggies in the potatoe salad gave it a nice crunch.
I loved this! I wish I could try it with pickles but I’m not eating salt right now or oil so I subbed tahini and added some celery seed.
This is great for a side dish, but general family consensus is that it’s bland. I ended up playing with the dressing by adding some extra dijon, a splash of rice vinegar and some maple syrup. This gave it a little extra zing and made it more to my liking. I don’t miss the mayo one bit, however.
Sorry I just can’t do that vinegary/acidy, but I’m out voted by 2/3 of the household. They love it. I have to omit pickles, radishes, olives, and raw garlic. I keep the celery and like the idea of cucumber for crunch. Red potatoes, red onion only after soaking in water at least 10 mins. little cider vinegar, avo and infused olive oil, s&p, cayenne, paprika.
Wow! My favorite so far, by far. My husband ate the second serving “even though it doesn’t have mayonnaise”. This will be a reoccurring recipe for us!
Was easy to make, great flavor another recipe added to my collection