This Vegan Thousand Island Potato Salad is creamy, tangy, with crunch and lots of flavour. Made with baby potatoes, a gorgeous Dairy-Free Thousand Island Dressing, fresh dill, and chopped gherkins (dill pickles in the US). It's an easy potato salad perfect for Vegan Picnics, BBQs, and Packed Lunches.
If you love a Classic Creamy Potato Salad but want something with a more interesting flavour, this recipe is for you. The Thousand Island Dressing brings a sweet and tangy flavour, and the cucumber, gherkins, and onion add a delicious sharpness that cuts through the creamy dressing.
🧾 At-a-Glance Thousand Island Potato Salad
✅ Recipe: Vegan Thousand Island Potato Salad
⏲️ Ready in: 30 minutes
👪 Serves: 4-6
🍽 Calories:
🧾 Main ingredients: Baby potatoes, cucumber, red onion, gherkins (dill pickles) & dressing
👩🏻🍳 Suitable for: Vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian
⭐ Why you will love it: This extra delicious potato salad (my mouth is watering thinking about it) is perfect to make ahead with meal prep for packed lunches, as a side with dinner or to share at picnics and BBQs.
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📋 Key Ingredients
For this tasty blend of classic potato salad with one of the most popular salad dressings, you only need a few simple ingredients; however, you could use shop-bought Thousand Island dressing if you like.
The recipe card contains the full ingredient list and method.
- Baby potatoes - are perfect for this salad as they are waxy and hold their shape, but don't bother peeling them as there is a lot of goodness in the skin
- Red onion - if you don't have red onion, you can use white onion
- Spring onions - are also called green onions or scallions
- Gherkins - called dill pickles in the US, but you can also use cornichons, which are just younger and smaller pickled cucumbers
- Fresh dill - if you don't have fresh dill, dried dill will work well too
I'm including a recipe for Dairy-Free Homemade Thousand Island Dressing, but you can use shop-bought dressing if you like. No judgment here.
- Lemon juice - fresh lemon juice always gives a good flavour
- Mustard - you could use English mustard or Dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard
- Chilli powder - you can add less, more, or skip it
Once you've tried it, this is definitely going to become your go-to potato salad.
💭 Should Potatoes be Hot or Cold for Potato Salad?
| Cold Potatoes | Warm Potatoes |
|---|---|
| Keep a firmer texture | Takes in more of the flavour |
| Dressing doesn't melt or thin | Coats well with dressing |
| Less likely to break | Softer and creamier |
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Vegan Thousand Island Potato Salad
These step-by-step photos will show you how easy it is to make this very addictive salad.
The recipe card has the full ingredient list and method.
- Step 1: Cut the potatoes in halves or quarters and boil or steam until tender.
- Step 2: While the potatoes cook, make the easy dressing (you can use shop-bought dressing).
- Step 3: Once the potatoes are cool, add them to a large mixing bowl.
- Step 4: Add the cucumber and red onion to the potatoes.
- Step 5: Next, add the spring onions, gherkins (dill pickles), herbs, and seasoning.
- Step 6: Mix well to combine, but try not to break the potatoes.
- Step 7: Now, add the dressing.
- Step 8: Mix the dressing through the salad, then taste to check the seasoning, while trying not to eat the whole bowlful! Enjoy.
💭 Vegan Thousand Island Dressing FAQs
Yes, it's the perfect salad to make ahead. It can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days, and the flavours will improve.
No, there is no need to peel the potatoes; it's less effort to leave the skins on. The skins are soft, and they give the salad a more rustic, homemade look.
Yes, this is the perfect way to use up leftover potatoes, and don't worry if they break; it will still be very tasty.
No, the stuff you buy in the shops usually contains dairy, so you would have to look for a dairy-free alternative or make your own.
It is sweet and tangy with a bit of warmth and an umami flavour. It's very moreish!
🍔 What to Serve with Potato Salad
This creamy plant-based potato salad is particularly good served for lunch or dinner with Vegan Bean Burgers, sausages, sandwiches, wraps, grilled vegetables, as part of a mezze with hummus (try this gorgeous Caramelised Onion Hummus) and falafel, or a selection of salads.
Here are a few homemade options to serve with the potato salad:
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Thousand Island Potato Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 750 g baby potatoes (halved or quartered depending on the size)
- ½ cucumber (halved lengthways (scoop out seeds, see notes) and slice)
- ½ red onion ( peeled, halved and sliced)
- 3 spring onions (sliced)
- 3 gherkins (sliced, more if you like)
- 3 teaspoons dried dill (or a handful if fresh dill, finely chopped)
Thousand Island Dressing
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill (or some fresh dill)
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Instructions
- Boil or steam the potatoes until they are firm but tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking prep the other salad veg and pickles and add it to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the dressing ingredients to a clean jam jar or other tub with a tight lid and shake well to combine. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Let the potatoes cool for a while, then add them to the other veg and pour in the dressing then mix well.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- To keep the cucumber crisp, I like to remove the seeds. Just cut it in half lengthwise and use a teaspoon to scrape down the middle and scoop out the wet seeds.
- Once made you can store in the fridge for 3-4 days, but the dressing will settle in the bottom so do toss it in the dressing before serving.
- Also take it out of the fridge for a few minutes before serving as the chill deadens the flavours.
Jill says
That sounds and looks amazing Jacqs. I would never have thought of using thousand island as the dressing. It is inspired. Jill x
Jacqueline Meldrum says
It is just so delicious in this potato salad. I hope you try it Jill.
Marybelle says
OMG, why did I never think of that! Love them pickles too. Drool!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Haha, yes it was a bit of a eureka moment and it is gorgeous. Do try it.