By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus at least an hour’s resting
- Rating
- 4(537)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This robustly seasoned vegan potato salad is lively and earthy from a dressing of cumin, charred scallion and loads of tahini, which gives it a rich and creamy texture. This is a good one to make a day before you want to serve it as the flavors get better as they sit. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature so everything is at its brightest and most supple.
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1¾pounds yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2bunches scallions, trimmed
- ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
- 1 to 2garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼cup tahini
- Ice water, as needed
- ½cup soft herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, mint, dill or a combination
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
230 calories; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 300 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until potatoes are just tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the kind of potato. Drain very well.
Step
2
Heat the broiler. Arrange 1 bunch scallions on a sheet pan. Thinly slice the other bunch, reserving the slices for serving.
Step
3
Season the whole scallions in the pan with salt and pepper, and very lightly drizzle with olive oil. Broil until charred, tossing occasionally, for 3 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board to cool. Coarsely chop scallions and set aside.
Step
4
In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, garlic, cumin and a large pinch of salt. Let sit for 1 minute to mellow the garlic and dissolve the salt. Whisk in tahini, then gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time (about 3 to 6 tablespoons total), until the sauce thickens and is smooth enough to drizzle. The sauce can take 30 seconds to 1 minute to thicken so keep whisking; if it gets too thick, thin it down with a little more water. Taste and add more lemon juice and salt if needed.
Step
5
Transfer hot potatoes and charred scallions to bowl with tahini dressing. Drizzle in the remaining ⅓ cup olive oil and toss until potatoes are well coated. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
Step
6
Let cool to room temperature for at least an hour before serving, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The potatoes will absorb the dressing as they sit. Just before serving, taste and add more salt or lemon juice if needed, and toss with the raw scallion slices and herbs.
Ratings
4
out of 5
537
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Cooking Notes
Kath B
Hi Melissa: You call for the potatoes to be cubed. But step one says whole unpeeled potatoes. Please advise. I want to cook this for the 4th. Thanks.
Davidcl
When are the charred scallions added? There's no mention of how they are utilized in the recipe, only their prep. I assume they're added to the dressing along with the cooked potatoes rather than at the end when the reserved raw scallions and herbs are added.
AnnabellaJ
Glad to see Melissa providing vegan recipes! In the past, many of her offerings were cheesy and gooey with dairy. Larger numbers of us can't digest it, even with the aid of lactose pills. Brava! Will try this one.
Krysten Chambrot, Associate Editor, NYT Cooking
Hi, Kath! Thanks for flagging. The potatoes should be cubed, and we've adjusted the recipe to reflect that.
quaasam
Very nice. Needs a lot of lemon.
Swenbeck
Yes, let this dish sit a day in the frig for a huge flavor boost. Thinly slice the uncharred scallions in ice water to curl them and then add them with freshly chopped dill before letting the dish sit for 24 hours. Double the charred scallion and consider adding them right before serving so they don’t get mushy.
gale
Step 5
Sam
This was delicious- made it exactly as directed. Definitely will be making again. I got one comment that some crunch would be nice; thinking maybe a little celery next time? Or any other vegan ideas?
Moveable Feast
See Step 5!!! "Transfer hot potatoes and charred scallions to bowl with tahini dressing."
KWarner
Would this work with cauliflower florets for the potato avoidant? Seems like it should but I'm wondering if anyone else has tried it.
Rebecca
Pretty much made as is, except for the extra olive oil at the end. I had tiny golden potatoes that only needed to be cut in half. This might be a summer staple this year
Mimi
Riffing: I’ve made something similar to this but with roasted cauliflower and adding in roasted sliced lemons. I recommend trying out other veggies that call to you you. I was inspired by a side dish at Ox Restaurant in Portland, OR (great place btw). I’m going to do this again with cauliflower bc it’s so good — and less work than potatoes for me.
Noelle
Pretty good the next day, after adding a ton of lemon, salt and pepper. Would I make again? Probably not. Needs crunch and more flavor.
James B
Made triple batches of this for both of my family reunions (I know...so much cooking). It was a big hit for both sides of the fam! Even better after a few days. Highly recommend.
Michelle
Add a bit of ancho chili powder to the dressing for some subtle heat.
Alex V.
Very nice!I added 1+ cup of black-eyes peas (for a bit of extra proteins.) Was nice with dill or mint or cilantro.
KJA
I made this one day ahead of when I planned to serve it. Before adding the second bunch of scallions, I soaked them in ice water to crispen them up to add crunch; celery is a nice addition too. I scaled back on the final 1/3 cup oil in step 5. Seemed like a lot of oil. This salad is very flavorful! For those who said it was bland, if you're tasting the dressing as you add the lemon, salt and pepper it will be seasoned to one's own taste. This is a delicious salad!
Erin
I like this potato salad. I chopped the charred scallions into one-inch pieces before adding them with the potatoes. I’m not sure why the oil is mixed in separately, but I just whisked it into the dressing, so I didn’t keep jostling the delicate potatoes around. I found I needed to add black pepper at the end for balance. Good flavor overall. I think something briny, like chopped olives or capers could be a nice addition in the future.
Marty
Should I use both the white and green parts of the scallions?
Juliet
Why on earth does the water need to be ice water? Why not just normal, room temperature water?
Avigail
super! i suggest doubling or tripling since it will go fast! I also used less olive oil. Delicious and doesn't go bad when sitting outside (unlike version with mayo and egg).
Maya
This is very tasty. I only had mint and it worked, but I think a mixture of herbs would be even better. I definitely didn't need all the olive oil it called for.
Tess K
Keep trying to find good vegan recipes for some family members. This was a fail. Bland and having been made a few hours ahead, dry.
Avi
I also found it needed a bit more water added to *liven* it. if it was bland more lemon, salt and pepper may have been in order :)
James B
Made triple batches of this for both of my family reunions (I know...so much cooking). It was a big hit for both sides of the fam! Even better after a few days. Highly recommend.
Andrea
I doubled the scallions as I think their charred flavor is what elevated this salad to another level.
CT Cook
Made as written with parsley. It’s a great alternative to a mayo based salad. The blandness was a nice offset to the strongly flavored food and tomato onion salad it was served with. A better mix of herbs would’ve elevated it, but that’s all I had on hand.Leftovers will be eaten with a mildly spiced dinner, so there will be a need to add something spicy and crunchy. I’ll try chipotle pepper and red bell pepper, since I’m out of celery.
Alex
good roasted. vegetables with paessley
Melissa
Big hit! Used parsley, dill, and mint. Will make this again.
Michelle
Add a bit of ancho chili powder to the dressing for some subtle heat.
banana
This is tasty, and a mayo-free potato salad is an handy option but made as directed it could use a little crunch. I think I will add celery next time.
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