You don’t need mayo for a terrific Potato Salad! The secret is to marinate the potato so it sucks up flavour. This Lemon Potato Salad is bright, zesty and well seasoned. Great warm, at room temp, on the day and the day after!
For a healthy creamy alternative, try this Potato Salad with a no-mayo Creamy Potato Salad Dressing OR no-mayo Creamy Lemon Dressing!
I realised it’s been far too long since I shared a potato recipe and had to rectify that immediately.
Plus I wanted to share something super simple after doing Biryani on Friday. There’s no doubt that one of the aspects that I love the most about my job is creating the more challenging recipes. The whole process from start to finish – starting with research, developing, testing it over and over again, photographing, filming, editing the video, reading and responding to comments and questions.
Let me clarify, “research” involves going to restaurants for taste testing. It’s a tough, tough gig….
BUT! The post taste testing part is actually quite hard work – so I need to share something super simple today to recover! 😂 So today’s recipe is a simple, bright, no-mayo Lemon Potato Salad.
MARINATE YOUR POTATOES!
There’s nothing more disappointing than biting into a generous sized piece of potato with any kind of dressing – mayo or non mayo – only to find the inside of the potato tastes of nothing more than unseasoned potato.
Solution: Douse your potatoes with dressing while hot. They act as a sponge and suck up all the flavour. It’s SO GOOD you almost don’t need to add any other dressing to it!
NO MAYO POTATO SALADS are in hot demand!
While I have a huge soft spot for the classic Creamy Potato Salad which is in great demand around holiday season, I make this no-mayo Lemon Potato Salad far more often throughout the year. It’s particularly in great demand by my friends, most of whom are anti-mayo for varying reasons.
There’s plenty of variations like this No-Mayo Red Potato Salad with Charred Corn and Bacon or my German Potato Salad. Just don’t skip the marinating for both! I promise it’s worth it. ❤️ – Nagi x
PS I’ve called it a Lemon Potato Salad, and lemon flavour you shall get. It’s not the juice – that’s just sour. The lemon flavour is in the zest. So if you want a lemon flavoured potato salad, don’t skip the zest!
MORE POTATO SIDES
-
Mrs Brodie’s Famous Potato Salad with bacon
-
Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes (and I mean seriously crunchy!)
-
Crispy SMASHED Potatoes – a crowd favourite!
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See all Potato recipes
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Lemon Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lb baby potatoes (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp salt (for water)
- 1 cup green onions , sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley , finely chopped
Dressing:
- 5 tbsp / 75 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup / 65 ml lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (1 large lemon)
- 1 garlic clove, large, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Dressing: Shake in a jar.
Potatoes:
- Halve so they are about 2.5cm / 1" pieces (cut large ones into 3).
- Bring 4 litres / 4 quarts water to the boil, add salt. Add potatoes, bring back up to the boil then reduce to simmer. Cook for 5 minutes or until just cooked - don't let them overcook or become too soft, they will keep cooking from residual heat.
- Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl.
Potato Salad:
- While potatoes are hot, pour over half the Dressing. Use rubber spatular to gently stir.
- Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes, even overnight.
- Add green onions and parsley, pour over remaining Dressing. Carefully toss with rubber spatular, then serve. Great warm or at room temperature, and it's also great the next day.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Back to bounding around free at the park! That’s a smile you see on this face. 🙂 Under instructions for controlled off leash exercise though, so I had to take him somewhere without other dogs to tempt him. So this isn’t actually an off leash park…..
Another 5 star recipe !
Marinated the cooked potatoes overnight in the refrigerator and completed the salad the following day . So delicious served with Panko crumbed flathead .
I had vegans over for a BBQ and I replaced the regular mayo potato salad with this – it was so delicious and a big hit!
Wahoo! Perfect Tamsin!
It’s summer! Looking forward to serving this with grilled lamb. Have to say though, rubber spatular?
Hi Sharon – YES! It’s more gentle and you’re less likely to have the potatoes break apart on you! – N x
Hi Nagi
I served this with Cajun blackened fish. A perfect accompaniment and so simple to make. Thank you once again for sharing and turning my cooking into a new adventure.
Sounds divine Desiree!!
Love your recipes it helps me a lot to get variety in my meals. I have IBS-D thank you for making life easier
That’s so great to hear Carol!
Hi Nagi, OMG!!!! This recipe is fantastic! Just made for a gathering and it is outstanding. Simple ingredients, sophisticated flavors!!! Excellent! Thank you!
Wahoo, I’m so glad it was a hit!
Hi Nagi, I made the lemon potato salad last night with limes as I have lots of them.
Yum!!!!! It was delicious and disappeared so quickly. The family just loved it. I loved the fresh flavour.
As it is winter here in Sydney, could it be zapped in the microwave for a few seconds to have it warm?
I use so many of your recipes, so easy and delicious!!
Yes definitely Angela! I love this salad warm!
I made this for a wedding shower and about six people asked for the recipe. Everyone loved it!!
That’s awesome to hear Lory!!
This is my new go-to potato salad!!! I was invite to an impromptu cookout and didn’t have time to go to the store. I whipped this up in 30 minutes and it was a HUGE hit! Thank you
I mean wow i cant wait to try them
You definitely should.. you won’t look back!
Hello this recipes sounds delicious
I had an impromptu lunch to prepare for father’s day and decided to make this side dish. The only change I did was to add some crumbled bacon. So delicious, and everyone was happy to have something different than traditional potato salad. Thank you!
Sounds divine Sarah – everything is better with bacon!!! ❤️
Absolutely yummy 😋
Thanks Pammy!
I have made this several times as it is just amazingly fresh tasting for several days. Tonight I wanted hot potatoes quickly to go with ham steaks and steamed broccoli, so I sautéed my dish of leftovers in a dry non-stick pan – wow! I will make plenty every time just to have extra extra leftovers for sizzling 🙂
Sounds amazing Carol!
Excellent and simple recipe, can throw together with a minimum of effort. You can be even lazier about it if you have quality bottled lemon juice and organic lemon oil on hand, as I do (such as Now brand). 3 drops is enough. Saves grating the zest, or if you don’t have a fresh lemon. Making for the 3rd time tonight to serve with Greek marinated butterflied chicken, and sauteed rapini. So good together!
Hi Nagi! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I noticed that you mentioned to marinate it for 30 minutes or even overnight. Do I leave it overnight in the fridge or outside since I live in Malaysia?
Yum I’m going to do both the lemon potatoes and corn and avocado to add to my summer lunch of ham prawns oysters and rocket fennel ruby grapefruit salad . A super duper Japanese knife would have made things easy . Hope you and Dozer have a fab festive season with family and friends
Have made this a few times now its a total hit! First time was when we were traveling around Italy and had a week in a villa with a group of friends. We had prosciutto in the fridge (obviously!!) We cooked that to crispy and sprinkled it over just before serving – delicious!! This will be on high rotation this summer!
One question is it ok to make the dressing the day before? I’m making it this weekend but will be away so easier to have it all done in a jar to take away?
Cheers
Vikki
WOW! I am sooo jealous, I am yet to do Italy!! Absolutely make the dressing the day before, keep the herbs and potatoes separate and toss it all together on the day! N x
Delicious!!! Fabulous dressing – makes the potatoes sing!
So glad you enjoyed this Cathy! Thanks for letting me know – N x
I woke up this morning, with no work call to get me moving, so I browsed my emails as I sipped my coffee. It didn’t take me long to discover this gem in my inbox, and declare that this is what I was making for dinner tonight!
True to my word, I did indeed prepare this meal this evening, and it was as amazing as you promised! (Not bad for someone who usually stumbles onto terrific recipes, only to file away for later, when I have the time and energy.) I really appreciated the simplicity and flavours of this dish, and I plan to cook it again.
Side note: garlic baby potatoes made an excellent wide dish! 😉