Classic Vegan Potato Salad
by Meghan Rodgers
June 8, 2021
One of the best parts of summer is getting together with friends and family for a casual, outdoor potluck feast. On a sunny day, nothing beats grilled vegetables and plant-based burgers smothered in delicious condiments atop toasty rolls. But the party just isn’t complete without lots of delicious, easy side dishes!
And the one side dish you simply can’t skip? Potato salad. This creamy and flavorful salad tastes so good on hot days, I admit, I even eat it all by itself sometimes. It will remind you of the kind mom used to make — only mom probably wasn’t concerned with using vegan ingredients. Vegan and flexitarian diets just weren’t as popular decades ago, but thankfully, an increase in awareness of issues around animal agriculture and innovation in the plant-based food industry has meant we can go vegan and stick to our morals without giving up the foods we loved as kids.
You win. The animals win. Everyone wins!
The basic steps to this recipe will look familiar if you’ve made potato salad before. To adapt my family’s classic potato recipe, I just had to leave out the eggs and switch to a vegan mayo. I used Earth Balance, but you can use whatever vegan brand you would like.
Tips for making vegan potato salad:
Don’t overcook the potatoes. You want the potatoes still to have some bite. Cook too long, and you’ll make mashed potatoes.
Let the potatoes cool. It can be tempting to throw the ingredients together once the potatoes are cooked, but for the tastiest potato salad, wait until they have completely cooled. If you are in a hurry, rinse under cold water to speed up the process.
Get creative. Stay away from bacon, but you can customize this recipe with any vegan ingredients you like! Try more paprika, chopped chives, more salt, pepper, sunflower seeds, etc.
Classic Vegan Potato Salad
Makes about 6-8 servings
Ingredients
3 pounds baby potatoes, cut in halves or quarters (depending on size)
1/2 cup red onion
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup pickle relish (or finely chopped pickles)
2/3 cup vegan mayo (more if desired)
1/4 cup mustard
1 tbsp fresh dill
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch sugar
paprika (optional)
chives (optional)
Directions
- Place cut potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Bring pot to a boil and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender, careful not to overcook.
- Drain pot and let potatoes cool.
- Transfer cooked, cooled potatoes to serving bowl and add the onion, celery, relish, mayo, mustard, dill, salt, pepper and sugar. Gently stir until ingredients are disbursed and well-coated.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to four days.
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