Vegan Potato Salad With A Green Herb Dressing

You’ll probably agree that potato salad isn’t really a salad. It’s an entree. And not really a healthy one. The traditional recipe mainly consists of potatoes, eggs, and tons of mayonnaise. Oh, boy, that’s something to digest! How about making this traditional dish vegan, more delicious and full of health benefits? Actually, making a wholesome vegan potato salad is easier than you might think.

The whole secret of making potato salad a nutritious and healthy dish is the dressing. I decided to ditch the mayo and stuck with a much better alternative – extra virgin olive oil based herb dressing. This dressing is perfect not only for this recipe, you can also use it on vegan pizzas or together with roasted veggies.

And to make things more fresh, crunchy and interesting, I added some fresh vegetables and black beans. Of course, these additions also give some extra nutrient and protein punch!

The potatoes, which are the star of this recipe, are underrated by many people. Some even avoid eating potatoes, because of their high content of starch. Will starch make you gain weight? No, this is completely false.

Potatoes are naturally low in fat and calories, high in fiber and loaded with minerals and vitamins. The problem is not with the potato itself but with the way its cooked. Potatoes are great at absorbing oil, so if you fry them, there are not many benefits left – there’s mainly just the oil!

However, if you use gentle and oil-free cooking techniques like boiling, roasting or sauteing, potatoes come out with very nutritious. When possible, cook the potatoes with the skin on as it contains extra nutrients.

Potatoes take care of your bone health (which is critical for vegans!) because they’re a good source of iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium and zinc. They’re also an excellent source of vitamin C and B6.

So, yes, potatoes deserve some real praise. So don’t be afraid to include them in your diet!

Vegan Potato Salad With A Green Herb Dressing

Makes 4 serves

For vegan potato salad you’ll need:

• 1 pound (500 g) small potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch (1/2 cm) rounds
• 1 cup cooked (or canned) black beans
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

For the green herb dressing you’ll need:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 cup fresh chopped dill
• ½ cup fresh chopped spring onions
• ¼ tsp Himalayan salt
• 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. Heat water in a small saucepan, add 1 tsp of Himalayan salt and cook potatoes for 6 – 9 minutes until they’re soft enough to slide in a fork easily. Be careful not to overcook them as they’ll be too mushy. When potatoes are ready, drain them and leave to cool down a bit.
2. Make the dressing by placing all dressing’s ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust the taste and consistency (you can add more water for a more runny sauce).
3. When the potatoes have cooled, mix them with bell pepper, celery and black beans.
4.  Pour the dressing over the mixture and combine well. Garnish with some extra fresh parsley. And sprinkling on some vegan parmesan will add even more flavor!