No-Mayo Potato Salad with Herbs

Easy to make and lighter to eat, this healthy no-mayo potato salad with fresh herbs and an easy olive oil dressing is the perfect side dish for a crowd.

Healthy Potato Salad

There are times when a mayo-free potato salad is exactly what’s needed. Like those backyard barbecues where mayonnaise and summer’s heat simply don’t mix. Or a potluck party buffet table for a crowd where my Mom’s best potato salad’s hard boiled eggs aren’t up to the task of languishing at room temperature all day or night long at the party.

And surprisingly, I heard somewhere out there are eaters who just don’t like a mayonnaise dressing on their potato salad. What the what? Shocking, I know…

For each of these situations, this vinegar potato salad is the winning recipe solution. I discovered the inspiration for it while leafing through my copy of My Smith’s Magazine I receive each month from my local Smith’s Marketplace grocery store.

This healthy potato salad is easy to make and feels a bit sophisticated, just like anything with classic French roots will. It’s loaded with fresh nips of herbed bites, Dijon mustard flavored olive oil, and it won’t go bad before the party ends, and even better, gets more flavorful on the second and third day after it’s been in the fridge.

What’s in No-Mayo Potato Salad?

All you’ll need to make this herbed potato salad is:

• Red potatoes
• White wine vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Fresh dill, basil, and parsley

How to Make Potato Salad Without Mayo

Because we are using small red potatoes that don’t need to be peeled, this no-mayo potato salad is a snap to make.

Give the potatoes a light scrub to clean, then put in a pot of cold water covering them by about 2 inches.

Bring to a boil, THEN season your cooking water with salt to flavor the potatoes as they cook. Adding the salt after bringing to a boil means the salt crystals dissolve quicker and reduces the chance of your pans becoming pitted.

Tip: Don’t cut your potatoes before boiling them. For potato salad, always cook your potatoes whole. Less surface area of the tender whites of the potatoes are exposed to the water so there’s less chance of them becoming mealy or crumbly.

Once cooked, slice the potatoes in half and while still warm, drizzle with white wine vinegar so the potatoes absorb the vinegar tang. Let the potatoes cool for 15-20 minutes and absorb the vinegar.

Whisk the olive oil with the remaining vinegar and a touch of Dijon mustard, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle over the potatoes then add the onion, freshly chopped herbs and toss to mix.

Onion always adds a much-needed snappy bite to potato salad. Who want’s bland? Not me. These onions just get sweeter and more delicious as they marinate in the olive oil dressing. This is a classic second day potato salad that stays good to eat for a lot longer.

Make this potato salad and eat it warm, refrigerate for an hour and enjoy it chilled, or get a head start and make it the day before to make things even easier.

Enjoy the leftovers over a bowl of fresh spring greens with grilled salmon or grilled chicken for a simple lunch.

How Long to Boil Red Potatoes for Potato Salad

Depending on their size, boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until the tines of a fork easily slide out of the potato when pierced. Also look for the skins to begin to slightly crack and break away.

How to Boil Red Potatoes in the Instant Pot

You can cut the cooking time in half when you cook the potatoes in an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Add 1 cup water to the Instant Pot with the new potatoes. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes and quick release.

Can I Use Other Herbs in This Potato Salad?

Yes! The herbs in this potato salad give it a brightness you won’t want to skip. The beauty is you can use whichever herbs you like most or have on hand or growing in the garden. Mince tender leafed herbs that taste good raw and save hardier rosemary for recipes like my roasted potatoes.

• Dill
• Parsley
• Basil
• Marjoram
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Cilantro

How Long Does Vinegar Potato Salad Last?

This healthy potato salad will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Tips for Making Vinegar Potato Salad

Use red onion, shallots, or even green onion in this salad. And instead of chopping the onion fine, I like to show off those purple edges and slice the onion thinly in wedges. If red onion is too sharp a taste for you, soak the sliced onions in water for 20 minutes to take the edge off.

This potato salad gets even better the second or third day after it’s been made. To freshen it up as the days go by, add more fresh herbs if you desire.

I prefer using small red potatoes for this healthy potato salad recipe, but you’re welcome to use another kind of potato if that’s all you have on hand.

Recipe Ideas to Serve with No-Mayo Potato Salad

• 10-Minute Maple-Crusted Salmon
• Baby Back Ribs In the Instant Pot
• Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken
• Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce
• Marinated Flank Steak with Asian Chimichurri Sauce

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #foodiecrusheats. 

More Potluck Salads for a Crowd

• How To Make The Best Potato Salad
• German Potato Salad
• Creamy Dilled Red Potato Salad
• How to Make the Best Creamy Coleslaw
• Asian Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
• Dill Cucumber Salad

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