Grilling season is nearly upon us, folks. And with it comes my favorite element of any BBQ meal: the sides! Grilled corn, fresh-tasting slaws, beans, and potato salad. Especially this Creamy Potato Salad with Tahini and Herbs.
Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, this is the sort of elusive unicorn dish that can be enjoyed by pretty much everybody.
Many traditional potato salads, of course, are mayonnaise-based. While I love mayo’s creaminess, I often find copious amounts of it to be just too much. It can be overpowering, its richness quashing any nuance of flavor from other ingredients. This version ditches gloppy mayo in favor of a light but creamy garlic-lemon-tahini sauce with big, big flavor.
You start with small chunks of red potatoes (or gold, or any other waxy variety you like). Keeping the chunks small ensures that you get the maximum potato-to-dressing ratio, which means more flavor in your mouth. Yay.
The dressing is both addictive and incredibly versatile. Tangy and lush, with a little snap of garlicky heat, it’s great on its own as a dip, a sandwich spread, or a topper for steamed vegetables. Or slurped from a spoon, even.
Fresh chopped basil and mint? Yes, please. They bring the flavor, flavor, flavor – so fresh, and so perfect with the garlicky tahini sauce.
If you’re not vegan or dairy-free, might I recommend a wee sprinkle of feta cheese on top? It’s real good.
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Creamy Potato Salad with Tahini and Herbs
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Classic potato salad gets a modern update with a garlicky tahini-lemon dressing and fresh spring herbs. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan-friendly.
Ingredients
2 lbs red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 large garlic clove, minced
zest of one lemon (about 1 TB)
juice of one lemon (3–4 TB)
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp honey (or maple syrup if making the recipe vegan)
2 TB cold water
1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
Instructions
Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water. Add 1 TB salt and stir until dissolved. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook undisturbed for 10-12 mins, until a fork can easily slide to the middle of a chunk. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
In a blender or the bowl of a food processor, combine tahini paste, lemon juice and zest, salt, honey (or maple syrup), and 2 TB water. Blitz until fully combined, and then, with the machine still running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until the mixture is smooth and the consistency of a creamy salad dressing. If needed, whisk in a little more water to thin.
Pour the dressing over the cooled potatoes and gently mix to coat. Fold in the chopped herbs until evenly distributed. Garnish with extra fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
… if you’re making the dish vegan, either maple syrup or agave can be substituted for the honey.
This sounds delicious! I can’t wait to try it. What a fun spin on potato salad.
Thanks. 🙂 I hope you like it!
I really wanted to love this but had to throw it out. It wasn’t for my partner’s or my tastebuds. I used 5 tbs of lemon juice from a bottle which probably didn’t help because it wasn’t fresh, but I don’t think I would have liked it still.
I’m sorry the flavors didn’t work for you. Fresh lemon juice is definitely superior to bottled, which can have an “off” taste from the citric acid used to preserve it.