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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Best Vegan Potato Salad Recipe

    Published: May 6, 2021 · Updated: May 19, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    The best vegan potato salad recipe, loaded with fresh herbs and lots of vegetables! Creamy, indulgent and flavorful, it's a perfect summery side dish that's great for BBQs and picnics. It's guaranteed to impress even the fussiest eaters!

    Best vegan potato salad recipe

    As summer approaches, I find myself craving salad more and more. Potato salad in particular. It's just such a nostalgic dish that goes so well with everything, making it ideal for an outdoor get-together. And I believe that when it comes to potato salad, homemade is always the way to go. Not only is it hard to find vegan potato salads at the store, all the ones that are available are mediocre at best.

    But don't worry, because this amazing dairy-free potato salad will be perfect for vegans and non-vegans alike. Last year, I made a potato salad with smoky tempeh. But, I wanted to develop an even simpler recipe for which you need literally 20 minutes. The ingredients and preparation are super simple, but the resulting flavor is phenomenal. It's herby, it's refreshing, it has just the right amount of tanginess. The potatoes are creamy and fluffy, adding hints of earthiness and nostalgia.

    Bowl of potato salad with vegetables and herbs

    Bring it along to a BBQ or picnic, or serve as a side dish for any summery dinner. There's a few tricks that you need to keep in mind when it comes to making a perfect potato salad, but overall, it's an ideal effortless dish that everyone will love.

    Vegan potato salad recipe ingredients

    Potatoes. You can use any potato variety of your choice, but waxy potatoes usually work best. You can use either large potatoes, simply peeling and dicing them, or new potatoes, which you can boil whole and save even more time.

    Ingredients for vegan potato salad

    Vegetables of your choice. You can really add any vegetables that you prefer or that you may have in the fridge. I used red peppers, onions, and carrots. Other vegetables that work well involve cucumber, zucchini and cauliflower.

    Fresh herbs. I used dill and cilantro. A generous amount of fresh herbs is an ideal addition to vegan potato salad. They add a lot of flavor and freshness, working perfectly with the other ingredients to create nuance.

    Garlic. Don't skip this, because garlic is a key ingredient that can take any salad to the next level.

    Bowl of vegetable potato salad with a dairy-free sauce

    Pickles. Once again, don't leave out the finely diced pickles, because they add that signature tanginess we all love in a potato salad. Capers also work really well.

    Lemon juice. I would recommend using freshly-squeezed lemon juice for the best results in order to give the potato salad a more authentic flavor.

    Vegan mayonnaise. You can either make your own, or use a good quality store-bought vegan mayo. Keep reading as I've listed some substitutions below that you can use instead. You can also leave it out completely for a more fresh/light salad.

    Dairy-free potato salad on a plate

    Nutritional yeast. This is great for adding a hint of cheesiness. You can leave it out or add grated vegan cheese instead.

    Tomato paste. This will also help to create a distinctive tangy flavor.

    Mustard. This is another key potato salad ingredient that helps to create that signature authenticity. Ensure that it's vegan though because some brands have sneaky non-vegan ingredients.

    Dried thyme. Great for another layer of earthiness.

    Vegan potato salad with vegetables

    How to make vegan potato salad from scratch

    Start by generously salting a saucepan of water and add the peeled and diced potatoes. Cook until fully fork-tender, but make sure not to overcook. For medium-sized potato chunks, you will need around 12-15 minutes.

    Meanwhile, you can prepare the other vegetables by de-seeding and dicing the peppers, peeling and dicing the onion, and peeling and chopping the carrots. Also finely chop the dill and cilantro.

    Potatoes in a colander
    Potatoes and vegetables in a mixing bowl

    When the potatoes are ready, drain and rinse them, and shake them a few times in the colander to fluff up. Then, transfer them to a large mixing bowl together with the vegetables, fresh herbs, garlic, pickles and lemon juice. Mix together thoroughly.

    Now, add the vegan mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, mustard and dried thyme. Mix together thoroughly once again, and the potato salad is now ready to serve!

    Potato salad with vegetables, herbs and a dairy-free sauce

    Tips for success

    • Make sure to generously salt the water before boiling the potatoes. This will help to maximise the flavor of the actual potatoes.
    • Shaking the potatoes in the colander a few times, like in my recipe for crispy roast potatoes, will help to fluff them up and make the final vegan potato salad creamier.
    • Be generous with the fresh herbs and the vegetables! This is key for adding texture and freshness, which is key to a great summery side dish.
    • Serve immediately while still slightly warm, or leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before serving.
    Bowl of vegan potato salad

    Alternatives to vegan mayonnaise

    While using vegan mayonnaise in potato salad is probably the easiest option, I understand that it may not be everyone's cup of tea. If that's the case, you can use homemade vegan sour cream instead, or spicy cashew cream. Simply using a dairy-free yoghurt, like soy yoghurt or coconut yoghurt, would also work. Just make sure that it's unsweetened and neutrally-flavored.

    Dairy-free potato salad in a bowl

    How to make vegan potato salad ahead of time

    Potato salad keeps really well in the fridge and tastes even better the next day! You can keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Unfortunately, however, this is not a freezer-friendly dish as freezing and thawing ruins the texture.

    Bowl of potatoes and vegetables with a vegan sauce

    Other amazing vegan side dishes

    • Vegan cauliflower cheese is comforting and crowd-pleasing.
    • Try a creamy vegan pasta salad for a refreshing, summery side dish.
    • You just can't go wrong with crispy sweet potato wedges!
    • Smashed potatoes with avocado sauce are crispy and cheesy.
    • Try a macaroni salad with tofu 'feta'!
    Best vegan potato salad recipe

    If you give this vegan potato salad recipe a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@earthofmariaa) so I can see your creations, and leave your feedback in the comments below together with a star rating - I love hearing from you!

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    Recipe

    Best Vegan Potato Salad Recipe

    This best vegan potato salad recipe with lots of vegetables is an ideal side dish for summer! Creamy and herby, with just the right amount of tanginess, it's great for BBQs and picnics. Guaranteed to impress vegans and non-vegans alike!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: bell peppers, carrots, Cilantro, dill, earth of maria, for veg kitchen, mustard, nutritional yeast, pickles, Potatoes, vegan mayonnaise
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 344kcal
    Author: Veg Kitchen

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Colander
    • Mixing bowl

    Ingredients

    • 5 cups potatoes peeled and diced
    • 1 large red bell pepper
    • 1 large onion
    • 2 large carrots
    • 1 cup dill
    • 1 cup cilantro
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ cup pickles diced
    • 1 large lemon juice of
    • 1 ½ cups vegan mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • 2 tbsp tomato paste
    • ½ tbsp mustard
    • 1 tbsp dried thyme
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Generously salt a saucepan of water and add the peeled and diced potatoes. Cook until fully fork-tender, but make sure not to overcook. For medium-sized potato chunks, you will need around 12-15 minutes.
    • Prepare the other vegetables by de-seeding and dicing the peppers, peeling and dicing the onion, and peeling and chopping the carrots. Also finely chop the dill and cilantro.
    • Drain and rinse the potatoes, and shake them a few times in the colander to fluff up. Then, transfer them to a large mixing bowl together with the vegetables, fresh herbs, garlic, pickles and lemon juice. Mix together thoroughly.
    • Add the vegan mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, mustard and dried thyme. Mix together thoroughly once again. Serve immediately, or leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    • Make sure to generously salt the water before boiling the potatoes.
    • Shaking the potatoes in the colander a few times, like in my recipe for crispy roast potatoes, will help to fluff them up and make the final vegan potato salad creamier.
    • Be generous with the fresh herbs and the vegetables! 
    • This vegan potato salad keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4341IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
    Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

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    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

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