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If I am going to be completely frank, I am not a fan of traditional potato salad with a thick, mayonnaise dressing and eggs. I have nothing against mayonnaise (or eggs!) and certainly nothing against potatoes, but put the two together and I think I do not think they go well together. If you disagree with me, fine. To each their own. But personally, give me a delicious, easy potato salad without eggs or mayo recipe any day of the week.
And this is why I love French potato salad. It’s delicious, fresh-tasting, packed with herbs and a zing of vinegar and doesn’t use any mayonnaise — which means that it is better to bring to a picnic or barbecue (because the need for refrigeration is less) and it also happens to be completely vegan so it’s something that can be enjoyed by everyone! Oh, it’s also super super easy to throw together and it keeps getting better day by day.
So if you’re looking for a potato salad with eggs or mayo, look no further. This French-style potato salad recipe is sure to check all the boxes and you may like it even more than the “traditional” kind. It’s also a fantastic addition to other salads that you could bring to a summer barbecue, such as a watermelon salad.
How to Make Potato Salad Without Mayo or Eggs
So how does one make potato salad without mayo or eggs? Well, quite obviously, it starts with potatoes. I recommend using new potatoes for this, but any waxy potato will do. I would recommend against using a more starch-heavy potato like a russet just because they don’t hold their shape quite as well. However, it will still taste just as good regardless of the potato type so in the end, it’s up to you.
First, you need to prep and cook your potatoes. Cut them into bite-sized pieces that are all roughly the same size, put them in a pot and cover them with plenty of cool, salted water. Cover the pot and bring it up to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook the potatoes until they are just tender and then drain them and transfer them to a large bowl.
In the meantime, it’s time to make your dressing. This is a basic vinaigrette and it is super easy to make. First, whisk together some sherry vinegar (you can use white wine or red wine vinegar instead if that’s what you have on hand. You can even use lemon juice if your prefer), honey, dijon mustard, grated garlic and a finely chopped shallot.
Then, whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in your extra virgin olive oil. Try to use nice-tasting olive oil in this because it really does make a difference.
To ensure a good emulsion that won’t break, it’s best to start off drizzling very very slowly (like I recommend doing when making an aioli in my kepta duona recipe or in my Caesar dressing recipe). To do this, drizzle drop by drop to begin the emulsion initially, then you can increase the speed that you add the oil in once you already have a bit incorporated.
This vinaigrette is a bit more acidic than the kind I would use to dress a green salad, for instance, because the potatoes tend to mellow the acidity a bit. But make the vinaigrette to your taste and add as much or as little oil as you would prefer.
Now, all you need to do is chop a few herbs and toss them in with the potatoes. Absolutely include a healthy amount of parsley but add in another tender herb like dill or tarragon for an extra bit of flavour. Chop them roughly but not too fine. You want the herbs to add their own element to the salad and be a major player rather than an afterthought.
Gently mix everything together and then allow to sit for at least ten minutes before serving. This will allow the dressing to absorb into the potatoes and for the flavours to meld a bit. The salad is even better after it’s sat for a few hours or even overnight. It can be eaten cold or at room temperature, it’s your choice!
The best thing about this salad is that, if you bring it to a picnic or barbecue where it may be sitting outside is that you don’t have to worry too much about it. That is a major benefit to a French-style potato salad and it’s a good reason why I think that a vegan potato salad without mayo or eggs is so welcome.
This salad is so incredibly easy to throw together, as well, that you will probably end up making it all the time! It doesn’t use any hard-to-find ingredients and you can even riff on it a bit to suit your own tastes, so try and be creative!
Potato Salad Without Eggs or Mayo
Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
This French-style potato salad is made with a zingy vinaigrette instead of a mayonnaise-based dressing. Completely vegan and relying on plenty of fresh herbs, this salad is the perfect addition to any picnic or barbecue.
Ingredients
- 1kg (2lbs) new potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 45ml (3tbsp) sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon honey (or agave syrup)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or very finely minced
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 45ml (3tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 10g (2tbsp) fresh parsley, chopped
- 5g (1tbsp) fresh dill or tarragon, chopped
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, cover potatoes with plenty of cool water. Stir in a few generous pinches of salt, cover, and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat until potatoes are just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and shallot until well combined. Whisking constantly, slowly stream in olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Add chopped herbs to bowl with the potatoes. Pour dressing over the potatoes and stir to combine. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, preferably a few hours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 226Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 42mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
As you can see, making a delicious and easy vegan potato salad without eggs or mayo is not a daunting task. It’s a fair bit healthier than a mayo or egg-laden potato salad and can suit your vegan friends along with everyone else.
Are you looking for the perfect potato salad without mayo or eggs recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
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