I am super pumped to share this recipe because who doesn't love potato salad!? It's creamy, tangy and so satisfying . The problem is that, most potato salad recipes are far from ideal for your health. They contain extreme amounts of cholesterol, sodium and fat. They are far from healthy and certainly not something you want to consume regularly.
What is I told you there was a way to enjoy unlimited amounts of potato salad ? That you could even eat a giant bowl for a meal? Sound too good to be true? Well good news! It's not!
Seriously, you can have a massive bowl of this vegan potato salad and your body will actually thank you! This recipe is packed with veggies ,low in fat, animal product free and only uses whole foods ingredients. Pair it with a side of beans and greens for the ultimate plant based meal.
Carbs don't make you fat friends so don't fear them!
In fact, healthy carb sources like potatoes are the perfect food to base a vegan meal around. Packed with fibre and minerals, they will be tasty and satisfying .
To start this recipe rinse and cube about 18 potatoes. The smaller the cubes the quicker they will cook. You can really use any variety that you want but I like russet or red patois . They seem to boil and hold their shape the best.
You will want to boil them in a large pot until tender and rinse under cold water, to stop the cooking process. DO NOT add salt to the water, totally not nessicary and will just add to the sodium content.
Once they finish , set them aside and move onto prepping all of your raw veggies for the recipe .
I used carrots , red pepper , celery and dill pickles . You can really use whatever vegetables you want but I like creating a rainbow effect ;)
Normally I would buy organic, low sodium , fermented pickles but I was on a budget this week. That's the awesome part about plant based diets... you can improvise whenever you need to. If you are running tight for cash, choose the veggies that are cheapest. I am sure even canned could work in a pinch.
Packing the potato salad with veggies is a great way to sneak in extra nutrients and fibre . Not to mention flavour and crunch!
l like cutting up the veggies as small as possible to keep a good texture throughout the salad. Honestly, you can butcher them up any way you want and it will still taste good :) I like to go for done rather than perfect !
I typically divide them between the pot I used to boil the potatoes in and a plastic container for storage. I normally use half of the recipe for paid meals by clients each week and the other half for my family. This recipe can feed an army of people and only tastes better as the week goes on.
The final component of this salad is the cashew "mayo" . I strongly recommend sticking to cashews for the base of your dressing because they are clean. Using a vegan mayo, puts this recipe back to health risk category . The cashews provide healthy fats, iron and protein....without any weird ingredients .
I would highly recommend pre soaking the cashews in water but if you forgot don't sweat it. Make sure to buy raw unsalted cashews. Using roasted will not work. Having a high speed blender also makes a big difference. I like using my ninja single serve cups for making this sauce.
Essentially, you will combine all the ingredients into the cup and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add just enough water to get everything blending without resistance. The sauce will come out a bit green looking from all the herbs but that's what gives it all the flavour . You could use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar but I hate juicing lemons . Since becoming a mom, I love finding shortcuts and saving time whenever I can.
Next coat your veggies with half the mayo and mix well. I always leave the other half of the mayo to dump in once I add the potatoes to make things mix easier. Again, do whatever works for you... it's pretty hard to mess up ahaha.
Finally pack into containers of your choosing and store for the week! I find this keeps well in the fridge for up to six days. the flavours get better each day it sits. I love serving this with greens for an extra dose of veggies but it's great on it's own too. Super filling and tasty, without any bad ingredients .
Ingredients
For salad:
18-20 potatoes of your choosing (red or russet work best)
1 red pepper
4 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 bunch of green onions (just the tops)
6-7 small dill pickles
For Sauce:
1+1/2 Cups raw cashews
1TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP Dill
1 TBSP Chives
1/2 TBSP Parsley
2-3 TBSP yellow mustard
2-3 TBSP Apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Wash and cube your potatoes into bite sized pieces. Boil until soft and tender , rinse under cold water
Chop veggies into small bite sized pieces
Add all ingredients for sauce into high speed blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Combine everything in a large pot or bowl and mix well
Store in containers in fridge and serve with greens and beans for a complete meal.
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