Creamy Vegan Potato Salad – A Couple Cooks
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!
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.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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
- 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.)
- 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.
- Slice the celery stalks in half lengthwise, then thinly slice them. Thinly slice the green onions. Mince the dill pickles.
- 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.)
- 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.
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