12 Best Mayo Replacements For Potato Salad

Salads are one of those highly contested dishes people either hate or love. But we think that argument is silly based on the sole factor that a salad can contain pretty much anything from fried chicken to macaroni. Potato salads, for instance, are loaded with our favorite starchy vegetables, mayonnaise dressing, and perhaps some red onions, dill, and celery. However, the variations and possibilities for ingredients are endless, so unless you have a shaky relationship with potatoes, there's the perfect potato salad out there for you. Those who can't stand the thought of mayonnaise are even in luck, as there are dozens of mayo replacements for potato salads that can leave you with a satisfying, flavorful, spud-tastic side dish.

Who says that your potato salad must be dolloped with that eggy, fatty pile of whipped goop? Whether you're vegan, picky, or just have an aversion to mayo, we've got you covered. Find a mayonnaise replacement that tastes like the real thing, or deviate entirely from the basic creamy potato salad you grew up with. Out with the generic creamy dill potato salad, in with the culinary creativity. Create something that is unique, and leaves your guests wondering how you came up with such a breakthrough concept. Just be sure to use complementary anterior ingredients that will help your one-of-a-kind potato salad dressing to sing.

Yes, some blue cheese dressing recipes require mayonnaise, but that doesn't mean that yours has to. The most important component of our favorite tangy, creamy dressing is the cheese itself. Use sour cream, greek yogurt, or vegan mayo in place of mayo in your homemade blue cheese dressing, or buy some at the store that uses whipped oil instead of mayonnaise, which is quite common. Once you have your hands on the eggless sauce, drizzle it over your cooled potatoes, and start thinking about what other ingredients you can add to enhance the stinky cheese.

Classically, blue cheese tends to pair well with celery, which just happens to be a popular ingredient in potato salad. In addition, red onion and chives can be both punchy and aesthetically pleasing. Add apple cider vinegar for an extra-tangy sauce, and crushed black pepper to give it a subtle heat. For a spicier version, consider adding a little buffalo sauce to the mix. This can make for a great game-day side dish alongside hot wings. And although blue cheese dressing already contains that magical blue moldy cheese, we recommend adding even more. Mix some in for pungent chunks of flavor, and sprinkle some on top as a garnish, alongside additional chives, and fresh parsley.

Greek yogurt has become increasingly popular in the United States, and not just coupled with fruit or granola for breakfast. It's often used alongside savory dishes, and in place of sour cream for foods like tacos, alongside proteins, and mixed into dips. It's fattier, thicker, and stiffer than sour cream, but has a similar tangy flavoring. This is why Greek yogurt is the key to delicious baked potatoes. The two go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it's no surprise that Greek yogurt makes an incredible mayo replacement for potato salad.

Using Greek yogurt will give your side dish a refreshing, ultra-creamy, and slightly tangy flavor. Considering pairing with other fresh ingredients like diced celery, chives or green onions, fresh dill and parsley, lemon juice, and dill pickles. Use red baby potatoes for beautiful coloring, and don't forget to add a little Dijon mustard for that classic potato salad flavor. Consider leaning into the Greek yogurt's Mediterranean roots and loading the salad up with capers, extra virgin olive oil, olives, fresh mint, and dill. Mix in dill pickle juice for a salty, briny tang along with lemon juice, and lemon zest. Add your creamy dressing after the potatoes have had a chance to cool, and keep the salad refrigerated until serving it to guests.

There's nothing Americans love more than ranch dressing. And what's not to love? It's creamy, tangy, refreshing, and herby, and goes with just about anything from baby carrots to deep dish pizza. Depending on the recipe you find for homemade ranch dressing it may or may not include mayonnaise, but we think a mayo-free version is best. Ultimately, that version will be lighter and more refreshing, typically featuring sour cream and buttermilk over whipped eggs. The key to a successful ranch dressing is to load up on the spices, including onion powder, garlic powder, and fresh herbs. Once you've perfected the recipe, it's time to put it to some use and pair it with potatoes.

Consider using ranch dressing in your potato salad, along with homemade ranch powder for an extra kick of flavor. Because ranch is classically used as a dressing, it pairs well with just about every vegetable out there, so the world is your oyster when it comes to selecting the produce to accompany your potatoes. Consider the classics, or think outside of the box with shredded carrots, red pepper, and crunchy cabbage. Although ranch is already quite herby, don't be afraid to use additional fresh herbs as garnish. Fresh chives in particular are an important component of ranch, and also make for a beautiful topping.

While you might feel you don't know everything you need to about aioli, one thing's for sure: Aioli and mayonnaise are not the same thing. Often, the word "aioli" is used in place of a flavored mayonnaise, for example, one that has sriracha or garlic whipped into it. And while we are fine to go along with this charade, it's also important to understand the differences between the two sauces, especially if you are avoiding mayonnaise in your life. Mayonnaise, in its most basic state, is made with eggs, canola oil, vinegar, and salt, while aioli contains olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. That's right, originally aioli is naturally vegan and egg-free. However, it tastes a heck of a lot like mayonnaise, so if you make your own or can find some using the original ingredients, it makes for a great mayo replacement in potato salad.

Be sure to add your olive oil-based aioli for a cool potato salad to prevent it from melting and ending up more like a vinaigrette. Include any crunchy vegetables and fresh herbs you would in your typical potato salad recipe. Add additional lemon juice for a tangier flavor, and don't forget to go heavy on the garlic.

When looking for mayonnaise replacements, just follow the vegans! Cashews are their replacement for anything creamy including milk, cheese, and mayonnaise. And surprisingly, these little nuts get the job done when processed correctly. There are endless uses for cashew cream when cooking, but in order to make vegan cashew mayo there are just a few simple steps. Start by soaking raw, unsalted cashews in water overnight. For faster results, use hot water and soak cashews for about 15 to 30 minutes, or until they split apart when pressed between your pointer finger and thumb. The goal is to have them soft enough to blend, which is the next step. Blend the cashews, along with Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and enough water to cover it all in a high-speed blender until creamy. Then, blend for an additional 30 seconds to ensure it reaches a similar texture to mayonnaise.

Use this cashew cream mayo alternative in place of mayo in a typical potato salad recipe. It will have a slightly more dense mouthfeel that's less fatty, or melt-in-your-mouth than mayonnaise. However, this protein-rich alternative has a pleasant smoothness and mild flavor that can help to highlight the creamy potatoes and fresh herbs included in the recipe. And while this is a great vegan alternative to use for potato salad, it won't change the flavor profile very much from a standard recipe, so it can be enjoyed by all, except for those with nut allergies.

Hey, maybe creamy potato salad just isn't your thing. Break from the norm and lean into an oil-based potato salad with our favorite herby sauce that's often used in Italian pasta dishes: pesto. To make basil pesto simply blend fresh basil with olive oil, salt, garlic, and pine nuts. Ingredients like lemon juice, capers, parmesan cheese, and nutritional yeast can be used to enhance its flavor. The mixture can be pulsed in a food processor for a chunkier outcome, or the ingredients can be blended until smooth. The sauce should melt in your mouth, as the pine nuts are quite buttery and the olive oil is rich and smooth. Replace pine nuts with cashews or walnuts for varying flavors and textures, or use a combination.

Because pesto is so intense in flavor, there is no need to load your pesto potato salad with crunchy vegetables. However, you can certainly add ingredients like whole pine nuts, roughly chopped basil leaves, and other starchy mild vegetables like peas to help create texture. Add your pesto when the potatoes are still warm to help them absorb the flavors and oil. Don't be afraid to add quite a bit of sauce, as potatoes are mellow and could use some pizazz.