Picnic Potato Salad
Looking for a no-mayo potato salad that transports well for picnics and other summertime outings? This picnic potato salad is just that, with an olive oil and lemon juice dressing and garnished with lots of fresh scallions and parsley. You can also easily double it for a hungry crowd!
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It’s almost ridiculous how many different versions of potato salad you could make, but sometimes I like the ones with simple, limited ingredients to help stretch those dollars even further these days. And you don’t need to compromise on flavor, provided you use a good amount of each ingredient, just like with this picnic potato salad!
As much as I enjoy mayo-based potato salads, I often opt for the no-mayo variety. They feel lighter and healthier, and their fragrant olive oil and lemon (or vinegar)-based dressings give them that Mediterranean vibe I find irresistible. This picnic potato salad not only uses olive oil and lemon juice, but it’s also infused with smoked paprika for a hint of warmth and doused with scallions and fresh parsley. Perfect as a summer side!
Lastly, dressings are easily customized, so feel free to adjust the amount of lemon juice, mustard, smoked paprika, salt, etc., in this recipe to achieve whatever delights your taste buds most!
Shopping List
- Baby Yellow Potatoes
- Scallions
- Italian Flat-leaf Parsley
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh Lemons
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic Powder
- Smoked Paprika
Pro Tips
Don’t overcook the potatoes: Cook them just until they’re fork tender, otherwise, they’ll fall apart, and you’ll end up with mushy potatoes.
Pour the dressing over the potato salad while it’s warm: This will help the potatoes absorb it better. Just be sure to reserve some dressing if you’re going to serve the potato salad at a later time.
Let the potato salad sit at room temperature (unless you’re serving it immediately): Although you can eat it straight from the refrigerator, I recommend letting it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Be generous with the salt: These potatoes cook in salted boiling water, but they also cook whole, which allows them to hold their shape much better than if you cut them first. Therefore, you’ll likely need to salt them further after you slice them after cooking. Although you’ll add salt to the dressing, it probably won’t be enough to appropriately season the potatoes.
Suggestions for Variations and Substitutions
- Use any yellow potatoes you like, such as Yukon Gold. Red potatoes are also a good choice.
- Toss in additional fresh herbs, like dill and chives.
- Amp up the onion flavor with minced red onions or shallots.
- Zest some lemon rind into the dressing to enhance the lemon flavor.
- Add a splash of white vinegar for extra tang.
Leftovers
Store the potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. You can eat it another day or two after that, but it loses its structure the longer it sits. Keep any remaining dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Potatoes are never a bad idea, and neither are these vinegar chicken thighs and potatoes. And don’t forget to try the following:
Picnic Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the Potato Salad
- 1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes, washed and left whole with skins on
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 to 3 whole scallions , sliced thin
- 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot filled with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat so it boils gently, cooking the potatoes until they become fork tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook.1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes, washed and left whole with skins on1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool in a colander for at least 10 minutes until you can handle them.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl or mason jar. Whisk or shake the ingredients until everything is combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning however you like (Add more lemon juice, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, salt, etc.)1/4 cup extra virgin olive olive oil1/8 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice each one in half and place in a bowl large enough to hold them all. Add the scallions and parsley to the potatoes and about 3/4 of the dressing (reserve the rest). Toss everything well.2 to 3 whole scallions, sliced thin1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
- Taste to see if the potatoes need more salt (they likely will), and toss again. Serve at room temperature or chill in the fridge until ready to use. If chilling, bring the potato salad to room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving, and add some more of the remaining dressing, if needed (You can also store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature). Enjoy!