8 Potato Salad Recipes

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8 potato salad recipes, from Bulgarian no-mayo potato salad to crispy smashed, grilled feta, holiday Olivier, and Greek octopus. One for every meal.

Collage of 8 potato salad recipes with a title square: Bulgarian potato salad, grilled potato salad, crispy smashed potato salad, sumac potatoes with cucumber, potato medley, buffalo potato salad, Olivier salad and octopus potato salad

Potato salad in my house is not one recipe. The one I make most is the Bulgarian way: warm potatoes, olive oil, vinegar, onion, and no mayo, served next to roasted fish or grilled chops. But for a cookout I want something creamy, for a lighter lunch I want greens and feta, and when I’m feeding a crowd I want crispy edges.

These are the 8 potato salad recipes I’ve made and published over the years, from the plain Bulgarian side dish to a smoky grilled version, the Olivier salad we make every New Year’s Eve, and a Greek octopus and potato salad. Each one is built for a different job, so pick by what’s on the rest of the plate.

How to Choose

Best for holidays: Olivier Salad.

No mayo, light and tangy: Bulgarian Potato Salad, Grilled Potato Salad with Feta Vinaigrette, Sumac Roasted Potatoes and Cucumber, Octopus and Potato Salad.

Creamy: Colorful Potato Medley, Buffalo Potato Salad, Crispy Smashed Potato Salad (half yogurt, half mayo), Olivier Salad.

Meal on its own: Octopus and Potato Salad, Grilled Potato Salad with greens and feta, Olivier Salad with ham.

Best with fish and grilled meat: Bulgarian Potato Salad, Sumac Roasted Potatoes and Cucumber.

Best for cookouts and potlucks: Buffalo, Colorful Potato Medley, Crispy Smashed.

The Potato Salad Recipes

Lightened Up Potato Salad Recipe {Vegan+Gluten Free}-no-mayo

Bulgarian Potato Salad (No Mayo)

This is the potato salad I make every week. Potatoes cooked whole, peeled while warm, then dressed with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and green onion or red onion. The trick is a splash of hot water over the warm potatoes — they soak it up and turn soft and silky instead of dry. I now cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot for 4 minutes with a quick release, which turns a 40-minute side into a 15-minute one. It's what I serve with Whole Roasted Branzino, grilled chops, kyufteta, and kebapcheta.

Check out this recipe

Grilled Potato Salad with Feta Vinaigrette

Yukon Gold potatoes, parboiled, sliced, and seared in a grill pan until browned, then served over mixed greens with feta, green onions, and parsley. The vinaigrette is apple cider vinegar, Dijon, olive oil, and crumbled feta whisked together, so it's creamy without any mayo. This one is a light dinner on its own.

Check out this recipe

Close-up of crispy roasted baby potatoes mixed with diced cucumber, red bell pepper, sliced red onion, and fresh dill, all coated in a creamy yogurt and Dijon mustard dressing.

Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with Yogurt Dijon Dressing

Baby gold potatoes boiled, smashed flat, and roasted at high heat until the edges crisp, then tossed with cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion. The dressing is Greek yogurt, a little mayo, Dijon, and lemon. You get the crunch of roasted potatoes and the cool, creamy texture of a classic potato salad in the same bite.

Check out this recipe

Sumac Roasted Potatoes and Cucumber Salad

Potatoes roasted at 400°F with sumac until golden, then mixed with crunchy Persian cucumber and fresh mint. The dressing is just oil, lemon juice, paprika, and salt. Sumac gives it a lemony tartness, so it goes especially well with grilled chicken or lamb.

Check out this recipe

Colorful Potato Medley Salad

Tri-color baby potatoes, boiled and halved, in a mayo and Dijon dressing with green onions and parsley. It's the closest to a classic American potato salad on this list, and the purple and red potatoes make it look good on a buffet table.

Check out this recipe

Buffalo Potato Salad

Small red potatoes tossed while warm in a dressing of mayo, Greek yogurt, buffalo hot sauce, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar, topped with scallions. The yogurt keeps it lighter than an all-mayo version. Bring this one to game day.

Check out this recipe

Olivier Russian Salad Recipe - Руска Салата, Bulgarian Style Russian Salad, colorful and delicious.

Olivier Salad (Russian Salad)

In Bulgaria, no Christmas or New Year's Eve table is complete without it. Small cubes of boiled potatoes, carrots, pickles, eggs, peas, and ham or salami, folded into a creamy mayo dressing. The pickles are what make it — they cut through the richness. Make it a day ahead; it tastes better once everything has settled together.

Check out this recipe

Octopus and Potato Salad

A Greek taverna classic and the only potato salad here that's a full high-protein meal. The octopus and potatoes cook in the same pot, then the octopus gets a quick char on the grill before everything is dressed with olive oil, vinegar or lemon, and herbs. No mayo, and it holds well at room temperature.

Check out this recipe

Tips for Better Potato Salad

Cook potatoes whole and skin-on. They absorb less water and keep their shape. Peel while still warm — the skin slides right off.
Dress them warm. Warm potatoes soak up vinegar and oil; cold ones just get coated. This matters most for no-mayo potato salads.
Add a splash of hot water to vinegar-based salads. It’s the Bulgarian trick that keeps them soft instead of chalky.
Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes. Yukon Gold, red, or baby potatoes hold their shape. Russets fall apart.
Cook once, eat twice. Vinegar-based potato salads keep 4–5 days in the fridge, so a double batch covers lunches for the week.

More Salad Recipes

If you want a salad without potatoes next to the same dinner, Shopska Salad is the other Bulgarian classic, Village Saladadds white beans and roasted peppers for a heartier side, and the Cucumber Yogurt Salad with Kefir Cheese is cool and creamy without mayo.

FAQ

How do you make potato salad without mayo? Dress warm potatoes with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and onion.

That’s the Bulgarian way, and it’s lighter, holds up better outside, and keeps longer in the fridge than mayo-based potato salad.

What potatoes are best for potato salad? Waxy or all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Gold, red, or baby potatoes.

They stay in clean cubes after cooking. Russets are too starchy and turn mushy.

Can you cook potatoes for potato salad in the Instant Pot? Yes. Whole medium potatoes with about 1 cup of water take 4 minutes on high pressure with a quick release.

Peel them while warm and dress them right away.

How long does potato salad last in the fridge? Vinegar-based potato salads keep 4–5 days covered.

Mayo-based ones are best within 3 days, and shouldn’t sit out longer than 2 hours.