I started making this crowd pleaser back in university when my roommate and I would host summer BBQs on our apartment balcony. Friends would bring whatever they wanted to grill and we would supply the condiments and a big bowl of my potato salad.
I wasn’t vegan back then, but my roommate was a vegetarian and I had dabbled in meat-free living off and on since high school, so the original version of this recipe contained traditional mayo and some blueberry nectar honey from the apiary my roommate and I worked at while in school (more on that another time).
I was never a big fan of mayonnaise, so giving it up wasn’t a big deal. I actually prefer making sandwiches or dips with vegan mayo.
As for the blueberry honey, I wouldn’t want to include an ingredient that hyper specific in a recipe because, come on, whose going to travel to a farm 45 minutes from Vancouver to get it?
Instead, we’re using maple syrup in the vegan version of my signature potato salad, which gives the brown sugar notes of blueberry nectar honey quite nicely. Agave nectar would also be a good substitution, or some vegan honey (it’s a thing, I swear!).
The rest of the ingredients, like Dijon mustard, cinnamon, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, green onions, celery and nugget potatoes, should all be readily available at your local grocery store.
You can make this potato salad in advance so that it has lots of time to chill, or you can stick it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes while you prepare your main. If you’re like me, you might just eat your potato salad slightly warm because you’re too impatient! I’m not sure if warm potato salad is a thing, but I recommend you try a spoonful prior to chilling.
To make this potato salad, cut your nugget potatoes into quarters and add them to a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook them until they’re fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes. While your potatoes cook, cut your celery and green onions and set aside.
Once your potatoes are fork-tender, drain them and place them in a large bowl. Add the mayo, mustard, maple syrup, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and a pinch cinnamon and toss to coat. Then, add in the celery and green onions and toss again. Chill for 20-30 minutes or overnight if you’re making the dish in advance. Leftovers keep covered for three days.
Signature Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs nugget potatoes, quartered
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- ⅓ cup vegan mayonaise
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Instructions
- Place your quartered potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Once cooked, drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl.
- While the potatoes cook, chop your celery and green onions and set aside.
- Add the mayo, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl of cooked potatoes. Toss to coat, then add the celery and green onion and toss again.
- Place your potato salad in the fridge and chill for 20-30 minutes or cover and store overnight if making ahead. Serve chilled or still slightly warm. Leftovers stored in an airtight container are good for 3 days.
