No Mayo Potato Salad That Tastes Better on Day Two

This no mayo potato salad tastes sharp and herbal rather than rich, with the vinegar seasoning each potato half from the inside instead of just coating it. Olive oil and Dijon give it enough body to cling without weighing anything down, while dill, basil and parsley together keep it green and aromatic. Sliced red onion runs through in strips, softening as the salad sits.

It looks clean and simple in the bowl: glossy red-skinned halves flecked with three different herbs and streaked with purple onion, with no heavy white dressing hiding any of it. Serve it in a shallow dish so the skins and herbs show, warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It holds for 3 to 4 days and tastes better by day two.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings: 8

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Calories: 245

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

The Potatoes

3 pounds red potatoes
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar divided, 3 tablespoons go on the hot potatoes and 2 into the dressing

The Dressing

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The Onion And Herbs

½ small red onion sliced, about 1 cup
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 tablespoons minced Italian flat leaf parsley

Method

Boil the potatoes whole. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring it to a boil over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and a fork slides in easily. Drain them well.
Halve and splash with vinegar. As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half and put them in a large mixing bowl. While they’re still hot, sprinkle them with 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and let them cool so the vinegar is absorbed.
Whisk the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar, the Dijon mustard, kosher salt and pepper, until the mixture looks cloudy and combined rather than separated.
Dress and toss. Drizzle the dressing over the potato mixture and toss gently so the halves stay intact.
Add the onion and herbs. Add the sliced onion along with the minced dill, basil and parsley, then toss again. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. It keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Notes

Common Questions

Can I use a different potato variety?

Red potatoes are specified because they’re waxy and hold their halves through boiling and two rounds of tossing. Starchy varieties like russets break down readily, and a thin olive oil dressing has no thickening power to hold crumbled pieces together. Yukon Golds sit between the two and would work, with slightly softer edges.

Do I need to peel the potatoes?

The recipe doesn’t ask you to. Red potato skins are thin and tender enough to eat, and leaving them on holds each half together during tossing and adds colour to the bowl.

Why is the vinegar divided instead of all going in the dressing?

The 3 tablespoons that go onto hot potatoes are absorbed into the flesh as it cools, seasoning each half from the inside. The 2 tablespoons in the dressing sit on the outside, balanced by olive oil. Putting all 5 tablespoons into the dressing would mean the oil coats the potatoes first and blocks that interior absorption.