Herby Potato Salad (no mayo)

Luscious, herby, creamy no mayo potato salad with its earthy refreshing flavours is perfect for summers. It is easy to make, has no egg and can easily be made vegan with a simple swap of ingredients.

This herbed potato salad is great option for BBQ, picnics, potlucks as salad / side dish or even as a quick meal. The salad dressing is made with simple ingredients like greek yogurt, lots of fresh herbs and seasoning.

The recipe is customisable and can be served both cold or warm. For instance instead of boiled potatoes, air fryer roasted potatoes, crispy smashed potatoes can be used, veggies or protein like carrots, peas, chickpea & quinoa etc can be incorporated in it.

This herby potato salad is:

Naturally gluten free
Vegetarian (Egg free)
Can be made dairy free
Made without mayonnaise
Easy to make and kids friendly

It is loosely inspired from Indian dish ‘dhaniye ke aloo’ where boiled potato pieces are tossed in thick green chutney or sauce made of coriander (cilantro), mint and green chillies. I have tweaked it by adding greek yogurt to make it creamy and more nutritious.

Potato Salad Ingredients:

Potatoes: I have used yukon gold potatoes to make this salad. You can use other varieties also like little potatoes, new or red potatoes. I have boiled potatoes on stovetop but you can boil them in pressure cooker or instant pot also.

Onion & cucumbers: These two are staple in most of my summer salad recipes and instantly elevate the taste with their contrasting flavours. The red onion gives lovely crunch with its mild zingy flavour whereas cucumber adds refreshing touch to salad. Peeling the cucumber skin is totally optional.

I know some people who don’t like raw onions in their salad. You can skip adding it or to reduce its pungency, dip sliced onions in cold water for 10 min and use them after draining. Instead of fresh onion, you can also use onion powder.

Garlic: Add freshly minced garlic or garlic powder as per availability. The quantity fo garlic can be adjusted as per taste.

Greek yogurt: Instead of mayo, we will use greek yogurt to give smooth creamy rich texture to the salad. I find it to be an amazing alternative to mayo as it is much lower in calories and packed with protein.

Use plain unsweetened greek yogurt or strained yogurt (hung curd). Make sure to taste, as it should not be sour. To make dairy free or vegan potato salad, greek yogurt can be swapped with plant based yogurt like soy or coconut yogurt.

Herbs: The generous addition of fresh herbs is what makes this salad stand apart from regular salads. Cilantro, dill, parsley, green onions, chives, basil, mint etc, use whatever freshest herbs are available with you.

Vinegar or lemon juice: Vinegar or lemon juice cuts through the creaminess of the yogurt and add bold vibrant flavour. You can use fresh lemon juice, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar as per your liking. Some lemon zest can also be added.

Sweetener: Little bit of sweetener like sugar, honey or maple syrup balances the citric notes. If you are avoiding sugar, then skip adding it.

Seasoning: The salad is seasoned with simple salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder or paprika are some of the other spices that can also be added.

Variations:

If you want to make green coloured salad dressing, blend the greek yogurt with half of the herbs and then use it to make salad dressing.
To give eggy taste to the salad, you can add black salt along with table salt in salad dressing.
If you like spicy salad, you can add chilli flakes or finely chopped jalapeños or green chilies.
Other veggies like shredded carrots, celery, boiled peas or sweet corn, can also be added.

More salad recipes:

Ingredients:

Potatoes- 20 oz (~560 gms)
Cucumbers (deseeded & chopped)- 1 cup
Red Onions (diced)-1/4 cup (optional)
For salad dressing:
- Greek Yogurt / Plant Based Yogurt*-3/4 cup
- Cilantro / Parsley (finely chopped)-1/2 cup
- Spring onion greens (finely chopped)-1/2 cup
- Dill (finely chopped)- 2 tbsp
- Garlic cloves (minced)- 2
- Extra virgin olive oil- 1 tbsp
- Dijon Mustard- 1 tsp
- Lemon Juice / White vinegar- 2 tsp
- Honey / Maple syrup- 1 tsp
- Crushed black pepper- 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Salt-1/2 tsp (to taste)

Notes:

*Instead of greek yoghurt, you can also use strained yogurt, hung curd or use half part greek yogurt & half part mayo.
You can also add freshly chopped chives, mint, coriander or celery in potato salad dressing. Instead of regular potatoes, baby potatoes or red potatoes can be used.

Directions:

Step 1:
Wash and scrub the potatoes to get rid of any dirt residue. Peel them and cut them into bite size cubes (check tips at end of post if using mini potatoes).

Step 2:
Add potatoes, water and 1 tsp salt to a pot such that water covers the potatoes completely. Bring it to boil and then simmer. Cover the pot and let the potatoes simmer for 10-12 minutes till fork tender.

The time can vary depending on the variety & size of potatoes. Once done, transfer them on a colander and let cool completely. (Instead of boiled potatoes, you can even use air fryer roasted potatoes or crispy smashed potatoes.)

Step 3:
By the time, potatoes are boiling you can chop the cucumber, onion & herbs. If you are planning to leave the cucumber peels on, wash them well before chopping.

Step 4:
In a bowl, add greek yogurt, herbs (save some for garnishing), garlic & remaining ingredients of salad dressing. Whisk well. Taste and adjust salt or pepper as per your taste.

Step 5:
Transfer boiled potatoes, cucumber and onions (if using) in a large bowl. Pour this salad dressing over them and mix gently using a spatula. Cover and let it chill for 1-2 hrs in fridge before serving. Garnish with more fresh herbs before serving.

Storage Instruction: The leftover potato salad can be stored easily in an airtight container in fridge for 1-2 days. I would not recommend freezing it as the texture of potatoes changes after freezing & thawing.

Tips:

If you are using mini or little potatoes, cut them into half or quarters. You can peel them once they are boiled and cooled.
It is better to chill the salad before serving as it gives time for flavours to amalgamate and absorb.
To make the salad more nutritious, you can add boiled chickpeas or vegetables like shredded carrots, boiled peas, sweet corn, celery etc
To make warm potato salad, add air fryer potatoes or smashed potatoes to the salad dressing and serve straight away.
Avoid overcooking the potatoes as otherwise they can disintegrate quickly on tossing with salad dressing.

Pin for later:

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(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)