Potato salad is not only an American summer classic dish but it is also a beloved salad in Europe. The traditional recipe packs a lot calories because of the mayonnaise, boiled eggs and sour cream. This is also what makes this popular salad a dangerous dish in picnics and potlucks if it stays in the sun. I know of a few people that have got food poisoning with salmonella or listeria after consuming a salad that had gone bad in the summer heat. A very good reason to switch to eggless mayonnaise!
My grandmother used to make a killer potato salad that also included handfuls of young green beans to create texture and color. She also always added some pickle juice that gave it a wonderful tanginess. Fast forward twenty years later, and my first attempt at veganizing this salad. Thank God, Vegenaise had been invented. That helped a lot. I wanted to create something less mushy and more tasty, so I added Baco bits (that was the only fake bacon available at the time). Now I make my own coconut bacon bits. Nice!
Over the years, I introduced more ingredients to create richer flavors.
One of my favorites is Jalapeno peppers because they add a spicy touch and more crunch. If you don’t have green beans, use baby asparagus spears, you get the idea.
Best potatoes for potato salad
Waxy potatoes like Russet, red potatoes, Yukon Gold, fingerling potatoes are perfect for this salad because you don’t have to peel them, and they keep their shape when cooked.
Tips
– Refrigerate the cooked potatoes before adding the mayonnaise otherwise the heat will melt it and make it oily, and harder to digest.
– Serve the salad on top of lettuce leaves that can be used as wraps. It is the perfect addition!
– Use red onions to create colorful bits.
– Cool down the potatoes with cold water to stop the cooking if you like your salad firmer.
So here you have it, the best eggless potato salad ever!
And you can bring it at your next picnic or potluck and never worry about weird bacteria growing!
Best Eggless Potato Salad!
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- 6-8 Yukon or yellow gold potatoes
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 3-5 slices pickled jalapenos diced
- 1 cup young green beans or asparagus
Dressing
- 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise)
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup gherkins minced or sweet relish
- 3 tbsp pickle juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp dill powder
- 1 tsp lemon pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
Coconut bacon
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut chips (not flakes)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Cut the potatoes in quarters and cook them in boiling water for 10-12 minutes until tender but still firm.
- Drain and cool down with cold water to stop the cooking of the potatoes. Set aside.
- Dice the celery, the red onion and the green beans or the asparagus.
- Cook the cut green beans or asparagus lightly. Drain and cool down to stop the cooking.
Make the coconut bacon
- Turn the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Mix all the liquid ingredients in a bowl.
- Add the coconut chips, and stir to coat well.
- Pour the coconut on the baking sheet making sure that they don't overlap.
- Bake for 6 minutes, then gently flip.
- Bake for another 6 minutes for soft bits or 8 minutes for harder bits.
- Coconut bits will harden when cooling down.
Make the dressing
- In a bowl, whisk the Vegenaise, turmeric powder, the Dijon mustard, lemon pepper, salt, minced gherkins, pickle juice, maple syrup, fresh or dried dill.
Putting it together
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, celery, green beans, Jalapeno peppers or asparagus with the eggless dressing.
- Mix well, add some of the coconut bacon. Taste and season.
- Cover and refrigerate. Will keep for 3-4 days.
