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If you’re in charge of bringing potato salad to a party, be warned– this one is always a huge hit, and you might be in charge of potato salad forever if you choose to bring it.
Instead of using mayo, it’s tossed with a fast herby dressing. (This also happens to make it a vegan potato salad, if you need an egg-free or dairy-free option.) I like to blitz the dressing in a blender to help distribute the herbs more evenly throughout the salad.
After it has had the chance to marinate, it becomes totally irresistible.
This is the perfect dish to make ahead for a party or potluck, but do make sure to taste it one last time before serving it chilled. Flavors tend to mellow as they cool, so sometimes you might need to add an extra pinch of salt right before serving.
Healthy Potato Salad Ingredients
- Potatoes. You can use Yukon gold potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or small red potatoes for this salad. Just be sure to pick a potato with a thin, waxy skin so you won’t have to peel any potatoes! (Russet potatoes will work, too, but you may want to peel them in that case.)
- Olive Oil. This is the base of the potato salad dressing, but you can use another oil if you prefer.
- Lemon Juice. Pairs with the olive oil to create a flavorful dressing. Don’t use bottled lemon juice here; fresh tastes a lot better.
- Dijon Mustard. This adds a bright, tangy flavor and helps emulsify the dressing. (Meaning it will be creamier when blended.)
- Fresh Herbs. I use both flat-leaf parsley and dill in this dressing. The fresh herbs 100% make this salad taste flavorful, as it came from a restaurant.
- Green Onion. This adds a mild onion flavor, but it isn’t as potent or crunchy as raw red onion.
How to Make Mayo-Free Potato Salad
Step 1:
Scrub 3 pounds of potatoes under running water, then slice them into 1/4-inch slices. For larger potatoes, you may want to also slice the circles in half, so they are bite-sized.
No one wants to pick up a huge potato slice while eating!
To cook the potatoes, add an inch of water to a large saucepan and arrange a steamer basket at the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes to the steamer basket, and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Once the water is boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot. Let the potatoes cook until they are fork-tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Be sure to check several potatoes with a fork for tenderness, to make sure they are all evenly cooked.
Cooking method Note
You can cook the potatoes whole, instead of slicing them first. However, it takes longer to cook whole potatoes to their center, especially since they are all different sizes. Then you have to wait for them to cool before you can slice them. It saves time to slice them before cooking.
Steaming the potatoes, rather than boiling them, also speeds the process along! With this method, you don’t have to wait as long for a full pot of water to come to a boil.
Step 2:
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While the potatoes are cooking, you can prepare the sauce. In a blender, add 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 cup fresh parsley, 3 chopped green onions, 1/4 cup fresh dill, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.
Add 2 tablespoons of the starchy potato cooking water (or regular water) to the blender. Then secure the lid and blend until the dressing looks relatively smooth.
The herbs don’t need to be totally pulverized.
Step 3:
When the potatoes are done cooking, remove the steamer basket or drain them in a large colander. Transfer the cooked potatoes to a large bowl to cool briefly.
Pour the blended dressing over the top and toss well to coat them evenly.
Place the bowl of potato salad in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. The olive oil will thicken up and stick to the potatoes better when it’s served cold.
Potato Salad Storage Tip
Store this healthy potato salad recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days if you’d like to make this in advance. The leftovers also make a delicious packed lunch when you stir in some white beans for extra protein.
Seasoning Note
Be sure to taste this salad before serving it again, as the salty and tangy flavor will mellow significantly once it’s cold. I usually add extra salt to my potato salad before chilling it. It will taste “too salty” at first, but it’s perfect once it has marinated in the fridge overnight.
No Mayo Potato Salad Recipe with Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes (or other waxy potato)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cup flat-leaf Italian parsley
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- 3 green onions , chopped (white & green parts only)
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (I use Real Salt brand)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Scrub the potatoes under running water to remove any dirt, then slice them into ¼-inch pieces. If some of the potato circles are particularly wide, slice the pieces into smaller half-moon shapes, so they will be easy to bite into later.
- Fill a large pan with an inch of water and arrange a steamer basket into the bottom of the pan. Add the sliced potatoes to the steamer basket and bring the water to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water is boiling, cover the pot and let the potatoes steam until they are fork-tender about 10 to 12 minutes. You want the potatoes to be tender and creamy, without being mushy. Be sure to check several pieces for tenderness, so you know they are evenly cooked. (Under-cooked potatoes are miserable in a potato salad!)
- While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, parsley, dill, green onions, salt, and black pepper to the blender. Add 2 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth.
- When the potatoes are done cooking, use an oven mitt to lift the steamer basket from the pot and transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the potatoes while they are still warm, and gently stir to make sure they are evenly coated. Sprinkle an extra ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt over the potatoes as you mix, to ensure the potatoes are well seasoned. (This may taste salty while the potato salad is still warm, but it will mellow significantly when it's chilled.)
- Place the potato salad in an airtight container and let it chill for at least 4 hours before serving, or overnight. You can make this salad up to 3 days in advance and serve it chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this herbed potato salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it!
Just made this for a family cook out and it was a hit! Easy to make and everyone loved it. I like it better than regular potato salad! So fresh tasting.
This was so good. The dressing unto itself was incredible. New favorite combo and so versatile that it will be enjoyed with other dishes as well. Thank you Megan for your inspired culinary art !!
Completely delicious! We roasted the potatoes. I also didn’t blend up the sauce— I just poured it over them, and it was delicious!
Ooh, I love the idea of making this with roasted potatoes! Glad it was a hit, and thanks for sharing!
Delicious! Plus,
>chilled potatoes have an average Glycemic Index of around 49 to 56 (depending on the variety and preparation). This puts them in the low to medium GI category, making them a significantly better choice for blood sugar management than hot, freshly cooked potatoes.
So wins all around! Thanks for another great recipe. 😎
Trying to eat more potatoes since they’re a good source of potassium. This salad is light and herb-forward, thank you!
Delicious! I love no-mayo potato salads and this one is fantastic. Love all the herbs. Thank you!