Best Country Vegan Potato Salad

This vegan potato salad is excellent for family gatherings and picnics. No one will ever realize it’s a low-fat, healthier version. I promise, if my family can’t tell, yours won’t either.

I am from the Carolinas where potato salad, coleslaw, and tomato sandwiches are necessary meal staples. This was a real issue for me after switching to a plant-based lifestyle because you know what all these foods require right? Mayonnaise!

Potato salad made with vegan mayonnaise

The southern potato salad recipe I had used for 35 years called for mayo, and that wouldn’t work anymore due to the eggs and oil. This was a very sad realization for me.

But did it have to be? I decided to search for a compliant, heart-healthy mayonnaise option that would allow these foods to continue to be a part of mine and my family’s lives.

Unfortunately, I quickly found out that store-bought mayo options–though they were vegan–were certainly not healthy. They contained lots of artery-clogging oil and loads of fat.

Then, I ran across a recipe from Dr. John McDougall‘s wife, Mary McDougall.  She had this Easy Eggless Low-Fat Mayo recipe that tastes delicious.

One of my first tests was to try it in my decades-old southern potato salad recipe. It’s a recipe that has been in my family for years. I remember my grandmother preparing it for Sunday dinners after church when I was a child.

This new healthier version of potato salad has officially passed the test because no one has even noticed the difference!

My family loves this vegan potato salad because it’s

• Delicious
• Hearty
• Flavorful
• Great for picnics
• Perfect Sunday side dish
• Easy to make

Ingredients in vegan potato salad

• potatoes
• onion
• pickle relish
• Low-Fat Vegan Mayo
• yellow mustard
• garlic powder
• parsley
• smoked paprika
• salt & pepper

How to make vegan potato salad

First, peel, wash, and dice the potatoes into bite-sized chunks that are about 1″ in size.

While you’re chopping, now is a good time to go ahead and dice up the onion. I really love to use red or purple onion when making this because it makes the dish stand out beautifully, but you really can use most any other onion such as while and yellow.

I am often asked what knives I use and recommend for cooking, and my favorite brand is Victorinox Swiss Army Cutlery. Yes, that’s the same company that makes the Swiss Army Knife. These knives come with a lifetime guarantee and are very reasonably priced. I absolutely love mine.

Add the diced potatoes (but NOT the onion) to a large pot of boiling water, and allow them to cook on medium-high until they are tender–approximately 15-20 minutes.

Be sure not to overcook the potatoes. You want them soft enough for a fork to go through easily but not cooked to the point of being mushy or falling apart easily.

Once the potatoes have finished cooking, use a colander to drain the cooked potatoes.

Add all other ingredients–onion, low-fat mayo, mustard (this is the refrigerator kind, not dry ground), garlic powder, parsley flakes, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Just recently, I began adding a little Indian black salt to mine because it gives it just a hint of eggy flavor that the traditional potato salad has. It’s a great option to kick it up a notch.

Mix together thoroughly and serve. We love to make this no egg potato salad for picnics and family gatherings.

It also pairs well with corn on the cob and coleslaw.

Tips for making this recipe

This vegan potato salad can be made with many different types of white potatoes. Traditionally, Russets or even yellow potatoes.  Sometimes I make this with red potatoes and leave the skins on for more nutritional bang!

Don’t overcook the potatoes because they will become too soft and mushy–more like mashed potatoes than potato salad.

The vegan mayonnaise along with salt and pepper are key ingredients here. After you’ve made it, if it needs a little tweaking to suit your taste preference, these are the three ingredients to adjust.

When I take this vegan potato salad to family get-togethers, the bowl is always empty when I bring it home!

*Originally published August 2015.

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Other great Southern recipes

• Carolina Red Cole Slaw
• Creamy Potato Soup
• Country Cornbread
• 40+ Vegan Side Dishes

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Vegan Potato Salad

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This vegan potato salad is excellent for family gatherings and picnics. No one will ever realize it's a low-fat, healthier vegan version. I promise, if my family can't tell, yours won't either.

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Ingredients

• 6 medium-large potatoes
• 1 small onion, (purple onion makes it prettier)
• 1 Tbsp sweet pickle relish with a little juice
• 1-2 Tbsps low-fat mayo. I use a heaping Tbsp.
• 1 tsp yellow mustard, (not dry mustard)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 pinch smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt, or to your taste preference
• Black ground pepper
• 1 pinch Indian black salt (optional for eggy flavor)

Instructions

1. First, peel, wash, and dice the potatoes into bite-sized chunks that are about 1″ in size. While you’re chopping, now is a good time to go ahead and dice up the onion.
2. Add the diced potatoes (but NOT the onion) to a large pot of boiling water, and allow them to cook on medium-high until they are tender–approximately 15-20 minutes. Be sure not to overcook the potatoes. You want them soft enough for a fork to go through easily but not cooked to the point of being mushy or falling apart easily.
3. Once the potatoes have finished cooking, use a colander to drain the cooked potatoes.
4. In a large bowl, add all other ingredients–onion, low-fat mayo, mustard (this is the refrigerator kind, not dry ground), garlic powder, parsley flakes, paprika, salt, and pepper. Just recently, I began adding a little Indian black salt to mine because it gives it just a hint of eggy flavor that the traditional potato salad has. It’s a great option to kick it up a notch.
5. Mix together thoroughly and serve. We love to make this no egg potato salad for picnics and family gatherings.

Notes

Detailed instructions, in-process photos, and my personal helpful tips can be found in the article above.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 185Total Fat: 1gCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 4gProtein: 5g

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