This is the creamiest vegan potato salad you’ve ever tried, packed with rich flavours and textures. It’s the perfect summer side dish, ideal for picnics, barbecues and cookouts. No one would ever suspect it’s vegan.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Creamy Vegan Potato Salad
Potatoes - any potato will do, but I find waxy potatoes to be the best, because they keep the texture even when cooked. If you want to save some time, boil them whole and then simply peel and dice them when they cool down.
Red onion, garlic and pickles - this is the perfect combination for a punchier potato salad. If you don’t like garlic or pickles, you can leave them out, but they definitely make a huge difference.
Vegan mayonnaise - you can make your own or use a good quality store-bought one. If you don’t like vegan mayo, you can substitute it with vegan sour cream or yogurt, or make this lighter French potato salad instead.
Apple cider vinegar - it balances out the heaviness of mayo perfectly. I recommend apple cider vinegar, but you can try substituting it with other types of vinegar as well.
Nutritional yeast - optional, but highly recommended. Nutritional yeast adds a subtle cheesy flavour and is packed with vitamins.
Mustard - this is an essential ingredient for any good potato salad. Make sure to use a vegan brand, because some might have hidden non-vegan additives in there.
How to Make This Creamy Potato Salad
1. Preparing the Potatoes
Pick the right potatoes and boil them whole. Once they cool down, peel and dice them.
2. Tossing the Ingredients
Put the cooled potatoes, onion, pickles and garlic in a large bowl. Add the mayo, vinegar, mustard, nutritional yeast, salt pepper and paprika. The amount of mayo will vary depending on the size of the potatoes. Add more or less if needed.
Vegan Potato Salad FAQs
What Kind of Potatoes Are Best for Potato Salad?
This is a matter of personal preference, but knowing how a certain type of potato behaves when cooked can help you choose the right one for you. Waxy potatoes, such as Yellow Finn, Yukon Gold and red potatoes hold their shape perfectly when they’re cooked and keep their firm texture in the salad.
On the other hand, potatoes with a starchier texture, such as Russet or Idaho potatoes, tend to break down during cooking, but they also tend to soak up the dressing like a sponge, resulting in a creamier potato salad.
Should I Leave the Skin on for Potato Salad?
Leaving the skin on adds a little extra colour and texture to your salad. I tend to peel the potatoes unless I’m cooking with new potatoes that have a very delicate skin. In this case, I simply scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush before cooking them.
Is It Better to Boil Potatoes Whole or Cut Up?
The easiest way to make potato salad is to boil the potatoes whole, then peel them while still warm and cut them into bite-sized chunks.
How Long Should I Boil the Potatoes?
This depends on the size of the potatoes, but whole medium sized potatoes will generally take 25 - 30 minutes to cook. To check if they’re done, pierce the potatoes with the tip of a knife or a fork to see how much resistance there is. You should be able to pierce the potato with ease once it’s cooked.
PRO TIP: It’s important to use cold water instead of boiled. If you boil the water first, the outside of the potato will cook faster than the inside, resulting in an uneven texture.
Are There Any Alternatives to Vegan Mayo?
Yes. If you’re not a fan of vegan mayo, you can use vegan sour cream or yogurt instead, or even cashew cream.
Can I Make Potato Salad the Day Before?
Yes, this recipe works great if you’re planning to serve the salad on a busy day and want to get as much done as possible the day before. To make sure the salad is as fresh as possible, prepare the potatoes and the dressing separately.
Cook whole potatoes and let them cool in the fridge with the skin on. In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the dressing and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Toss them together right before serving.
How Long Does It Keep?
Unlike creamy potato salads that are made with mayonnaise, this simple French potato salad can last in the fridge for up to three days. You can also leave it at room temperature for up to a day, but it tastes best when properly chilled.
Other Vegan Side Dishes
- French Potato Salad
- Balsamic Roasted Potatoes with Asparagus
- Grilled Corn Salad
- Quinoa Salad with Black Beans
Vegan Potato Salad
ingredients
- 4 potatoes - cooked peeled and diced into smallish cubes
- ½ medium red onion - chopped
- ¼ cup pickles - diced
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise - more or less as desired
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika - more for garnish
instructions
- Drop whole, unpeeled potatoes into a large pot of salted water, bring it to a boil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are just cooked through. You can check doneness by piercing the potatoes with a fork or the tip of a knife. If there is little to no resistance, they're cooked. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes.
- As soon as you can handle them, peel the potatoes, cut them into 1 inch cubes and place in a medium serving bowl. Let them cool in the fridge.
- Put the cooled potatoes, onion, pickles and garlic in a large bowl. Add the mayo, vinegar, mustard, nutritional yeast, salt pepper and paprika. The amount of mayo will vary depending on the size of the potatoes. Add more or less if needed.
- Sprinkle with a dash of paprika before serving if desired.
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