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Home » Salad » The Best Classic Vegan Potato Salad.

The Best Classic Vegan Potato Salad.

Jun 9, 2018 · Modified: Jun 28, 2022 by Kelly Roenicke · 75 Comments

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best vegan potato salad

Classic, creamy, and delicious, this vegan potato salad is a must for your summer picnics and parties! A flavorful dressing, dill pickles, and crunchy celery and onion make this recipe a favorite. 

vegan potato salad with vegan mayo

One of my favorite things about summer is a casual get-together with friends or family. A sunny day, something tasty on the grill, and lots of delicious and easy side dishes. Those are the ingredients for a perfect summer party.

And of course, every summer barbecue needs some side salads. Vegan macaroni salad, Texas caviar, or this classic vegan potato salad.

This is the kind of potato salad that my mom made for us when we were growing up. It’s creamy and flavorful, and so good on hot summer days.

There are so many different variations on potato salad, but this vegan potato salad has a little mustard, and also dill pickles for a bit more flavor.

This potato salad is really so easy to make, and there isn’t a big difference at all from the classic recipe.

Jump to:
  • Potato Salad for Vegans
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Step by Step Instructions
  • Optional Add-Ins
  • Tips for Success
  • More Potato Salad Recipes
  • Recipe

Potato Salad for Vegans

It’s easy to make potato salad suitable for a vegan diet – just choose a vegan mayonnaise. And make sure to leave out any chopped eggs or bacon of course.

That’s the only change that I had to make to adapt my mom’s recipe – just using vegan mayonnaise in place of regular mayonnaise. I prefer the Earth Balance brand, but go ahead and use your favorite brand, or if you aren’t dairy or egg free, just use your favorite regular mayo.

creamy potato salad in a blue and white bowl

Ingredient Notes

  • Potatoes – Red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite varieties for potato salad. They hold their shape well after boiling, and they are delicious in a cold salad.
  • Vegan Mayonnaise – I like Earth Balance Vegan Mayo, but there are many different choices available. Use the brand that works for your dietary needs.
  • Mustard – I love the taste of a little bit of mustard in this dressing. If you can’t have mustard, you could leave it out. Just add a little more pickle relish for flavor.
  • Onions – I used a sweet onion, because I prefer the milder flavor of this variety. If you want a stronger onion flavor, you can use a red onion or even green onions.
potato salad in vintage Pyrex bowl

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Peel and dice the potatoes.
  2. Boil until fork tender, then let them cool down.
  3. Chop the onions and celery.
  4. Put the cooled potatoes in a large bowl, then add the chopped onions and celery, plus the dressing ingredients.
how to make vegan potato salad

This classic potato salad recipe is loved by vegans and non-vegans alike.

Optional Add-Ins

You can make this recipe your own by adding some other ingredients. Try:

  • Fresh herbs like dill, cilantro, or parsley
  • Finely shredded carrot would also be a nice pop of color
  • Finely chopped sweet pepper or pimentos to add more flavor and color

Tips for Success

  • Don’t overcook the potatoes – boil them for too long and you will have mashed potatoes
  • Check the potatoes as they boil – they should be tender when pierced with a fork, but not falling apart
  • Let the potatoes cool fully before mixing the potato salad
  • Taste the potato salad after mixing, and add more salt, pepper, or pickle relish if desired

More Potato Salad Recipes

  • Simple Vinaigrette Potato Salad
  • Roasted Potato Salad with Asparagus
  • Dill Pickle Potato Salad

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. 

Recipe

easy vegan potato salad (1)
4.8 from 25 votes
Print

The Best Classic Vegan Potato Salad.

This classic vegan potato salad is creamy, flavorful, and easy to make. This is a favorite barbecue side dish!

Course Salad
Cuisine Dairy Free, Egg Free, gluten free, vegan.
Keyword vegan barbecue recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 303 kcal
Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

  • 8 potatoes peeled and diced into smallish cubes (for about 7 cups diced potatoes)
  • ¾ cup sweet onion chopped
  • ⅔ cup celery chopped
  • ⅓ cup dill pickle relish or finely chopped dill pickles
  • ⅞ cup vegan mayonnaise more if desired
  • 3 teaspoons mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • paprika optional
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  1. Place the diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Boil the diced potatoes for about 20 minutes or until tender. Don’t overcook the potatoes – they should be tender but not mushy.

  2. Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain the water out of the pan. 

  3. Let the potatoes cool before mixing on the other ingredients. If you are in a hurry, you can rinse with a few changes of cold water to speed up the cooling process.
  4. Put the cooled potatoes, onions, and celery in a large bowl. Add the mayo, mustard, pickles, sugar, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. The amount of mayo will vary depending on the size of the potatoes. Add more or less if needed.
  5. Sprinkle with a dash of paprika before serving if desired.

Recipe Notes

You can use any type of potato you like. I prefer to use Red potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. 

If you can’t have mustard, just leave it out and add a little more pickle relish.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. They should be good for up to four days. 

Serving size is about ¾ cup. 

Nutrition Facts
The Best Classic Vegan Potato Salad.
Amount per Serving
Calories
303
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Sodium
 
398
mg
17
%
Potassium
 
927
mg
26
%
Carbohydrates
 
33
g
11
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
55
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
25.2
mg
31
%
Calcium
 
70
mg
7
%
Iron
 
7.1
mg
39
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe was originally published in May 2014. It has been updated with new photos and new text. 

Related

« Blackberry Crumble Bars (Gluten Free, Vegan).
The Best Simple Vegan Macaroni Salad. »

Filed Under: Dairy Free, food, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish, Vegan Tagged With: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Fish Free, Gluten Free, Legume Free, Mustard Free, Peanut Free, Sesame Free, Shellfish Free, Soy Free, top 8 allergy free recipe, Tree Nut Free

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kelly Roenicke
Kelly Roenicke
Mom to two boys with food allergies and sensitivities, Kelly is passionate about allergy friendly cooking and baking. She believes that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.
Kelly Roenicke
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. connie

    February 02, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    I also add dried cranberries and use sweet potatoes. It is sooooo good

    Reply
  2. Kelly

    February 02, 2021 at 12:27 am

    5 stars
    This was really yummy! Thank you for the recipe. I used sweet relish instead of the dill relish and omitted the sugar.

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      February 10, 2021 at 12:03 am

      I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  3. Chelle Thompson

    November 24, 2020 at 10:11 pm

    5 stars
    This is something new to try. I love potatoes and what’s great is that you don’t need a mayo! awesome! thanks a lot for sharing this!

    Reply
  4. Clareese

    November 21, 2020 at 3:04 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful recipe. I need gluten-free and dairy free as well as egg free, but my family doesn’t. I made this and my family absolutely loves it. They devoured this potato salad. Thank you again.

    Reply
  5. Tenessis Gomillia

    November 17, 2020 at 10:49 pm

    Wow look good am try it for Thanksgiving dinner questions can I use sweet relish instead of dill relish.

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      November 25, 2020 at 11:56 am

      Use any relish you like! It’s a personal preference. I hope you enjoy it! :)

      Reply
  6. Brian

    September 26, 2020 at 10:18 am

    Wow, what a delicious recipe. The best potato salad I’ve had in ages. And it was so easy to follow your instructions on how to make it. Thanks

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      September 29, 2020 at 4:10 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  7. Samantha

    September 09, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    5 stars
    When people say “best potato salad ever” I am interested but very skeptical, but after trying it, I have to say, they are not wrong. This is sooooo good. Thank you for an excellent recipe.

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      September 12, 2020 at 10:51 am

      Yay! I’m so glad you liked it! We love it over here!

      Reply
  8. connie

    September 06, 2020 at 2:23 pm

    This looks really good am going to make this but with sweet potatoes

    Reply
  9. Linda

    September 02, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    What is 7/8 cup ?? I’ve never heard of that and I work as a chef. Can you please simplify the recipe and use standard measurements?

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      September 06, 2020 at 9:54 am

      1/8 of a cup is 2 tablespoons so it is one cup minus 2 tablespoons. If that bothers you, you can use a full cup. A full cup was just a bit too much mayo for me.

      Reply
  10. Megan

    August 26, 2020 at 9:50 am

    Question! I am making this recipe for a party and making at least a few batches (need about 50 4oz servings) to make a total of 200 oz- do you by chance know how many cups or oz this recipe makes?

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      September 06, 2020 at 9:57 am

      I would say it makes about 48 ounces or so!

      Reply
  11. Ronda

    August 10, 2020 at 10:14 pm

    5 stars
    Oh, this would be a perfect recipe this summer. My son loves potatoes, so he would surely like to try this. Thank you!

    Reply
  12. Cat

    July 25, 2020 at 4:11 pm

    How many cups or pounds of potatoes since they vary in size?

    Reply
    • M

      August 02, 2020 at 3:43 pm

      I wound up using 7 cups. Hope that helps~ The author seems reluctant to clear up the confusion.

      Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      September 06, 2020 at 10:03 am

      It winds up being about 6-7 cups or so!

      Reply
  13. Stephanie

    July 04, 2020 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe! I made some modifications due to what I had on hand –
    I used half bread and butter half dill pickles
    Dijon mustard
    Half the amount of mayo

    But it’s so good and so simple.

    Reply
  14. Sherri

    May 25, 2020 at 4:02 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Kelly,
    Thanks for this! I just made it today and it turned out really beautifully. I love how simple it was and how yummy. My vegan daughter is thrilled to have standard recipes made healthier. Thank you again!

    Reply
  15. Lindsay

    May 21, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    This recipe was so yummy! I have been craving potato salad all week and it was perfect!

    Reply
  16. Igor

    September 03, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is fantastic! I was looking for a good option for a party, and that was 5 weeks ago. I have ben making this each week since then. My advice is to chop the potatoes a bit larger so they don’t break as easily.

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      September 11, 2019 at 4:30 pm

      So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  17. Doug

    July 04, 2019 at 9:18 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe. Thanks for sharing. I substituted 1 sweet potato to add a little color to my potato salad and added some parsley as well. I will be making this again and again.

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      July 10, 2019 at 2:19 pm

      So glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  18. Becky

    May 28, 2019 at 3:25 pm

    5 stars
    This is the first time I’ve tried potato salad since becoming vegan. Your recipe is fabulous! It really hit the spot. I did boil my potatoes whole with the skins on and chilled them overnight before peeling and cubing them because that was how my mom always made it. I can’t stop eating it and my non-vegan husband also loved it. Thank you very much for this recipe!!!

    Reply
  19. Jessica Neely

    May 27, 2019 at 10:19 am

    5 stars
    Am I the only one that thought this called for 7-8 cups of mayo??? Oops! Lol

    Reply
    • Kristen

      May 27, 2019 at 1:21 pm

      I thought so too! How much mayo did you use?

      Reply
  20. Debbie

    April 13, 2019 at 10:12 am

    What kind of wet mustard did you use?

    Reply
    • Kelly Roenicke

      April 20, 2019 at 9:15 pm

      Just regular yellow mustard!

      Reply
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Hi! I'm Kelly, and I believe that you can enjoy amazing, easy recipes even when cooking for multiple food allergies.

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