Greek Potato Salad

Greek potato salad is a vegan version of my grandma's recipe. Oil-free and full of Mediterranean flavors, this potato salad is tangy, savory, and simply delicious.

When my grandma was alive, she made the best Greek food I've ever eaten. Regardless of the occasion, Greek food was always a part of our family meals. Even when we barbequed on the weekend, my grandma brought her famous Greek potato salad and her lemon cookies. Lemon, as you may know, is a Greek staple. My version of grandma's Greek potato salad is vegan of course, and also oil-free. 

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• Salad Ingredients
• Dressing Ingredients
• Dressing Substitutions
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Try These Other Great Vegan Salad Recipes
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Similar to a classic potato salad with potatoes, celery, and onions, my Greek potato salad adds grandma's favorite Greek ingredients but vegan style. In fact, my potato salad recipe is just like grandma's except for the oil-free dressing, but it tastes exactly like her Greek version. 

Salad Ingredients

Of course, my grandma is a better cook than I will ever be. Although I don't think she would approve of my vegan modifications, a vegan girl has to do what she has to do. With that being said, I use all the core ingredients of her Greek potato salad recipe. 

• Baby Potatoes: New potatoes, also called baby potatoes, are potatoes that have been dug up from the ground before they are fully mature. They have a mild, sweet flavor that adapts well to just about any seasoning
• Red Onion: These onions are colorful and spicy-to-mild flavor. Because of their bright color and crispy texture, they're great for salads, salsas, and other fresh recipes. 
• Celery: Weirdly enough, celery is both mild and strong at the same time. It's watery, but it's also salty in an unusual way with a lingering bitterness. Celery also has a green sort of taste the same way spinach does
• Grape Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are oblong and shaped like grapes. They're about half the size of cherry tomatoes, with thicker skins. Grape tomatoes aren't as sweet as cherry tomatoes, and their flesh is meatier and less watery.
• Red Bell Peppers: Red bells are sweeter, not bitter, and often have a slight citrus flavor.
• Kalamata Olives: Kalamata olives have a similar bitter taste to black olives when first harvested. However, when they have undergone a curing process, the flavor profile of kalamata olives becomes rich, fruity, and meaty with a notable sharpness that other olive varieties don't have
• Capers: The taste of a caper is reminiscent of the lemony tang and brininess of green olives, but with a smack of floral tartness all their own. Because they're packed in brine, capers also boast a bold salty, savory flavor profile.
• Fresh Dill: This fresh herb has an herbaceous, grassy, and slightly tangy flavor with notes of anise. 

Since grandma's Greek potato salad is loaded with mayonnaise, lemon, and yogurt, I added my favorite hummus-based dressing from my OMG Oil-Free Dressing.

Dressing Ingredients

• Hummus: I used plain Engine Oil-free Hummus, but you can use any hummus brand you enjoy!
• Fresh Lemon Juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice. If you want an even more lemon taste, add a little lemon zest.
• Red Wine Vinegar: Red wine vinegar tends to be punchier, with a more vibrant grape flavor. The flavor is hot and robust, the opposite of delicate.
• Water: The water thins the dressing and acts as an emulsifier.

And, for a little added green on top of my Greek potato salad recipe, I added microgreens, because I love microgreens. 

Dressing Substitutions

• Tahini sauce is often used as a replacement for hummus in dressings.
• When you don't have access to fresh lemon juice, use bottled lemon juice. However, a good way to keep fresh lemon juice on hand is to freeze fresh lemon juice, in season, in ice cube trays, and thaw it to use in dressing and sauces.
• Balsamic or white wine vinegar is often used to substitute for red wine vinegar.

Once the potatoes are cooked and cooled, simply add the other ingredients, dress, and place the potato salad in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. 

As a result, the flavors of the dressing enhance the flavors in the Greek potato salad. When I serve my Greek potato salad, sometimes I add additional capers on the top as well as some pretty microgreens. 

My daughter, however, always adds mild banana peppers to give the salad a little kick! 

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Wait until the potatoes are cool before adding the other vegetables.
• Using a vegetable chopper is a quick and easy way to chop vegetables in uniform size.
• Leave the skin on the potatoes for maximum nutritional value as well as texture.
• Cut potatoes the same size to ensure even cooking.
• Place cut potatoes in cold water before bringing them to a boil for the best results.
• You can use a fork to test to see if they are tender enough. Your fork should easily slide through the potato when they're properly cooked.

Switch up the flavors in your potato salad and try this Greek potato salad the next time you have a barbeque or picnic. It's a crowd pleaser!

Try These Other Great Vegan Salad Recipes

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