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 my 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!

Ingredients in vegan potato salad

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

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

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 almost any other onion such as white or yellow.

I am often asked which knives I use personally, and I have to say that it is Victorinox. They are the same company that makes Swiss Army Knives and the quality is excellent.

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.

Serving suggestions

When I take this vegan potato salad to family get-togethers, the bowl is always empty when I bring it home. These are some dishes that go well with potato salad whether you’re serving it at home or at a function.

• Black Bean Burgers
• Quick & Easy Pasta Salad
• Coleslaw

Tips and substitutions

• Potatoes- 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 a more nutritional bang!
• Cook time- Don’t overcook the potatoes because they will become too soft and mushy–more like mashed potatoes than potato salad.
• Secret ingredients- The Vegan Mayo along with the perfect amount of 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.

*Originally published August 2015.

Other great side dishes

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

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!

4.49 from 29 votes

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 vegan version. I promise, if my family can't tell, yours won't either.

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 35 minutes mins

Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

Servings: 6 servings

1x2x3x

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

• ▢ 6 medium-large potatoes
• ▢ 1 small onion (purple onion makes it prettier)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish with a little juice
• ▢ 1-2 rounded tablespoons low-fat vegan mayo Homemade Mayo Linked
• ▢ 1 teaspoon yellow mustard (not dry mustard)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
• ▢ 1 pinch smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt or to your taste preference
• ▢ Black ground pepper
• ▢ 1 pinch Indian black salt optional for eggy flavor

Instructions

• 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.
• 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.
• In a large bowl, add all other ingredients–onion, low-fat vegan mayo (try my homemade version), 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.

Equipment

McCormick Garlic Powder (Organic, Non-GMO, Kosher), 16.75 oz

Spicy World Black Salt

McCormick Smoked Paprika, 0.9 oz

Video

Notes

Tips & Substitutions

1. Potatoes- 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!
2. Cook time- Don't overcook the potatoes because they will become too soft and mushy--more like mashed potatoes than potato salad.
3. Secret ingredients- The Vegan Mayo along with the perfect amount of 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 4g

Disclaimer

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About Terri Edwards

Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy.  I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…