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This no-mayo potato salad recipe has been a staple in my kitchen for years. And it’s unlike any other potato salad out there. It’s made with small red-skinned potatoes (which are ideal for potato salad) with a flavorful miso vinaigrette that’s both savory and tangy at the same time. The salad comes together with a few other “flavor bomb” ingredients like za’atar (one of my favorite spice blends), scallions, shallots and toasted sesame oil. This salad is so delicious, you’re in for a treat!
Something I learned during my time as an Assistant Food Editor at Cuisine at Home Magazine is that home cooks are always on the lookout for new side dish recipes. As a result, I’ve developed hundreds of side dish recipes for any season and any occasion.
And this vegan potato salad is one of the most unique and flavorful side dishes I’ve ever developed. White miso is a fabulous ingredient for a potato salad without mayo. It adds depth of flavor, nuttiness and a touch of viscosity so the dressing sticks to the potatoes. I can’t wait for you to try this.
This recipe article was originally published in August of 2018, it has since been updated with helpful tips, clearer instructions and a step-by-step video.
Reader Review
My all time favorite potato salad. I make it for dinner parties and people love it!
– Sophie
Ingredients in No-Mayo Potato Salad
This recipe is quick and easy to make. Here is a quick rundown of what you’ll need for the recipe, along with a few notes. When you’re ready to cook, jump down to the recipe for the amounts.
- Red-Skinned Potatoes: the best type of potato for potato salads are young potatoes such as Fingerling, New and Red Potatoes. Also known as “waxy potatoes” these young potatoes haven’t had time to convert their sugars fully into starch, so they have a crisp, waxy texture with thin skins. These types of potatoes hold their shape during cooking and hold their cut shape, which makes them ideal for potato salad. I like red potatoes, but you can substitute with fingerlings or baby golds.
- Oils: you’ll need both extra-virgin olive oil and toasted sesame oil. A splash of toasted sesame oil rounds out the flavors and adds a robustness to the dish. Feel free to season the potato salad with more to taste. You can find toasted sesame oil in the Asian aisle of your grocery store or near the other cooking oils. You can also get it online.
- Vinegar: use rice vinegar for the best flavor—it pairs well with miso, za’atar and toasted sesame oil. You can substitute with white wine vinegar or regular white vinegar.
- White Miso: White miso is a type of miso paste (made from fermented soybeans) and is generally lighter in color and milder in flavor than red miso or barley miso. I recommend using white because of its mild nature. Find miso paste sold in the refrigerated section of your grocery store near the tofu. You can also buy miso online.
- Za’atar: za’atar is a pungent Middle Eastern spice blend traditionally made of sesame seeds, dried marjoram, dried thyme, and sumac. It’s often served as a dip for bread, mixed with olive oil and salt but is also commonly sprinkled over meats and vegetables. It’s absolutely delicious in this potato salad! You can make a za’atar spice blend or buy it online. Use the rest of your za’atar to sprinkle over rolls or bread before baking. I also like to sprinkle it over hummus or labneh for a quick appetizer.
- Sugar: just a touch of sugar balances out the tartness of the vinegar. You can use honey (if you aren’t following a strictly vegan diet) or pure maple syrup.
- Herbs: scallions and parsley add a bright herbiness to the salad. You can use any herbs you like and have on hand. Chives and cilantro are also great options. If you have leftover fresh herbs, check out how to store herbs.
- Shallots: a small minced shallot adds a hit of savoriness to the salad. If you aren’t keen on raw shallots, remove some of the raw flavor by rinsing the minced shallot under cold water in a fine mesh sieve.
How to Make Potato Salad Without Mayonnaise
- Cook the cubed potatoes in boiling salted water until fork-tender.
TIP: one more reason to use waxy potatoes like red potatoes. The cubed potatoes absorb less water during cooking than a more starchy potato would (think russet).
- Toss the cooked drained potatoes with some of the vinegar and let cool.
TIP: a great trick for infusing the potatoes with flavor! The hot potatoes will absorb some of the vinegar as they cool—seasoning them from the inside out.
- Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, miso, za’atar, sugar and sesame oil.
- In a large bowl, toss the cooled potatoes with the miso vinaigrette, scallions, parsley and shallot. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional toasted sesame oil.
Helpful Tips
- Potatoes need a lot of seasoning—so when you think you only need a few pinches of salt, you probably need double that. Be sure your cooking water is generously salted as well—key for seasoning the inside of the potatoes!
- Start testing the potatoes for doneness 10 minutes into boiling. To do so, use a fork to gently pierce a few of the potato pieces. Is the potato still too firm that it’s hard to pierce with a fork? Then continue cooking and test them every 1–2 minutes.
When you think they’re getting close to being done, start taste testing the pieces. They should be toothsome yet tender, but not soft.
Storing Potato Salad Without Mayo
This potato salad can be made up to 2 days ahead of time (though it’s best served the day of making).
Store potato salad in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Serve No Mayo Potato Salad With
Potato salad is a natural pairing with anything BBQ so I like to pair this salad with Brined Pork Chops and my Carolina Gold BBQ Sauce. Round out the side dish offerings with a bright and crisp Tomato Watermelon Salad.
FAQs
Potato salad can be very one noted and vinegar adds tang, balances out the savory flavors and just brightens the entire dish. I recommend any light vinegar like rice vinegar, white wine vinegar and white vinegar.
These Mushroom Veggie Burgers are so savory and delicious—a great pairing.
No, brown sugar is not common in potato salad. A dash of white sugar is though.
Potato Salad Without Mayonnaise
Description
Video
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds red-skinned potatoes, cubed
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon za’atar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook potatoes in a pot of boiling salted water until fork-tender, 10–12 minutes.
- Drain potatoes, transfer to a baking sheet, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons vinegar; cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons miso, 1 tablespoon za’atar, 2 teaspoons Dijon, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
- Toss potatoes, ½ cup sliced scallions, ¼ chopped parsley, and 2 tablespoons minced shallots with dressing to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
This sounds so delicious! Love that you added miso – one of my favorite ingredients. Can’t wait to make this at home!
Thanks Billy! I hope you enjoy it!
Can this be made ahead and kept cold and brought to room temp or?
Hi Leanne, great question! This can definitely be made ahead. One day ahead is the best, but it can be made up to two days ahead. I would store it in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator. Then pull it out about 30 minutes for serving!
Let me know how it goes, I love this recipe!
My all time favorite potato salad. I make it for dinner parties and people love it!