No-Mayo Potato Salad with Herbs
by Katie Webster
May 9, 2022 (updated 3/28/24) Jump To Recipe
This healthy no mayo potato salad with herbs has a simple oil and vinegar dressing, crunchy celery and sun-dried tomatoes. Because it is made without mayonnaise or dairy it is the ideal vegan side dish side for summer.
I originally shared this recipe on June 23, 2017. I have updated the images and text to share it with you again today. The recipe remains unchanged.
Table of contents
Why We Love No-Mayo Potato Salad with Herbs
If you are looking for a potato salad without mayonnaise {or an oil and vinegar-based potato salad} then this is the recipe for you! It is absolutely delicious and you will never miss the mayonnaise! Serve it for a picnic, potluck, summer cookout or barbecue.
Ingredients For Potato Salad Without Mayonnaise
The Best Potatoes To Use For Potato Salad
For this recipe, we use waxy and thin-skinned potatoes. If you are not sure what that means, here is a brief explanation of the different kinds of potatoes.
- Waxy Vs Floury: There are two types of potatoes, waxy and floury. Waxy potatoes are those that have thin skin and creamy flesh. Floury potatoes have thicker rougher skin and fluffy interiors (think Russet Baking Potatoes.)
- Why Not Russets: While that fluffy interior makes for an awesome baked potato, it doesn’t work well for potato salad. They are too dry and starchy.
- Examples of waxy potatoes are: Fingerlings, Youkon Gold, Red Bliss, Purple Potatoes, White Chef’s Potatoes etc. Any of these waxy thin skinned potatoes would work for this potato salad. The only thing you need to know is that you have to cut them into 1 1/2 inch chunks.
I leave the skin on the potatoes because it increases the fiber and nutrients in each serving, making this a little healthier.
- Oil and Vinegar: Instead of mayonnaise, we used extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar. I like the flavor of red wine vinegar best in this recipe. It is bright and acidic and goes great with herbs and sweet-tasting potatoes.
- Whole-Grain Mustard: To emulsify the dressing and add flavor, I used whole-grain mustard. You can also use brown deli mustard if you cannot find whole-grain style mustard.
- Fresh Herbs: The combination of parsley, dill and chives works really well in this salad. You can use finely minced scallions instead of chives if you like. Feel free to add another tender herb to the mix if you like. Basil is also a yummy addition, and a small amount of tarragon would also be good.
- We do not recommend using woody herbs such as rosemary or thyme as they are too assertive in this salad.
- Celery Hearts: I love adding the pale yellowish-green center of a head of celery to potato salad. (Try my German Potato Salad and you’ll see what I mean!) Include the frilly leaves too because they are slightly bitter, which balances all the other flavors.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: After trying this salad, I tasted it and it needed a little something. I added in finely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and they make all the difference! They are savory and salty and pair so well with the tart dressing, creamy potatoes, and fresh herbs. They’re umami! Try to find them in a jar with oil for the best texture. At the store, they are usually with Italian ingredients or with jarred pickled items.
- Seasoning: Potatoes really soak up a lot of seasoning, so you have to add more salt than you think you’ll need. I also like to add a pinch of sugar to potato salad to bring it all into balance. Without the sugar, the flavor of this combo can come off as slightly bitter, so I found a tiny bit of sugar really helped to balance that out. It doesn’t taste sweet at all, but makes the bitter taste fall away. Only 1 teaspoon is needed and optional if you are following a sugar-free diet.
How To Make Oil and Vinegar Potato Salad
Step 1: Steam Potatoes
Steam potatoes in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer attachment, covered, until tender when pierced with a fork, 13 to 17 minutes.
Step 2: Make Dressing
Whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar (if using), salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Step 3: Add Hot Potatoes To Dressing
As with my Italian Pasta Salad Recipe (also vegan) I mixed the hot potatoes with the dressing and let that cool before adding in the rest of the ingredients. This allows the starch to absorb the dressing and makes the potatoes more flavorful. Let cool, stirring occasionally until room temperature, about 45 minutes.
Step 4: Add Herbs and Veggies
Add celery, parsley, scallions, sun dried tomatoes (if using), and dill and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 12 hours.
FAQs
You can do most/all of the work for this potato salad up to two days ahead. Here’s how: Toss the steamed potatoes with the dressing and cool it while tossing. Then cover and chill up to two days ahead. You can also chop all of the other ingredients and store them separately in the fridge, then toss everything together when you’re ready to serve.
Note: The vinegar in the dressing does make the green of the herbs and scallions darken if you make the whole thing start to finish ahead of time and they get pretty wilted. But if that isn’t a concern to you, then it’s fine to actually hold it for two days ahead. Simply stir again before serving. The flavor improves as it sits in the fridge!
You can use another combination of tender herbs such as tarragon, basil, chervil or cilantro. We like the classic and somewhat neutral flavors of the chives, dill and parsley. We do not suggest adding woody herbs such as thyme or rosemary as they are too assertive to add to this recipe.
It pairs well with grilled veggies like my grilled zucchini, grilled summer squash boats and grilled carrots. For meat-eaters, this Grilled Garlic Herb Chicken is a favorite and this BBQ Chicken is a classic too. And of course burgers are always a summer staple and popular option!
Tips For Making Mayonnaise-Free Potato Salad
- Don’t Be Afraid of Flavor: While creamy potato salads are loved for their creaminess, an oil and vinegar potato salad needs a kick of big bold flavor to give it appeal. That’s why you need to start with some sort of allium in the dressing. In this case, since the potato salad is all about the green herbs, I used scallions (or chives) for that onion flavor.
- Use A Big Bold Dressing: Potatoes, because they’re so starchy can be a real flavor sink. So you’ll actually need to compensate for that by boosting up the dressing more than you think you would have to. For the four-pound batch, you’ll need a quarter cup of red wine vinegar and a half cup of oil. I know that sounds like a lot! In fact, when you first taste it, it may seem too strong. Trust! As the potatoes cool with the dressing and soak it up, you’ll notice that it is just right.
- Add A Ton of Herbs: You knew this was coming since the recipe literally has herbs in the name. The fresh herbs in this recipe make all the difference in boosting up the flavor and interest.
- Extra Flavor and Texture Boosters: You can get creative with this adding veggies and seasonings. Today I used sun-dried tomatoes and crunchy celery. But you could go a variety of routes.
More No-Mayo Summer Side Dishes:
- Our beautiful and delicious Rainbow Panzanella is made with fresh cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. The garlicky dressing is so good too!
- Try this Mexican-inspired Vegan Corn Salad with Jalapeño Cilantro Dressing for a change of pace.
- We love classics like these Balsamic Green Beans with Walnuts.
- When in season, this Cucumber and Napa Cabbage Coleslaw is on repeat around here.
- This nutty and spiced Israeli Couscous Salad has a blend of flavors and amazing textures.
- This Asian Sesame Coleslaw is a great barbecue side dish with sweet and tangy flavors.
- Our Simple cucumber salad can’t be beaten and is low in calories.
- I am obsessed with this Mediterranean Barley Salad. You must try it!
- Our Vegan Broccoli Salad with Shiitake mushrooms is a flavor bomb!
Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!
Happy Cooking! ~Katie
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Oil and Vinegar Potato Salad with Herbs (No-Mayo!)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
Description
This healthy vegan potato salad with herbs has a simple oil and vinegar dressing, crunchy celery and sun-dried tomatoes. Because it is made without mayonnaise it is the ideal plant-based side dish side for summer.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds medium red or gold potatoes, peeled if desired and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 1 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cup finely diced celery hearts
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or minced scallions
- 1/4 cup finely chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
Instructions
- Steam potatoes in a large saucepan fitted with a steamer attachment, covered, until tender when pierced with a fork, 13 to 17 minutes.
- Whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, sugar (if using), salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the hot potatoes and toss to coat. Let cool, stirring occasionally until room temperature, about 45 minutes.
- Add celery, parsley, scallions, sun dried tomatoes (if using), and dill and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 12 hours.
Notes
To make this potato salad in advance, simply prepare through step 2, cover and refrigerate up to two days ahead. Continue with step three as directed.
Look for potatoes that are smooth skinned, firm to the touch and do not have any sprouting “eyes.” For potato salad use waxy potatoes like red, yellow, white or purple instead of russet (baking) potatoes for the best finished texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2/3 cup
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 268 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Katie Webster
Katie Webster studied art and photography at Skidmore College and is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. She has been a professional recipe developer since 2001 when she first started working in the test kitchen at EatingWell magazine. Her recipes have been featured in numerous magazines including Shape, Fitness, Parents and several Edible Communities publications among others. Her cookbook, Maple {Quirk Books} was published in 2015. She launched Healthy Seasonal Recipes in 2009. She lives in Vermont with her husband, two teenage daughters and two yellow labs. In her free time, you can find her at the gym, cooking, stacking firewood, making maple syrup, and tending to her overgrown perennial garden.
We loved this as did our dinner guests! So much freshness and flavor from both the dressing and herbs! It was great to make ahead and had to use chopped water chestnuts vs celery as forgot that in shopping list. Worked great though!
I made this for an end of summer party and every guest asked for the recipe! Love sharing the Katie goodness! So easy and flavorful. Perfect side. 5 stars!!!
Oh my gosh! That is the best compliment! Thank you so much! You’re the best for coming back to the blog to leave your ratings and reviews. They are so helpful!