Vegan Potato Salad recipes
Who doesnโt like a good potato salad, right?ย I donโt think Iโve ever actually met anyone who didnโt like potato salad.ย And I donโt think that Iโve ever met a potato salad that I didnโt like, either!
There are probablyย asย many different potato salad recipesย out there as there are individuals making it, and we each tend to haveย our own personal preferences.ย Me? Iโm a real fan of the classic version, with aย creamy tangy mayo dressing, a little bit ofย minced red onion, a handful ofย sliced celeryย and a generous amount ofย chopped dill pickles!
But you know what?ย As simple a dishย as potato salad can be, itโs still fairlyย easy to mess things up. But with just aย few very simple pointers, youโll be able toย avoid common mistakesย and learn how to get it perfectly right, every single time!
THE SECRET IS IN THEโฆ POTATOES!
First off, be sure toย use the right potatoesย for the task, in this case:ย waxy potatoes!ย These potatoes tend to be on the small side and haveย thin, smooth skin, ย so you donโt even need to peel them, although you could if you wanted to, but they would only lose flavor and nutrients.ย They also have aย firm and creamy flesh, and since waxy potatoes are relativelyย low in starch and high in moisture, their cells remain intact when cooked, which causes them toย hold their shapeย very well when boiled or baked.
Also, just like pasta, potatoes absorb waterย โ and salt โย as they cook.ย Adding plenty of salt to the cooking waterย will ensure that every single starch particle in the potatoes gets infused with salt, resulting in a potato salad thatโsย well and evenly seasoned.ย How much salt should you add to your water, you ask? Enough that itย tastes like the sea, is what I say.
Additionally,ย starting the potatoesย in cold waterย will ensure that theyย cook evenly. If you were to start them in hot or boiling water, the outside would most likely fall apart before the center has had a chance to completely cook. This would result in a potato salad filled withย hard lumps of potatoes covered in mush.ย Not my idea of a great potato salad!
So cut your WAXY potatoes intoย bite size chunks, rinse them well and then put themย in a large pot. Cover completely with COLD water and SALT generously. Bring the water to the boil thenย reduce to a rapid simmer, cover that pot loosely and cook the potatoes until they areย fork tender, about 10 minutes.
Once cooked, drain the potatoes and be sure toย let them cool completely.ย โย Adding mayonnaise to hot potatoes would only cause it toย melt and go all oilyย on you.ย No bueno!
In an ideal world, you wouldย cook your potatoes the previous day, or at least a few hours ahead so they haveย plenty of time to cool down. But if this was not an option, donโt despair: all is not lost!ย To cool your potatoes in a pinch, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet andย place them in the freezerย for about 10 minutes.ย Perfect crime!
You could also rinse the potatoes under cold running water or plunge them in an ice water bath, but I find this makes the potatoes somewhat watery and less flavorful. When hot, the โporesโ of the potatoes are wide open and they will absorb whatever flavor you throw at them. I donโt think that you want this โflavorโ to be that of waterโฆ
WELLโฆ AND IN THE SAUCE, TOO!
While your potatoes are chillinโ, take the opportunity toย chop your celery, onion and pickles,ย and thenย make that super yummy creamy dressing.ย Simply combine a cup ofย vegan mayonnaise, some apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and a few herbs and spices (listed below in the recipe card) in a medium bowl and give all that a good whisk.
When the potatoes are good and cold, place them in a large mixing bowl, along with the celery, onion and pickles,โฆ
โฆand thenย pour in that super yummy creamy dressing; Toss very delicately until all theย potatoes are well coatedย and all those ingredients are evenly distributed.
Technically, your potato salad is nowย ready to be served, but if time permits, you should definitelyย place it in the fridge for a few hoursย to give all those tasty flavors a chance to meld and mingle.
This potato salad can totally be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a few days.
Vegan Potato Salad
Tender chunks of potatoes in a yummy creamy dressing, with just the right amount of crunch and tanginess! This Vegan Potato Salad is easy to make โ ahead of time too โ making it the perfect option for picnics, barbecues and potlucks.
Servings:ย 8
- 3ย lbย new potatoes (or other waxy potato variety),ย cut into 1โณ pieces
- 2ย stalks celery,ย sliced
- 1/2ย of a medium red onion,ย finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/2ย cupย chopped dill pickles,ย about 2 medium
- Cut the potatoes into bite size pieces, then rinse them well and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes completely with cold water* and add enough salt so that your water tastes like the sea; itโs imperative that your water be fairly salty!
- Bring to the boil then reduce to a rapid simmer, cover loosely and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
- Once cooked, drain the potatoes and let them cool completely.**
- Meanwhile, chop your celery, onions and pickle, and then make the creamy dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and giving them a good whisk.
- When the potatoes are cold, place them in a large mixing bowl, along with the celery, onion and pickles, and then pour in the dressing; Toss delicately until all the potatoes are well coated.
- You can serve your potato salad immediately, or place it in the fridge for a few more hours to give those flavors a chance to meld and mingle.
- This potato salad can totally be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to a few days.
**To cool the potatoes faster, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. You could also rinse them under cold running water or plunge them in an ice water batch, but I find this makes the potatoes watery and less flavorful.
Calories:ย 321kcal,ย Carbohydrates:ย 34g,ย Protein:ย 4g,ย Fat:ย 18g,ย Saturated Fat:ย 2g,ย Sodium:ย 417mg,ย Potassium:ย 757mg,ย Fiber:ย 4g,ย Sugar:ย 2g,ย Vitamin A:ย 470IU,ย Vitamin C:ย 38mg,ย Calcium:ย 35mg,ย Iron:ย 2mg
If youโve tried this recipe, please take a minute toย rate the recipeย and let me know how things went for you in the comments below. Itโs always such a pleasure to hear from you!