Classic Vegan Potato Salad (2024)

Home » Vegan Recipes » Sides » Classic Vegan Potato Salad

Jun 28, 2024 (Updated Jun 28, 2024) By: Michelle Cehn

Jump to Recipe

5 from 13 votes

This is the perfect vegan potato salad recipe—our go-to for summer barbecues, picnics, and parties! It's eggless and dairy-free, but your friends will never know it. This classic budget-friendly recipe is always a crowd favorite!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you. Please read my policy page.

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!

Table of Contents

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 lessvegan mayoand dilute with water or soy milk. You can tweak your version to your liking! Perfect, right? Feel free to useavocado,oil-free hummus,vegan pesto,vegan sour cream,tahini, ordairy-free yogurtinstead.

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

What is the best potato for potato salad?

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!

How is vegan German potato salad different from this recipe?

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.

Why is potato salad not healthy?

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.

Can I make this vegan potato salad recipe oil-free or lower in fat?

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

Loaded Potato Skins With Guacamole
Fresh Picnic Pasta Salad
Chipotle Corn Ribs
Tofu Kebabs

Listen while you cook! Tune into my podcast, The Plant Powered People Podcast, while you’re cooking, folding laundry, or taking a bath. It may just change your life!