What makes this vegan potato salad the best? It’s all about balance and getting the details just right.
It’s a classic summer side dish your whole family will love.
Dairy-free, egg-free & gluten-free.
Potato salads aren’t glitzy or glamorous. They’re not going to win any awards for innovation.
So what makes this the best vegan potato salad?
It’s all about balance.
The key is getting everything juuust right. It’s the Goldilocks of foodstuffs.
The perfect vegan potato salad
When it comes to potato salad, everyone has their preferences.
Here are the details it takes to make the perfect potato salad for me.
Mayo is a must
There are vinegar-based spud salads out there, and more power to them. I’m happy to have a spoonful.
But when I’m thinking of sandy beaches & grill-outs, I want the classic, mayo-based variety.
With the advent of products like eggless mayo, making a vegan potato salad isn’t at all tricky.
It involves the same steps as the ones you’ve made many times over for picnics and potlucks, but with one simple substitution.
As far as vegan mayonnaise goes, Vegenaise is my favorite.
But don’t go overboard
I want just enough mayo that the ingredients are incorporated and combined, but not so much that it’s soupy.
Add some crunch for interest
Break up all of that beautiful smoothness by adding a little bit of crunch by way of diced dill pickles & green onions.
Dill pickle gives a garlicky, vinegary hit that makes this dish pop.
Green onions are especially nice because they don’t have the harsh edge of full-sized yellow onions.
Finish it with seasonings
For seasonings, I go with a splash of dill pickle juice and stone ground mustard for vinegary bite, paprika, and just a pinch of dried dill.
(A person could certainly use fresh dill if they prefer. Personally, I’m never able to finish the remainder of a bunch of dill. A little goes a long way for me. So for the small amount used, dried works just fine.)
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Peel potatoes & cut into bite-sized pieces.
Then boil for 10 to 12 minutes.
The potato pieces should be just a smidgen past al dente.
Drain & set aside.
For the dressing, combine the following:
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Green onions
- Diced dill pickles
- Dill pickle juice
- Stoneground mustard
- Salt
- Dried dill
In a large bowl, combine the drained potatoes and mayo dressing.
Garnish with paprika and chopped chives (optional).
Do I have to peel the potatoes?
Peeling the potatoes makes a wonderfully light and creamy side dish. It adds to that pillowy feeling.
And don’t worry about the peels going to waste. You can always make air fried potato peels.
However, if you would prefer added texture and nutrients, leave the skins on. Just keep in mind the finished salad won’t have as much of a creamy mouthfeel.
Serving ideas
This easy side dish goes with all of the spring & summer foods.
Serve with any of these dishes:
Storage
Keep potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It will keep for 3 or 4 days.
📖 Recipe
The best vegan potato salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes peeled & chopped into roughly 1-inch pieces
- 6 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 3 green onions sliced with ends removed (about ⅓ cup)
- 3 Tablespoons diced dill pickles
- 1 ½ teaspoons dill pickle juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons stoneground mustard
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt + extra for boiling water
- Pinch of dried dill about ⅛ teaspoon
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Handful of chopped chives optional garnish
Instructions
- Fill a pot three quarters full of water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil.
- Carefully add chopped potatoes to the water. Cook the potatoes on a low boil for 10 – 12 minutes, until the potatoes are just a tiny bit past al dente. (They should still have bite, so that they mostly keep their shape in the potato salad. However, a little bit of creaminess is good. Just don't let them get to mashed potatoes territory.) Start checking on the potatoes at 10 minutes, and drain when they have reached the right consistency. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine vegan mayonnaise, green onions, diced dill pickles, dill pickle juice, stoneground mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and dried dill.
- Add the drained potatoes to the bowl and use a spoon to fully combine. Taste for salt and add more if necessary.
- Sprinkle paprika on top, cover, and refrigerate until cool.
- Before serving, garnish with chopped chives (optional).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Content and photos updated April 2020. Originally posted June 2017.
Joan
Suggest adding a bit more mayo if a creamer consistency is desired…perhaps two tablespoons of chopped, fresh onion for more zip! However, the original recipe is delicious just the way it is!!!! Very nice.
Thank you, Cadry!
Cadry Nelson
Thanks for sharing, Joan! I always enjoy hearing how people tweak a recipe to suit their preferences. So glad you enjoyed the potato salad!
Janis Ware
I love this recipe! It is easy, quick and delicious, and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. A win on a hot summer day!
Cadry Nelson
That’s so nice to hear, Janis! Thanks for the great feedback!
Cheryl
I added celerry, didn’t add the dill pickle juice out of concern it would be a little mushy, and I used vidalia onions instead of green onions. I also refrigerated my potatoes after boiling for 15-20 minutes. My mom, the best typical potatoe salad maker I’ve ever known, loved it and my son and husband did as well! Great recipe!
Cadry
I’m so glad that you and your family enjoyed it, Cheryl! Thanks for the feedback!
Hannah Dunn
The only vegan potato salad recipe I’ll ever need!
Cadry
Thanks, Hannah! I’m so glad to hear it’s a favorite.
Amy Katz
I still love this potato salad recipe! The pickles and pickle juice really make it. I’ve also made it with other types of potatoes when I didn’t have any Russets, and it was still delicious.
Cadry
I’m so happy to hear that, Amy! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Sam
I’ve been looking for a good vegan potato salad for some time, this one finally hit the spot! Thank you so much for sharing!
Cadry
I’m so glad to hear it, Sam! Thanks for letting me know!
Mandy
I hope this comment goes through because I made this today!!! And it’s seriously AMAZING! Every year, for my husband’s birthday, he requests potato salad (mayo is a must) and I remember you posting this a while back. I am SO glad I went with your recipe because the addition of dill pickles and dill pickle juice took it to the next level of awesomeness! I doubled the recipe because we’re bringing it over to my parents house tomorrow for a Father’s Day/birthday celebration and I absolutely can’t wait for everyone to try it!! What’s most exciting is the fact that Willow has declined on eating or even trying potato salad, but today she gave it a try and loved it! I used what I had on hand, so we swapped in gold potatoes and red onion…and it worked perfectly. Fantastic recipe, my friend!
Cadry
Thanks for letting me know, Mandy! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and the extra pickle goodness. I hope that it will be a hit at your Father’s Day/birthday celebration tomorrow! And how nice that Willow gave it a whirl and liked it. That’s great to hear!
Did the comment process give you any grief this time? You’re the second person who has told me she had troubles getting comments to go through. So I changed my approval process. Hopefully that helped!
Shell
I’ve been looking forward to this post! I love to eat potato salad, but have never made it before. This recipe makes me want to give it a try.
Cadry
Oh, that’s nice that you’ve been looking forward to this post! Potato salad is so easy to make and pretty fool-proof. Plus, if you like it a little bit different, it’s simple to make adjustments. It would be a good one to make with the girls since after boiling the potatoes, it pretty much just involves stirring in some additions.