🥔🧅 This Pink and Purple Potato Salad recipe is a lighter option that’s mayonnaise-free and the perfect dish for picnics, parties, and potlucks! With pops of pink and purple, it’s almost too pretty to eat and SO easy to make!
Pretty But Simple Purple Potato Salad Recipe
Believe it or not, pink and purple potatoes really do exist. Pink potatoes, such as Terra Rosa, Kerr’s Pink, or Pink Gypsy potatoes, are often used for roasting, mashing, or baking, due to their starchy, floury consistency and slightly nutty taste. I typically just use red potatoes, because they’re easy to find. Purple potatoes, on the other hand, are nutty, earthy, and have a creamy texture.
When combined, these veggies create the BEST flavor combination while providing lots of nutrients. This pink and purple potato salad is a much lighter take on classic options like German potato salad or potato salad with bacon.
- I replaced the heavy mayo, mushy potatoes, and hard-boiled eggs with pretty pink (red) and purple potatoes, crisp pink and purple radishes, and crunchy red onions. As a result, you get lots of flavors and textures in every bite.
- Everything is tossed in a light yet flavorful dressing made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and garlic.
- Bonus, because there’s no mayo, you don’t have to worry about it as much at warm outdoor potlucks, picnics, and events. It’s perfect for Memorial Day, Fourth of July, or Labor Day parties!
- It’s easy, ready in about 30 minutes, and you can serve it right away or chilled. Either way, it’s a great side that’s naturally gluten-free, vegan, and will be sure to disappear anytime you make it.
Love this recipe. Made it and even the picky eaters enjoyed it. And it was pretty adaptable to get around my food allergies. Thank you for sharing.
Michelle
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this pretty vinegar potato salad, you’ll need:
- Baby purple, red, & Yukon gold potatoes: I typically find purple potatoes at Trader Joe’s or local farmers’ markets
- Kosher salt
- Vegetables: Pink and purple radishes and red onions. These add a slight tang and satisfying crunch. Celery would also make a great addition
- Dijon vinaigrette: Olive oil, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, and fresh parsley
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Purple Potato Salad
- Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, similar to how you would for classic mashed potatoes.
- Drain and rinse the potatoes under cold water, and set aside to cool.
- Combine chopped potatoes, radishes, and red onions in a large bowl.
- Whisk the dressing in a second bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing over the potato salad, add parsley, and toss to combine. Adjust the ingredients to taste. Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge. Enjoy!
Tip! Keep the color vivid.
Cook the potatoes with their skins on to preserve the bold purple color. Once they’re fork-tender and cooled, then peel (if you prefer) and chop.
Peeling before cooking causes the color to leach out into the water, and you’ll end up with dull, grayish potatoes instead of the gorgeous purple you’re going for. Rinsing under cold water immediately after draining also helps stop the cooking and lock in the color.
What Goes With Purple Potato Salad?
Pink and Purple Potato Salad
Equipment
- 1 Small Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby purple, red, and Yukon gold potatoes (I get mine at Trader Joe’s)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, for the boiling water
- 1 cup pink and purple, Easter egg radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced (red or other radishes may be substituted)
- ⅔ cup red onion, diced small (rinse in cold water to mellow the bite)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- heaping 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced or pressed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ½ cup fresh parsley, regular or Italian flat-leaf, finely chopped
Instructions
- To a large pot, add the potatoes, cover with water, add 2 teaspoons salt, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and allow potatoes to simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until done and fork-tender.
- Drain and rinse potatoes under cold water to stop the cooking process; set aside to cool. When they’re cool, halve, quarter, or chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- To a very large bowl, add the chopped potatoes, radishes, and red onion; set aside.
- To a small bowl, add the olive oil, mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, and whisk to combine.
- Evenly drizzle the dressing over the potatoes in the large bowl, add the parsley, and stir to combine. Taste potato salad and make any necessary adjustments, i.e. more salt, pepper, sugar, dash of extra mustard, oil, vinegar, etc.
- Serve immediately if desired or cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Potato Side Dishes:
Bacon Potato Salad — There’s no mayo in this easy potato salad that’s loaded with bacon, corn, red onions, and tossed with a flavorful Dijon dressing! Always a favorite at picnics, potlucks, parties, and events!
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad – Goodbye mayo-loaded, mushy, boring potato salad. Hello to a Mexican-inspired potato salad full of flavor and texture with corn, black beans, peppers, and cilantro! Great for outdoor events and lunchboxes because there’s no mayo!
The BEST Mashed Potatoes — Buttery, creamy, PERFECT mashed potatoes that rival your favorite restaurant’s version but EASY and ready in 45 minutes!!
Parmesan and Herb Roasted Potatoes – Easiest potatoes ever and packed with so much flavor! Olive oil, herbs, and everything is better with cheese! A family favorite that everyone loves!
Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey-Cinnamon Dip – The honey glaze and the creamy cinnamon dip make these potatoes irresistible!
Baked Thick-Cut Seasoned Oven Fries – Learn the secrets to creating restaurant-style oven fries! They’re baked rather than fried so you can have extra!
Three Cheese Scalloped Potatoes – These scalloped potatoes are EXTRA cheesy thanks to three cheeses used as well as super rich and CREAMY!
Love this recipe. Made it and even the picky eaters enjoye it. And it was pretty adaptable to get around my food allergies. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Michelle, and I’m glad you were able to adapt it to suit your dietary needs and that even your picky eaters enjoyed it!
great
This looks amazing! Bonus no mayo =)
Thanks!
I love potato salad of all kinds, and this is definitely the prettiest one I’ve ever seen! Nice job :)
Thanks for saying it’s the prettiest one you’ve ever seen!
hey girl- this salad looks so good!
This is SO pretty. It would be perfect for a baby or a wedding shower! And I love that there is no mayo.
I was totally thinking shower food too! I wish it would be as fun to make potato salad for a shower as it would be to make cupcakes :)
This is THE prettiest potato salad I’ve ever seen–hands down!! Lots of color and crunch. I like the vinaigrette over the mayo too–it reminds me of my MIL’s German potato salad recipe.
Thanks for the compliments on it being the prettiest potato salad you’ve ever seen. My goal was to a make a potato salad (typically not a pretty food at all, tends to be quite bland and mushy looking) and make it pretty! I much prefer a vinaigrette too over mayo.
Sounds fresh! Love the colours! Will be pinning and testing soon ;)
Great! Hope you enjoy it!