Potato Salad Three Ways

By the Gracious Vegan

This recipe offers three flavor combinations for this favorite dish. You can use the recipe as a guide and let your creativity flow to create your own combinations. Your potato salad can also be oil-free if you use a no-oil mayonnaise. 

The type of potatoes you use makes a big difference in the texture of the salad. I prefer all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold and red-skinned potatoes, because they hold their shape and texture when they're diced and tossed with mayonnaise, and they’re not as dense as fingerlings. Baby potatoes also work well in potato salad. 

Russet or Idaho potatoes have a drier and starchier texture and tend to break down during the cooking, chopping, and tossing stages. If you like a softer, creamier potato salad, you can certainly choose russets.

Makes about 6 cups of salad

Place potato chunks and optional salt in large saucepan and add water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are just tender, about 6-8 minutes.

• 2 pounds Yukon, red-skinned, or other all-purpose potatoes (or a variety of waxy potatoes), (peeling optional) and cut into bite-size chunks (if using baby potatoes, cut into halves or quarters)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Drain potatoes and transfer to large bowl. Add vinegar and toss gently with a rubber spatula. Let stand about 20 minutes.

• 2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together the following ingredients. 

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (for oil-free, make my Tofu-Cashew Mayonnaise, No Oil or aquafaba-based Plant-Based Oil-Free Mayonnaise)

• 1 Tablespoon whole-grain or other mustard (see combinations below before you choose)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold dressing and additions into the potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 1 hour. See below for recommended combinations.

• 2 celery ribs, chopped fine (to emphasize the celery flavor, you could also add 1/2 teaspoon celery seed)

• Sliced olives (green olives, with or without pimentos, or California black; beware of kalamata olives, which can turn things purple and black), 1/2 cup

• Fresh chopped dill, about 1/4 cup, or dried dill, about 1 Tablespoon

• Finely chopped red onion (2-3 Tablespoons)

• Diced red bell pepper (1/2 – 1 pepper)

• Chopped chives or sliced scallions (2-3 Tablespoons)

• Sweet or dill pickle relish (2-3 Tablespoons)

• Toasted caraway seeds (1 teaspoon)

Suggested combinations:

• Cookout potato salad: classic yellow mustard - celery – pickle relish – red onion – (optional) red bell pepper

• Dill potato salad: whole-grain mustard – celery – dill – red onion – chives or scallions – (optional) caraway seeds

• Olive potato salad: whole-grain or Dijon mustard – celery – olives – red onion

Timing: About 45 minutes

Gluten-free