Potatoes are a staple at my family gatherings in one form or another. Cheesy potatoes at Thanksgiving and Christmas, baked potatoes loaded with chili for Halloween, and the ever present potato salad at all summer events. I've never been a fan of any kind of mayo... so I took up the challenge to make a vegan potato salad recipe only using fresh herbs, mustards and olive oil to bring color and flavor to your next BBQ.
It'll wow your tastebuds, trust me!
What makes this potato salad vegan?
Traditional potato salad has eggs either in the mayonnaise or hard boiled in the salad itself. My potato salad swaps the mayo for a delicious olive oil + mustard blend dressing, and loads up on fresh veggies.
Switching from a mayonnaise base to an olive oil one also lightens up the salad a bit. I find mayonnaise-based dishes are fairly heavy, while this lovely recipe remains light and bright... plus, it's just SO colorful without that white sauce covering everything up!
Tips for vegan potato salad recipe
What are your must-have ingredients for potato salad? Mine include dill pickles, fresh dill, and black olives... because those were always in the salads of my childhood. Yet the original salads from my childhood weren't vegan, so I love the new take this vegan potato salad recipe has on the classic dish.
I don't peel the red 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.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
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, then swap them 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 swap in a vegan mayonnaise. These tend to be more processed, yet can give you the feel of enjoying your family's fav old recipe.
The pop of color in the red potatoes is super fun, yet feel free to use any potato you want (Yukon golds work great too!). If you really want a fresh change up, try using a white sweet potato... and then let me know how it turns out!
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.
FAQs
Traditional potato salad has eggs in it, either in the mayonnaise or hard boiled. My potato salad swaps the mayo for a delicious olive oil based dressing, and loads up on fresh veggies.
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.
I love using red potatoes. They are super easy to slice up, and taste delicious. You can also use Yukon Gold potatoes for a buttery taste.
Fresh Vegan Potato Salad
Rate this Recipe Print RecipeIngredients
- 2 lbs small potatoes (chopped into ½" cubes)
- ¼ cup fresh dill (stems removed + finely chopped)
- ½ cup red onions (diced)
- 3 stalks celery (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup black olives (sliced)
- 2 radishes ( halved and thinly sliced)
- ¼ cup dill pickles (diced (Claussen are my go-to))
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pickle juice
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- black pepper (to taste)
- 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 (estimated)
More scrumptious vegan BBQ recipes
I've got so many great vegan recipes you can share at your next backyard BBQ. From side dishes to mains, pick the flavors that you want and get cookin':
- Cauliflower Buffalo Wings
- Vegan Coleslaw
- Avocado Caprese Salad
- Black bean burgers
- Homemade Hummus
- BBQ Jackfruit Tacos
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Cabbage
Don't forget to make this vegan potato salad and let me know in the comments how it turned out!
Sylvia
I really enjoyed without all the mayonnaise.
Great recipe and looking forward to each one everyday.
Kimberly Ishoy
Nice change from a traditional potato salad.
H
There were some issues with the salad and it didn’t taste so great but I want to believe it’s because some of my ingredients from the store were not as good. I feel it could be a 5star if given the right love and another hopeful try. For now. I’ll leave it as is and appreciate the effort put in to make it.
Becky
I liked this recipe for potato salad. It was different from any I have ever eaten, but the flavors and textures were great. I liked the creaminess of the potatoes, the crunch of the celery and radishes, and the saltiness of the pickles and olives. I didn’t realize I needed Dijon mustard in the dressing, so next time I will add that, and I am sure that will make it even better. In addition to the paprika, I added some crushed red pepper flakes to kick the heat up a notch.
Simple Green Smoothies
Crushed red pepper flakes are a great idea to add a little extra kick! Sorry about the Dijon mustard mishap! If you make it again, def add that part in for some extra flavor.
Lee
Swapped cauliflower in for the potato and I used some powdered mustard. I had never added dill to potato salad and it was really good. Thanks for this.
Christina
The dressing made this salad! I let the whole dish marinate over night. I’ll try a little more fill next time, but, yum!!
Teresa Hurkey
We both enjoyed this and so different from what we are accustomed to.
Next time and there will be. We will add a chopped pickled and crumble a strip of bacon on top. All about moderation! #saladchallenge
Teresa Hurley
Last name is Hurley and should be pickled EGG. Been long day and too tired to type!
Simple Green Smoothies
Those will be some delicious toppings to add! Good idea!
Linda
Yum! Yum!! This is my favorite so far!! I did add some sea salt to the recipe.
Robin Moore
Loved the pickle flavor in this potato salad. I think it'll be even better tomorrow!
Barbara Wagner
We made this ahead of time… newsflash…it really tastes good after the flavors meld!
This one was one of my husbands favorite. He has always been a big potato salad fan
Elaine
Fun flavors! Makes it feel a bit like summer!
Liz
Love this potato salad. Will definitely be a staple for this summer’s picnics.
Jen
So, I’m not into cold potatoes which means potato salad is not my jam. That also means I made so many mods to this recipe that it’s probably not fair for me to review it I used all of the called-for ingredients (except pickles), but roasted everything and served it warm. Which was delicious, but definitely not what the recipe intended!
Simple Green Smoothies
Your review is AMAZING! I love the suggestion to try it warm for those who also don't like cold potatoes! I'm sure there are some Rawkstars out there who would LOVE to see your review of Warm Vegan Potato Salad! Thanks for this!
Esther
I am not a dill fan, nor a salty pickle fan, and I missed adding the Dijon mustard, so I did not have my hopes up for this recipe. Surprise! It tasted great! Even with the missing Dijon. Used Russets, since that's what I had on hand. Left on the skins (nutrition, yes, but it's just that much easier to leave them clothed!). For those who are skeptical, perhaps scale the recipe down a little then give it a whirl (Maybe 2 servings instead of 6, like we did for the 10-Day Salad Challenge in 2022.) Will be trying this again, with the mustard.
Alexandra
Nice to bring at parties, but I dont think I would do it to eat at home...
Diane
Nice alternative to potato salad with Mayo.
Shana
This is def a keeper! I omitted the onions because I am not a fan and would add more radish when I make it again. I used Kalamata olives.
Zoi
It was really good!
Sheila
Salad #3 - good but as some previous comments stated, I missed the Dijon mustard in the dressing. I will add some to the leftovers and see if it changes the flavor a bit. I thought it was a little bland. And my ratio of potatoes to other ingredients was off as well...too many potatoes. Still enjoyed the lighter version of potato salad.
Veera
I loved this potato salad. It’s so delicious, I don’t like celery but I love it now.
Thank you Jen☺️Bless you all.
Sandi Stone
So far, this is not my favorite. I have always made my Grandmothers German potato salad.
My Dad always said that I made it better than my Mom. My husband loves it.
We were not a fan of the Vegan Potato salad and will not be making it again but glad I made and tried it. You never know until you try!
Simple Green Smoothies
Great job giving it a shot!
Chetna
So delicious! I added some cayenne pepper for extra flavor and heat and replaced the dill with cilantro. The pickle juice made it so refreshing! I normally get rid of the pickle juice when the jar is empty. Since this salad is a keeper, it will allow me to incorporate all the pickle juice and avoid future wastage.
Kathleen
I have often seen potato salad recipes with pickles in it but have never made it with them before. Decided to give it a go for the challenge. Glad I did! Yum!
Glenda Bastress
This was delicious (!); my red onion was super pungent so I cut the amount down and it was still a bit much - but you never know with red onion! I might try lightly sautéing it next time to take away some of the punch. Super easy recipe and just the right amount for a couple of meals. I am not a mayo fan, so this is perfect!
Judy S
Took a bit of chopping but this was fabulous. I used capers in place of pickles and caper juice for pickle juice. Forgot the garlic but there was a plenty of flavor anyway.
Arleen Sharp
I was very surprised by the ingredients in this recipe. 1 Radish. Pickles and juice. Wasn’t sure about that. A small amount of dressing that is added. But it packs a punch. I made it a day ahead as suggested. It was great.
Melissa
I prepared myself to thoroughly not enjoy this recipe. The combination of ingredients did not seem appealing to me at all. Boy was I surprised! The radish gives it a bit of heat while the pickles add the perfect amount of tang. I don't eat mayo so I never eat traditional potato salad. I am excited to bring this recipe at all my summertime cook outs.
Simple Green Smoothies
So glad you gave it a shot! You RAWK!
Nicole Singleton
Not your mother's potato salad but it's so tasty! I didn't have dill pickles so I used relish! This salad is really tasty and surprisingly easy to make. I definitely will make this again!
Deb
I love potato salad. Was a bit skeptical to try without creamy mayo. But it was delicious. I may use vinegar next time I make it.
Sylvie
I just finished eating this potato salad. I felt it was missing something. I bet the Dijon made all the difference. Wish I had looked at this email more carefully since Dijon is not mentioned in the recipe from the 10day challenge book. So 4* from me for this one.
Joyce Lokitus
Good overall flavor. Was worried about adding radishes and pickles but they are subtle and add nicely to the taste. Also the non-mayo dressing was so easy to make while being healthier. Will be great for summer pot luck picnics!
Mickey
I really enjoyed this potato salad. The taste was lighter than the regular mayo based potato salad. I did add a little salt. I would make this again.
Tammy
I love Dill and this potato salad was wonderful, I will add more Dill at lunch tomorrow.. I’m enjoying all the left overs for lunch the next day ❤️
Lisa W
Pretty good. Added a bit of lemon to brighten the flavor. I would say the gold potatoes are a must.
Deidre Reitwiesner
Wow! I didn’t have high hopes for this, seeing as it lacked mayo and eggs, but it’s so, so good! I added a few baby carrots for some extra color and crunch.
Not hard to make, and it’s definitely a keeper 5/5 will make again!
Lisa Fitzpatrick
Let me start by saying I don't like potato salad to begin with. I was not a fan of this salad but it's a salad challenge and wanted to be all in. I don't think I'll be making this again.
Hanna B
Delicious. I love Dijon, pickles, red onion, and olives. Add in potatoes and it’s the perfect salad.
Vicki Vallejos
This was a great side dish with our dinner this evening, even without the mustard! It was amazingly easy and very tasty! I used Mt Olive dill pickles - my favorite with very little sugar. I'll be enjoying the bit that is left for lunch tomorrow, along with 1 -2 hard boiled eggs.
Brenda
I love potatoes and this recipe was a great option for preparing potatoes salad.
Lisa V
Amazing! Loved the dressing! I would make this again ⭐️
Kathy
Love the potato salad. I do think a boiled egg or two would improve on the already great recipe plus give me the added protein I need
suzie
Love this healthy potato salad recipe! Easy to make and nutritious too. Family ate it all up, definitely will keep as a regular meal in our rotation.
Angela
I love these salads. They are so good and tasty. A bright and fresh change from the ordinary!
Maggie
This made me really excited for grilling season! It was light and refreshing, yet had a nice crunch and zip to it. Perfect for summer cookouts and picnics.
Eurica
Yummy! I couldn’t stop eating this salad. I will definitely be making this again! It was a little short on dressing, so I’ll probably double the dressing.
Dawn
I enjoy all different kinds of potato salads. This recipe is a keeper! When I made up the dressing, I was actually thinking that it did not look like there was enough to provide enough flavour. I WAS WRONG!
Judie
This potato salad was right up my alley! I’m not a Mayo fan, so I was excited to try it! This recipe is very forgiving and flexible, as I had to adjust the add-ins and dressing amount after my husband cut up too many potatoes. Lol. I loved the balance of flavors and textures. It was a great side dish! I’ll keep this one in my rotation all spring and summer!!
Gina
Very good salad! Easy to make and’s will make again!
Cali Nemecek
This one was super tasty!! Probably would add a little extra sauce next time!! I like my salad a little saucier..
Kathryn
#saladchallenge
So I can’t stand potato salad, and I almost didn’t make this, but I did and I’m glad I did. It’s SOOOO GOOD. Better than the regular potato salad. (I’m biased. I don’t care for mayo or mustard.) the fresh dill and pickles and juice really make it pop with the Dijon. The turmeric makes it a pretty yellow. I used red potatoes and sooo good. I’m officially sold on http://www.simplegreensmoothies.com
Amanda
This potato salad was good! We didn't add the olives as neither of us like them. A bit nervous that there wouldn't be enough dressing but it was the perfect amount to add enough flavor and not feel heavy or "greasy". Felt like a much lighter option than the typical mayo filled potato salads. Had it with chicken and will be making it again!
Marilyn Hall
Ok, well, mistakes happen but when it all turns out good, its all GOOD! I used broccoli and cauliflower instead of potatoes, which is fine but I cooked it too long and I've got mush. Went ahead and mixed it up. It is really good. Kinda looks like guac and kinda taste like it too. Gonna have it on top of some airfried fish!!
Barbara
Very good salad. It’s different and we enjoyed it. Definitely will make again.
Debbie Miranda
I loved making a potato salad that actually does NOT weigh you down like traditional Southern potato salad does. Delicious!
Chris van der Vliet
To start, this is not my traditional potato salad. I thought I would miss the (vegan) mayo. My mom always made it with mashed potatoes...I was never one for a "chunky" potato salad. Never had dill either. That all said, this salad was awesome. Love the dill! I appreciate that you can use the dill pickle juice in the dressing. I am starting to be a zero waste girl so learning how to use things I would usually throw out is awesome! Can't tell which is my favorite yet...but this is one of the tops.
Stefanie
This salad is delicious! I love the texture and flavors and will definitely be making this as a side dish for spring and summer!
Susan
This is delicious! My picky husband Laso like it but he missed the hard boiled eggs.
Gina
This is my new favorite go to! It was light and delicious! It paired well with BBQ jackfruit.
Simple Green Smoothies
BBQ jackfruit is a great pair for the Potato Salad recipe.
Katie Vought
We had this as a side with chicken and asparagus. It was delicious! While not the traditional potato salad, we really enjoyed this healthier option. With the pickles in there, my kids even tried and liked it. I look forward to making this a couple times this summer.
Simple Green Smoothies
It's def a great summer recipe! Glad the whole family approves!
Tamara Owens
I enjoyed this recipe! It was nice to try a good potato salad without mayo. I would made this one again!
Tracee
This potato salad was interesting and I really wasn’t sure I would like it. I was surprised at how well it tasted. I enjoyed the radishes in it and the dressing was great and not heavy like a Mayo based dressing.
Karen
I have made similar recipes. Nice change from the traditional mayo our mom's used.
Maureen
Again, I am pleasantly surprised that this potato salad was so good! I didn’t use the mustard since I got the notice too late bit it was good anyway.
The prep time is tiring me out! Then there is also the time to figure out how to use the leftover herbs. I hate to waste them because of the expense. I wish I knew how much to purchase for the first five days of the recipes. I made some tabouli today to use up the extra parsley. More time in the kitchen ☹️
Simple Green Smoothies
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Even without the mustard!
Debbie Valentine
Great twist on potato salad love the balance of spice and creamy taste of potatoes!
Tess
I loved it and my kids loved it! I appreciated the tip about roasting the radishes so the little ones could enjoy too.
Simone
Loved this salad!
Suellyn
Spicy and crunchy! Love the depth of flavor turmeric added!
Suellyn
Crunch, spicy and an unusual twist with turmeric! Delicious!
Stephanie
I loved the idea of this recipe...dill and potatoes, I'm in! For my taste I think I will teak the dressing a little bit the next time I make this. I think it is a repeat recipe!!!
Allison Clarke
Sadly, an ingredient was omitted on the recipe guide (dijon mustard) and perhaps that may have made all the difference! Because it was a flop, I'm afraid. On a positive note, super easy to make and a thin dressing is always a nice change in a potato salad. The flavor was somewhat bland and what flavor was present was dominated by red onion.
Simple Green Smoothies
Sorry about the Dijon mistake, Allison! It probably does kick the flavor up a notch. Way to go for making it though!
Dani
My boyfriend prepared this the night before and refrigerated it overnight. He said it was surprisingly simple to make, with it being the first time in recent memory he can recall making potato salad. He said it tasted good and only added a bit more sea salt to taste.
Judith Walter
I was really surprised by this recipe. I was anticipating that I wasn’t gonna like it because I’m not a big fan of pickles but I really like it it’s excellent I used radish sprouts on top
Regina
This one’s a keeper also
Karen Fingerman
I never made potato salad because I hate mayo. Never thought to use pickle juice- thanks for the recipe!
Rosie Sanchez
Awesome, I never thought about potato salad like this. Perfectly yummy
Sheryl
This salad is very tasty but I don't think of it as a salad. It's more of a potato side dish and nothing at all like a potato salad.
Julia Reid
I can’t believe I never tried dill pickle potato salad before! It’s got a tang from the pickles and a spiciness from onion/radish/celery combo. The garlic just tops it all off and brings it together. Great picnic salad idea for this summer!
Crissie Stokes
I’m converted!!! All the flavor of a potato salad none of the mayo!!!
Julie
Lots of ingredients I don't normally have on hand.
Emily
I'm all about a creamy potato salad; but I really enjoyed this. The creaminess if the potatoes with the big flavors in the dressing was really yummy.
The dill dressing recipe was different on the PDF so I did not add mustard.
Thank you for, again, taking me out of my comfort zone.
Simple Green Smoothies
Happy to challenge you, Emily!! Way to go!
Allison Schalck
UPDATE to my previous comment:
I JUST noticed that the recipe on this blog has Dijon mustard as an ingredient. I followed the recipe on the downloadable book of recipes. The mustard is NOT listed in that recipe at all.
NOW I need to make this again and see if it is better with the mustard.
Simple Green Smoothies
So sorry about that, Allison. Def give it a shot with the Dijon - it really kicks the flavor up a notch.
Kellie
Not sure what to expect - very happy with how it turned out. Will definitely make this for family get-togethers so I hope the recipe doubles/triples well!
Allison Schalck
I have to say that this wasn't my favorite recipe. It seemed lacking in flavor. I would have liked more dressing to it. Also, I need to avoid potatoes for my health, so I substituted rutabaga. I couldn't get enough of the rutabaga, but that and the onion was all I tasted. i LOVE onions, but this just didn't work. Next time I will try substituting cauliflower instead and double the remaining ingredients, except the onion.
Irina
I loved the vinaigrette with pickle juice, also the crunchiness from radishes and celery. The olives were a nice addition to the mix of flavours.
Will do this again.
J.R. Pollnow
Alright, this is the salad that I was the most skeptical about. I’m not a fan of pickles or mustard. I may have overcooked the potatoes a little bit. While this is for our dinner tonight, I did try a little and liked it. Now granted, my wife and I are not olive eaters, so that one was omitted. Day 3 and still enjoying!
Simple Green Smoothies
Great job! Way to challenge yourselves!
Kat
Not at all what I was expecting and SO yummy! Loved having the option for potato salad without the mayo.
Kim Poer
We loved this potato salad recipe! I’m actually one day ahead on the 10 days and made it last night! My husband usually likes creamy potato salad, so I added a couple of tablespoons of your cashew cream and a couple shakes of hemp seeds! It was delicious! I served it with oven roasted “barbecued”cauliflower and a side of oven roasted asparagus!
Simple Green Smoothies
Great combination with the bbq cauliflower! And I did the same thing with the cashew cream! Def gave it that creamy potato salad texture.
chilly
Day 3 Salad Challenge - I’m not a fan of this. I’ll have to make again because my potato were mushy too soft 🙁
Vilma Pacheco
I followed the recipe as instructed since I like all the ingredients but was a bit skeptical about a no Mayo dressing and may I say that it tastes so very good even though I not a fan of turmeric. I will leave it out next time to taste the difference. The family really liked the salad and I’m sure it will taste better tomorrow since I made enough for the flavors to intensify and enjoy it.
Emily
I made mine a couple days ago and it was very flavorful today.
Sandy W
Salad Challenge: Day 3. Although definitely edible, I found this salad a bit bland. It’s true I didn’t use the red onions out of personal preference, which might have kicked it up a notch. Some extra salt and pepper helped. Also I didn’t measure the potatoes, so I may have used too many in proportion to other ingredients. And as somebody pointed out, Dijon mustard which was not on the mailout recipe, might have made a difference.
Carrie Kennedy
THIS! IS! SO! GOOD! I loved this potato salad! I loved the pickle flavors!
Simple Green Smoothies
Whoo hoo! Yay for pickles!!
Sandy W
Salad Challenge: Day 3. Although definitely edible, I found this salad a bit bland. It’s true I didn’t use the red onions out of personal preference, which might have kicked it up a notch. Some extra salt and pepper helped. Also I didn’t measure the potatoes, so I may have used too many in proportion to other ingredients.
Rebecca McKee
So glad to get this recipe. I do not like "regular" potato salad with all the mayonnaise. This was fresh & tasty! I will use less oil next time but really liked the dill & radishes.
Simple Green Smoothies
You can def always add extra seasonings and/or dressing if you find it too bland. We want this to work for you! Way to go for trying it!
Marcia U
Looks fantastic and smells delicious. I made a few changes- basil instead of dill and red peppers.
Brenda
This salad size fit us today!
It was ok, however for our tastes I ended up adding mustard, vinegar and a bit of parsley. I guess we perfer more kick.
Lorna Burrell
This was quite a different approach to my usual potato salad. I liked it okay but it is not my favorite new recipe.
Garnetta
Day3 -Potato Salad was Wonderful / you can Taste Everything - Very Refreshing - NO more Mayo!
I’ll be making this Forever!
Debbie Giardini
Love vinegar mustard potato salad. Thinking this will become a favorite. Full of flavors with significant less calories. Added more vegetables and spice to mine.
Simple Green Smoothies
I'm glad it is a forever-recipe for you now!
Denise
I subbed cauliflower for the potatoes since I forgot to buy some and have to say it was delicious. I’m not sure I’ll try it with potatoes since it was that good! The dill and pickles added amazing flavor.
Gail G.
I have to admit I am more a traditional potato salad gal but with extra pickles and dill, this was a great substitute! I also added some sweet potatoes and threw the whole potato salad into my salad for lunch with some arugula and barbecue soy curls. All together, it was delicious!
Simple Green Smoothies
Sweet potatoes are a great idea! Yum!
Simple Green Smoothies
Great idea!
Cindy Andress
Made this Tuesday night so all the flavors would have time to come together. I know potato salad always tastes better after it sits a day or two. Found it to be quite dry and a little bland. I added a bit more dill pickle juice and it helped some. Then I saw someone’s post that said the downloaded recipe was missing the Dijon mustard as one of the dressing ingredients. I just KNEW it was missing something!! I’m adding it now and maybe that will make it better.
Simple Green Smoothies
Sorry about that, Cindy! I hope adding the Dijon mustard helps!
Cristina Ribeiro
I like this one so far the best, I like the dressing, delicious
Erin
I loved this new take on potato salad. I'll have to play around with the type of pickles I use (I used fresh ones this time, not canned, and it wasn't as strong as I wanted), but loved it.