Herbed Potato Salad (no mayo!)
This healthy potato salad recipe is full of fresh flavor. It's mayo-free and so easy to make. It'll be a big hit at your next party! Vegan and egg free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 13, 2025
I never truly loved a potato salad, until I made this one. This potato salad recipe is a riff on classic French potato salads, which contain no mayo and lots of herbs. I opted for lemon juice instead of vinegar for a super fresh-tasting salad. Chopped celery offers some welcome crunch.ย
Unlike standard potato salads that are drenched in mayonnaise, this salad is lightly creamy yet miraculously mayo-free. It calls for red potatoes instead of Yukon Golds or russet potatoes, which hold their shape and absorb flavors well.
This potato salad recipe is special diet friendly, too. Itโs vegan, egg-free, dairy-free and gluten-free for all to enjoy. Can I go ahead and call it the perfect potluck potato salad?
This recipe is surprisingly quick and simple to make. I hope this potato salad becomes your go-to potluck recipe, as well as a standard side dish at your dinner table. It goes great with burgers, sandwiches, and much more.
Potato Salad Tips
After some trial and error, Iโve discovered some key tips to making great potato salad.
- Slice your potatoes before boiling, rather than afterward. That way, the potatoes donโt break down into mush when youโre tossing the salad later. Plus, your potatoes cook faster this way (in just five minutes!). We can thank the experts at Americaโs Test Kitchen for this technique.
- Thereโs no need to rinse the potatoes after cooking. The starch on the potatoes contributes to this potato saladโs lovely texture once itโs all stirred together.ย
- To make the best mayo-free potato salad, reserve some potato cooking water before draining the potatoes. Then, blend the herbs and olive oil with the starchy reserved water. Youโll end up with a creamy emulsification that infuses the potatoes with fresh flavor.
Watch How to Make Potato Salad
Looking for more fresh side dishes? Youโll findย more side dish recipes here. Here are a few that would go well with this potato salad:
- Healthy (Mayo-Free) Coleslaw
- Favorite Quinoa Salad
- Fresh Bean Salad
- French Carrot Salad
- Lentil Salad
Please let me know how you like this potato salad in the comments! I love to hear from you.
Herbed Potato Salad
This healthy potato salad recipe is full of fresh flavor. Itโs mayo-free, easy to make, and sure to be a hit at your potluck! This salad is vegan, egg free and gluten free. Recipe yields 6 side servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into ยผ-inch thick rounds
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- ยผ cup olive oil
- โ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus about 2 tablespoons more for garnish
- โ cup roughly chopped green onions, plus about 2 tablespoons thinly sliced for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
Instructions
- In a large saucepan or Dutch oven combine sliced potatoes and salt. Cover with room temperature water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are easily pierced by a paring knife and pulled out with little resistance, about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Reserve ยผ cup cooking water, then drain. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small food processor or blender, combine the olive oil, โ cup parsley, โ cup green onions, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and freshly ground black pepper. Process until the herbs and garlic have been chopped into little pieces. Then, while running the food processor, pour in the reserved cooking water and process just until blended. (If you donโt have a food processor or blender, just finely chop the parsley and onions and whisk the dressing together until the oil is fully incorporated.)
- Drizzle the potatoes with the herbed olive oil mixture and gently mix to combine. (It will look like youโve poured in too much dressing, but donโt worry, the potatoes will soak it up!) Let the potatoes rest for ten minutes, gently tossing every few minutes.
- Add the celery to the bowl, along with a couple tablespoons each of additional chopped parsley and green onions. Toss again. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until youโre ready to serve. This salad is best served within a few hours, but will keep in the refrigerator for about three days.
Notes
Recipe roughly adapted from Americaโs Test Kitchenโs The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook and The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon.
Suggested equipment: I love my 11-cup Cuisinart food processor (affiliate link).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Would this recipe work with sweet potatoes?
Hi Felicity, Iโve had better luck baking and roasting sweet potatoes. If I were to make a potato salad with sweet potatoes, Iโd also start with flavors like jalapeรฑo and cilantro. But you could definitely try it, and Iโd love to hear what you think of substituting in this recipe.
Thanks so much! I have to avoid nightshade produce.
So flavoursome, unbelievable. The best potato salad I have tasted.
Hi Charuta, I never wanted to go back to a traditional mayo American-style potato salad after I discovered this method! Thanks for taking the time to rate and review.
This potato salad is AMAZING! It tastes so much more light and fresh than a traditional potato salad. This has been added to in my โfavorite summer side dishesโ arsenal!
Would basil work instead of parsley?
Hi Molly, yes you could definitely swap out herbs here. Basil, tarragon, and dill would all be fantastic additions.
I used 3 way too big white potatoes which were not originally very tasty. This dressing & the addition of the crunchy celery makes this recipe a winner. I canโt wait to make it with little red potatoes! Delicious!
Iโve made this recipe multiple times and itโs the favourite of my vegan and non-vegan family & friends! Itโs become a โGo-toโ recipe. The only changes I make are:
-I add capers to the dressing (to taste)
-I double the vinegrette recipe (my family likes it moister)
Fab recipe!
Hi Pat, I love the addition of capers! Thanks for taking the time to share a comment and rate the recipe.
I love love love this recipe! From slicing the potatoes thinly to adding all of the ingrdients it was fun to make and the best potato salad recipe yet! I added sundried tomatoes in mine as well and it was extra yummy. Will definitely be making it again.
Hi Jane, thanks for your comment! The sun-dried tomatoes sound like a great twist on the recipe.
Completely delightful & easy. Loved this light healthy dish. You are appreciated!