Tangy Dill Potato Salad (No Mayo)
This tangy dill potato salad recipe is quick and easy to make in 15 minutes with just a few simple, healthy ingredients.
If you love tangy flavours like dill and dijon then this is the potato salad for you! It takes just a few minutes to make and it’s perfect for a light and refreshing side to summer meals.
The recipe is made without mayo, though you could add mayo to make it a creamy dill potato salad, if you like!
As is, it features a dill dijon vinaigrette and is really easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, though there is lots of opportunity to personalize it to your preference.
Why You’ll Love this Salad
- Zesty, tangy flavour thanks to dill, vinegar and dijon mustard.
- Made without mayo or oil.
- Vegan, gluten-free and oil-free.
- Easy to make in 15 minutes.
- Perfect for summer meals and side for your favorite grilling.
Ingredient Notes
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
- Potatoes. Use a waxy-skinned yellow or red potato like Yukon gold, small red potatoes or any other small yellow or red-skinned potato.
- Dijon mustard. Any kind of dijon mustard works. I used a plain dijon in the recipe but you can try a stone-ground mustard, grainy dijon or hot and spicy dijon mustard.
- White vinegar. White vinegar adds the perfect tang to the recipe. I went with plain, white vinegar as I like it best in this recipe but you can also use apple cider or white wine vinegar.
- Shallot. Shallots are best but white, yellow or red onions work too. Finely sliced green onion would also work.
- Fresh dill. You’ll need a few tablespoons of fresh dill for this recipe. You can also try parsley or chives in addition to dill or as a substitution.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic adds extra seasoning to the recipe but is optional.
How to Make Dijon Potato Salad
Step 1: Cook the potatoes.
Rinse and scrub the potatoes then slice in half and place in a large sauce pan. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the potatoes.
Add 1/2 tsp of salt and bring to boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat slightly and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on their size. The potatoes are ready when you can easily pierce them with a fork or knife.
Once the potatoes are cooked, reserve a scoop of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the potatoes then add them to a mixing bowl.
You don’t need to reserve much water, just a few tablespoons, and it is optional. Adding a little of the reserved water to the mixed salad at the end makes it a bit creamy and helps to ensure the salad isn’t dry.
Quick Tip: There’s no need to rinse the potatoes, it’s actually preferable if they’re warm when you add the dressing ingredients.
Step 2: Mix the salad.
Add all of the ingredients to the potatoes right away and mix to combine. If desired, add a few tablespoons of the potato water for creaminess and moisture.
You can serve your potato salad right away while it’s warm, or chill in the fridge for an hour up to overnight before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t cool potatoes. The salad is best mixed with the potatoes are still warm. This helps them soak up the dressing for a more flavourful salad.
- Make in advance. You can serve the salad right away but it’s even better after it sits for a few hours so the flavours can develop.
Variations
- Lemon Dill Potato Salad: Use fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar. For extra lemon flavour, you can also add 1 tsp lemon zest.
- Additional Ingredients: Try adding up to 1/4 cup green onion, celery or capers.
- More Herbs: Add up to 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or parsley.
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad: Add up to 1/2 cup mayonnaise of choice. If you’re adding mayo, let the potatoes cool before adding the mayo and other ingredients.
What Kind of Potatoes to Use
- Waxy, thin-skinned potatoes like baby red and yellow have the least amount of starch so they retain their shape when boiled. They make a good choice for potato salad.
- All-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold and white potatoes also work well in potato salad. They’ll fall apart a bit but overall are just fine for this recipe.
- Russet and Idaho potatoes are drier and starchier than other varieties. These types of potato tend to split and break apart during cooking and will become mushy when tossed with dressing. If it’s all you have on hand, go ahead but I would recommend baby red or yellow potatoes for best results.
I recommend using a firm, thin-skinned, waxy potato variety such as red, yellow or fingerling potatoes. These types of potato hold their shape when cooked so you can chop them up and mix them with dressing.
FAQs
It’s up to you but you can definitely leave the peel on for potato salad, especially if you’re using a thin-skinned potato like a red or yellow variety.
It adds colour and texture to the salad and potato skins are actually rich in nutrients, so why not leave them on.
It’s just extra work to peel them anyways! To prep the potatoes, just give them a good scrub and you’re good to go.
It can be either. To serve warm, mix it up right away after cooking the potatoes and serve immediately.
To serve chilled, mix then store in in the fridge for 1-2 hours or even a day ahead before serving.
To serve leftovers lightly warmed, briefly warm in the microwave before serving.
Storing
- For extra flavour, the salad can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge.
- Serve chilled or warm lightly before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- You can mix in extra herbs or a splash of vinegar to brighten the salad up after storing.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Tangy Dill Potato Salad (No Mayo)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This tangy potato salad is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Enjoy this delicious dish as a side to your favourite Summer meals.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs small red or yellow potatoes, halved
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard, any variety
- 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, or more to preference
- 3 tbsp minced shallot (approx. 1 small shallot)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Rinse and scrub the potatoes then slice in half and place in a large saucepan. Fill the pot with enough water water to cover the potatoes. Add a 1/2 tsp of salt to the water.
- Boil Potatoes: Bring to a boil then reduce heat slightly and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on size. They’re ready when you can easily pierce with a fork for knife.
- Drain: Once cooked, reserve a scoop of the cooking water then drain the potatoes and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix Salad: Add the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper and mix until thoroughly combined. If desired, add 1-2 tbsp of the reserved potato cooking liquid for creaminess and moisture.
- Serve: Serve right away while warm or chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving to allow flavours to develop.
Notes
This recipe makes 4 generous servings so could serve 6-8 as a small side dish.
This salad is best served right away or within a few hours but can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Adding a bit of the potato cooking water creates a bit of a creamy texture when it mixes with the outside of the cooked potatoes. It’s optional and the salad is delicious with or without it.
I made this recipe exactly as written. It is fresh and lovely.
I love this mayo-free potato salad. It is my go-to recipe now and so much healthier that other potato salad recipes. I cooked the diced potatoes in my instant pot for 6 minutes instead of on the stove top and used red onion (which is what I had on hand).
Hello Deryn, thanks a lot for making this recipe so easy and yummy. I am in love with this recipe. My hubby loved it so much. I hope you will share more recipes like this. Regards.
You’re so welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This was super tasty. Took it to a BBQ and everyone loved it…someone even asked for the recipe and couldn’t believe it was vegan, haha..thanks!
This was super tasty. Had it with vegan hot dogs for a BBQ and it worked great! Will make it again this summer. Thank you!