Skip to main content

Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

My creamy vegan potato salad is the best classic summer side dish. With homemade cashew cream, celery, and crunchy dill pickles, no one will guess it’s mayo-free and vegan!

Vegan potato salad

Looking for a great summer side dish? Try my very best vegan potato salad with no mayo! It’s classic and creamy, just like the classic potato salad your Grandma makes, or that one at the deli counter. Except this one is made of plant based whole foods and it tastes even better than the classic.

And get this: no one will know it’s vegan! I’ve tested this on friends and family over the years, and no one can stop eating it. In fact, I think it’s my favorite potato salad recipe to date!

5 Star Reader Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is my favorite vegan potato recipe. TY! I added chopped radishes. Delicious! I don’t even like potato salad with eggs in it now after having this!” -Connie

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “This is delish! I make many of your recipes. Love the mustard in this, cashew sauce, all of it.” -Katie

Ingredients You’ll Need

Of course, you can make vegan potato salad by just swapping in a vegan mayo to your favorite recipe. However, it’s hard to find one that tastes great! So instead, we’ve created a deliciously creamy vegan potato salad using a homemade cashew cream. And man is it good. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

  • Yukon gold potatoes are perfect for classic picnic potato salad because they hold their shape when boiling and absorb the creamy sauce.
  • Celery and green onions add a crunch and a little sharpness.
  • Dill pickles are the flavor anchor: don’t skimp here!
  • Yellow mustard brings in the classic tang.
  • White vinegar gets sprinkled over the warm potatoes (more on that trick below).
  • Raw cashews, olive oil, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, garlic powder, and salt go into the cashew cream that replaces the mayo.
Incredible No Mayo Potato Salad | A Couple Cooks

Tips For The Cashew Cream

The only part about vegan potato salad that requires some forethought is making the cashew cream! You’ll need to think in advance to soak the cashews: but otherwise it’s as simple as whizzing together a few ingredients! Here’s what to know:

  1. Soak the cashews 30 minutes to 1 hour (or even overnight). Soaking cashews in water makes them break down to make a smooth sauce. We have a high speed blender, so we only soak for about 30 minutes, 1 hour if we have time. But the longer you soak the cashews the better! Soaking overnight is fantastic. A high speed blender is perfect for blending the cashews, or a really good standard blender. The cashews form a thick cream when blended.
  2. Blend the cashews with spices and seasonings. This recipe uses yellow mustard, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, and a hint of maple syrup. The result is a creamy spread that tastes like mayo, but it’s fully vegan and dairy-free!

Keys to The Best Vegan Potato Salad

For this vegan potato salad we wanted that classic American style potato salad. You know, the kind your Grandma makes, or the kind you can pick up from the grocery deli counter? We did quite a bit of research into classic picnic potato salad. Here are a few tips that are essential to getting the right flavor:

  • Add vinegar to the potatoes after boiling. This is a typical trick for potato salad that we also use in our French potato salad. It really does make for the tangy flavor that’s typical of a classic potato salad.
  • Don’t skip the dill pickles. My favorite potato salad uses chopped dill pickles along celery and green onion to add a satisfying crunch.
Making classic vegan potato salad
Me making this potato salad with my friend Tessa

How To Serve It

This vegan potato salad was a huge hit in our family — and beyond! My son Larson absolutely adores it. My good friend has declared it her favorite potato salad: ever! She makes it often in the summers and it’s always a huge hit with her family! Basically: all signs point to delicious on this one. How to serve this potato salad? Here are a few ways I’d recommend:

Storage Info

This vegan potato salad saves well! It actually gets better in the fridge. Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days. Or, you can make this salad ahead up to 2 days in advance.

Dietary Notes

This vegan potato salad recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.

Print

Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

My creamy vegan potato salad is the best classic summer side dish. With homemade cashew cream, celery, and crunchy dill pickles, no one will guess it’s mayo-free and vegan!

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the potato salad

  • 1 cup Cashew Cream (below)
  • 2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 large celery stalks
  • 5 green onions
  • ½ cup minced dill pickles
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • Fresh ground black pepper

For the cashew cream

  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Place the cashews in a bowl and cover them with water. Soak them while making the recipe, at least 30 minutes if using a high speed blender and about 1 hour for a regular blender. If you think ahead, you can soak the cashews overnight before making the salad. (You also can make the cashew mayo in advance.)
  2. Boil the potatoes: Quarter the potatoes, keeping the skins on. Place them in a large saucepan filled with cold water. Bring it to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until tender when pricked with a fork. Drain and rinse the potatoes under cold water. Allow to cool slightly, then peel the skins off with your fingers and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Place the potatoes into a bowl and sprinkle with the white wine vinegar and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix and let stand until ready to assemble.
  3. Slice the celery stalks in half lengthwise, then thinly slice them. Thinly slice the green onions. Mince the dill pickles.
  4. Make the cashew cream: After the cashews have soaked at least 30 minutes (more, if time), drain them. In the bowl of a blender, place the cashews, water, olive oil, yellow mustard, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Blend on high for several minutes until smooth and creamy. (Makes about 1 cup; store refrigerated if making in advance.)
  5. In the bowl with the potatoes, mix in the cashew mayonnaise, celery, green onions, pickles, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving.

Did you love this recipe?

Get our free newsletter with all of our best recipes!

More Potato Salad Recipes To Try



from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/OMX1NAv

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to Season Quinoa

My go-to quinoa seasoning turns the classic whole grain into an irresistible, flavorful side. It’s made with a few pantry staples and is endlessly versatile! If you’ve ever thought quinoa was bland, think again! This is my go-to way to season it, and it’s absolutely irresistible when it comes to flavor. It’s the recipe that convinced my family to fall in love with quinoa!   With just a few simple ingredients, you can turn this humble grain into something crave-worthy. I’ll walk you through my classic seasoning method first, and then share some fun flavor variations you can try for other quinoa-based dishes . My Favorite Seasoning Option  This whole grain has a naturally bitter and nutty flavor. With the right ingredients, though, you can easily flavor quinoa so that these bitter and nutty notes aren’t overpowering your palate.  Here’s what I use in my classic seasoning to make quinoa taste delicious:  Butter : The light sweetness and richness ...

30 Halloween Cocktails & Drinks

These Halloween cocktails and drinks combine eerie effects with incredible flavors, from bubbling alcoholic drinks to spooky classic cocktails! These creepy beverages will wow everyone (mocktails included). Themed cocktails make any party more fun: especially when it comes to Halloween! As a cocktail expert and huge fan of this fall holiday, I’ve spent the last few years creating some fun drink recipes for my favorite time of year. I’ve been perfecting Halloween drinks for over a decade now, and I’ve learned the best spooky drinks are a combination of both drama and flavor. So here are my top Halloween cocktails to fit the season, including bubbling dry ice drinks, classic cocktails that fit the ghoulish theme, and fall favorites that are easy to serve a crowd. Let the haunting begin! Tip: If you’re planning to use dry ice in your Halloween alcoholic drinks, read the safety and handling instructions in How to Make Dry Ice Cocktails . Top Halloween drinks and cocktails ...

St Germain Spritz

The St Germain Spritz is a delightful blend of elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine, and club soda. It’s perfect for sipping on patios, enjoying at brunch, or anytime you crave a lightly sweet and bubbly cocktail! Why you’ll love this cocktail The first time I tried St Germain liqueur years ago is still a strong memory—the delicate, floral sweetness immediately captivated me! After testing countless St Germain cocktail recipes , the St Germain Spritz has become my absolute favorite way to showcase this elderflower liqueur. What makes this cocktail so special? Well, it’s so refreshing without being too sweet, sophisticated without being pretentious, and—maybe best of all—it takes minutes to prepare. I love other spritzes (like the popular Aperol Spritz), but I would pick this version every time! The light, effervescent quality makes it perfect as a brunch drink , but it’s equally great to make for a summer barbecue. The essential spritz ingredients The St Germain sp...