This No Mayo Potato Salad features tender potatoes, crunchy red onion, smoky bacon, and a tangy chimichurri herb dressing for a delightfully delicious side dish that’s perfect for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, and more! Easy to make and full of flavor, it’s sure to become one of your favorite summer potato recipes!
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Why You’ll Love This No Mayo Potato Salad Recipe
- Easy to Make Without the Mayo: Whether you just don’t like mayo or have an egg allergy or intolerance, this warm potato salad comes together easily with a simple olive oil-based dressing.
- Flavorful: The quick and easy chimichurri herb dressing is full of tangy and fresh flavors that take this potato salad to the next level.
- Crowd-Pleaser: This simple side dish is perfect for serving a crowd! It’s great for parties, picnics, potlucks, cookouts, family get-togethers, and more!
For more crowd-pleasing side dish ideas, check out this Instant Pot Potato Salad, this Three Cheese Mac and Cheese, and this Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad.
Ingredients
Here’s a look at the simple ingredients you’ll need to make this potato salad no mayo recipe.
- Fingerling or Baby Potatoes: Feel free to use a combination of colors such as a medley of red, purple, and yellow potatoes. You can also use a single color such as all red potatoes to make a red potato salad.
- Red Onion: Adds crunch and depth of flavor to the potato salad with no mayo.
- Bacon: Adds a savory, smoky flavor to the salad.
- Fresh Herbs: Parsley and oregano work together to add a fresh earthy flavor and vibrant green color to the dressing.
- Olive Oil: Forms the base of the dressing. We recommend a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Adds acidity which helps to balance the flavors in the herbed potato salad.
- Garlic & Shallot: These aromatics add depth of flavor to the dressing.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the other flavors
- Mustard: Adds a subtle kick and helps to emulsify the dressing. We recommend using dijon mustard for the best flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Omit the bacon for a vegetarian or vegan-friendly option.
- Vinegar: Replace half of the red wine vinegar with freshly squeezed lemon juice for a lemony chimichurri dressing.
- Herbs: While parsley and oregano are traditionally used in chimichurri, feel free to experiment with a different style of herbed dressing. Try changing things up by using other fresh herbs such as cilantro, dill, or chives.
How to Make Vinegar-Based Potato Salad
To get started making this herbed potato salad, slice the onion, cook and chop the bacon, and mince the garlic, shallot, and fresh herbs. You’ll also need to clean the potatoes.
- Step 1: Cook the potatoes. You can either cook them in the instant pot on high pressure or boil them until fork tender. When the potatoes are done, cut them in half.
- Step 2: Prep the dressing. Add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, shallot, mustard, and fresh oregano to a small bowl.
- Step 3: Whisk. Whisk together and then add the fresh parsley.
- Step 4: Assemble the salad. Add the cooked potatoes, sliced red onion, and chopped bacon to a large bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss to combine.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the potatoes: You want to cook the potatoes until they are tender, but not falling apart or they won’t hold their shape.
- Serve warm or at room temperature: For the best flavor and texture, serve this potato salad warm or at room temperature.
- Store in the refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow the potato salad to come to room temperature before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This oil and vinegar-based potato salad is perfect for summer gatherings. Here are some great ideas for serving it:
- Make this potato salad part of your next summer BBQ alongside your favorite grilling recipes like this Santa Maria Tri-Tip or these Peach and Grilled Shrimp Kabobs.
- Take this tasty side to a potluck and don’t forget the dessert! Bring a batch of this Raspberry Vanilla Sheet Cake too!
- Serve this delicious dish as an easy summer side during the week with your favorite main course like this Citrus Glazed Salmon or this Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork.
Recipe FAQs
Waxy potatoes such as new, fingerling, and baby potatoes are the best for potato salad because they hold their shape well and have a smooth, creamy texture.
Olive oil-based dressings make a great substitute for mayonnaise as extra virgin olive oil provides both flavor and healthy fats.
More Delicious Potato Recipes
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Herbed Potato Salad (No Mayo)
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lb fingerling potatoes or baby potatoes
- ¼ red onion sliced long
- 3 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled
- ½ cup olive oil
chimichurri herb dressing
- ¼ cup parsley
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ shallot optional
- 1 tsp mustard
Instructions
- Wash potatoes. Place in instant pot with 1 cup water and cook high pressure 4 minutes, quick release. OR boil potatoes for 5-7 minutes, just until they are fork tender.
- Cut potatoes in half and let cool slightly.
- Make the chimichurri dressing. Mince all herbs and garlic, and whisk vigorously with the red wine vinegar, salt and olive oil.
- Thickly slice onion. Cook and chop bacon. Toss with potatoes with herb dressing
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Nutrition
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Erin V says
smokey flavor wasn't too overpowering- love this