Zingy Vegan Potato Salad (Mayo-Free)

This vibrant vegan potato salad is just asking for a place on the table at your next barbecue or summer meal. Featuring creamy spuds, fresh herbs, and a tangy lemon-mustard dressing, it's a delicious side dish that's both dairy-free and gluten-free.

If you're wanting to prepare this ahead of time, simply leave out the parsley and spring onions until you're ready to serve. To bulk it out as a meal, try adding ingredients such as beans, chickpeas, tempeh, or tofu.

Want more vegan potato recipes in your life? Check out these vegan scalloped potatoes (dauphinoise), crispy roast potatoes, and vegan potato pancakes.

Why you'll love this potato salad

• It can be ready in less than 20 minutes
• It's a vibrant and flavourful way to treat the humble spud
• You can use leftovers with other meals as it keeps well in the fridge
• This recipe is free from mayo, making it a great one for those who don't like the ingredient

Making potato salad dairy-free

There are a couple of ways to make a potato salad dairy-free without compromising on flavour or texture:

1. Use a plant-based mayonnaise in place of the traditional dairy mayonnaise (either shop-bought or homemade).
2. Make a mayo-free dressing using ingredients such as lemon, Dijon mustard, and olive oil.

This recipe shows you how to make your own simple mayo-free dressing, but you could use virtually any vegan salad dressing and mix this through the cooked potatoes.

Recipe testing notes

• Don't peel: Leaving the skin on your baby potatoes will help to prevent excess water absorption, although you may need to chop some of them in half if they're significantly larger than the others.
• Don't overcook: The potatoes should be tender but not falling apart. You can test this with a fork or sharp knife, or by removing one and cutting in half to see.
• Mix gently: Use a spoon to gently mix the potatoes with the other ingredients, being careful not to mash them. Not overcooking the potatoes will also help here.

Which potatoes are best for salad?

The best potatoes for a salad are those that will hold their shape and not become mushy. These include baby (new) potatoes and waxy varieties such as Charlotte, Jersey Royal, or fingerling potatoes.

I'd avoid floury varieties such as Maris Piper or Russet potatoes, which are better suited to the likes of mashed potatoes, crispy roast potatoes, or leek and potato soup.

What you'll need

To make these delicious dairy-free spuds, you'll need:

• Baby potatoes a.k.a. new potatoes (or another waxy variety)
• Lemon, Dijon mustard, and olive oil to make the mayo-free dressing
• Parsley and spring onions for freshness and colour
• Capers and toasted pine nuts as optional extras (but highly recommended)

How to make vegan potato salad

If there are any particularly large potatoes, cut these in half to better match the size of the others.

Put the potatoes in a pan of water, add a little salt, bring to the boil, and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until just tender but not falling apart.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. To a small bowl, add the olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Whisk gently until everything is combined and you have a smooth emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: If not including the capers, feel free to add a touch more lemon and mustard to the dressing.

Drain the potatoes into a colander and allow to steam-dry for a couple of minutes, before tipping into a large bowl while still warm.

Add the dressing and mix gently to combine, being careful not to break the potatoes apart.

Add the parsley, spring onions, capers, and toasted pine nuts and give everything another mix.

Season to taste, adding a little extra lemon juice if necessary, and serve.

Serving suggestions

This zingy potato salad is a versatile side dish and great as part of a barbecue or summer meal. Enjoy it alongside grilled tofu skewers, teriyaki tofu steaks, or grilled king oyster mushrooms.

If you don't have pine nuts or want to add a little extra texture, try topping with cashew parmesan, super seed mix, or homemade tofu bacon bits.

Recipe FAQ

Variations and tips for vegan potato salad

• Other veg: Mix things up by adding veg such as diced celery, pepper, or red onion.
• Other herbs: Fresh herbs such as chives, dill, or basil would all be nice additions to the salad.

More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:

You can also check out my full list of vegan side dishes.