This Russian potato salad recipe aka Olivier salad is tweaked to be healthier, lighter, dairy free and mayo free. This creamy mayo free potato salad features cooked potatoes, carrots, eggs, dill pickles raw radishes, peas and celery for crunchiness and the addition of bacon is totally optional if you prefer to keep it vegetarian.
Or you could adapt it to be vegan. The dressing is naturally mayo free and dairy free but still creamy in delicious.
The mayo free potato salad is perfect as a side dish, as a burrito filler, or even a make-ahead lunch or dinner. It’s great served for a crowd and holiday tables along with chicken cutlets or stuffed chicken roll-ups or maybe some stuffed cabbage rolls.
Make sure to check out the how-to video below!
Russian Potato Salad (Olivier)
In many countries, the Olivier salad is known as Russian potato salad or Russian salad, while others call it by its original name: Olivier salad. It was a dish secretly created by a French speaking chef who owned a fancy restaurant in Moscow in the late nineteenth century.
Related: Russian Beet Salad With Sauerkraut (Vinaigrette)
Russian Potato Salad Ingredients
Even though the modern Olivier salad is much different from its original preparation, it will forever be the most iconic Russian potato salad. My version is a mayo free potato salad – a little different than the Olivier and some ingredients have been replaced because they’re healthier, allergy friendly and lighter on the stomach.
A also have a shrimp potato salad version in my cookbook, which is also dairy free and mayo free.
The recipe consists of:
- Steamed (or boiled) potatoes, carrots and eggs;
- Green peas (frozen or fresh);
- Celery stalks (for crunch);
- Raw red radishes (for crunch and color);
- Dill pickles (homemade preferably), any pickled vegetables actually would work;
- Chopped meat (choose from bacon, chicken, sausage etc.) or remove, to make it vegetarian friendly.
- A mayonnaise like dressing (similar to a honey mustard sauce but dairy and mayo free). See ingredients below in recipe card.
Video: Watch How To Make Russian Potato Salad Olivier
If you can’t see the video, try to disable your ad-blocker.
Russian Potato Salad – Tips & Variations
- Transform into a vegan Olivier salad – remove the eggs and the meat, keep the dressing, it’s naturally vegan friendly.
- You can replace the pickles (fermented cucumbers) with capers or any other pickled vegetable, even sauerkraut. Just make sure you squeeze the juices from the pickles so they don’t add sogginess to the salad.
- Use any kind of meat you like: bacon (without sugar and additives), shredded chicken, fish, crab or shrimp.
- Taste your potato salad and make sure it has a balanced taste. Sometimes the potatoes might be overpowering, or you might be lacking acidity or salt or some crunch. If your flavors are muted, add salt. For more acidity, add more pickles.
- All the chopping can be made ahead of time and then combined with the dressing just before serving.
- Allow cooked ingredients to cool before you combine them in the salad.
How To Store
It is a common fact that Olivier salad tastes better the next day. I’m not suggesting you make buckets of it, but make sure you prepare enough so as not to regret the next day that you didn’t make enough!
This Russian potato salad it may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Freezing the potato salad is not recommended, as it can easily get soggy and mushy.
More Creamy Hearty Salads To Try:
- Potato and Egg Salad (Deliciously Layered)
- Chicken Beet Salad With Avocado Dressing
- Healthy Coleslaw With Avocado Dressing
- Chicken Salad with Avocado Cranberries & Walnuts
- Shrimp Cabbage Salad
- Creamy Radish Salad Recipes + Dressings
More Potato Recipes
- Potato Fritters With Crab Meat
- Savory Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Soft Gluten Free Potato Wraps / Tortillas
- Potato Casserole (Potato Bake, Vegan)
- Crispy Golden Grated Potato Fritters
Enjoy this Russian potato salad and please leave me a comment if you make it, I would love to hear your thoughts! Your feedback is super helpful for me and readers. Thank you!
Russian Potato Salad (Olivier) No Mayo, No Dairy
Ingredients
- 3 large red skinned potatoes - boiled
- 2 boiled carrots - diced
- 3 boiled eggs - omit for vegan version
- 2 dill pickles - diced
- ¾ cup frozen peas - thawed
- 2 small celery stalks - chopped
- 6 medium red radishes - chopped
- 1 cup of meat - I used bacon (4 chopped slices), omit for vegan version
The Dressing (Mayo Replacement)
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 3 tbsp non dairy yogurt, unsweetened - I used coconut
- 2 tbsp white beans - from can, cooked
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar - or lemon juice
- 1 tbsp stone ground mustard - or Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp hemp seed butter - or any nut / seed butter you like
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp arrowroot powder - optional, for thickness
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup - optional
Or use a simpler potato salad dressing:
Instructions
- Fill a pot with one inch of water and put a steamer basket inside. Place the potatoes and carrots in the steamer basket and bring water to a boil. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. It’s even easier if you chop them before cooking. Be careful not to overcook, you don’t want the potatoes to fall apart.
- Boil the eggs for 7-10 minutes in a separate pot.
- Meanwhile chop the other ingredients. Make sure they are all the same size. Add them to a large mixing bowl. Once the potatoes, carrots and eggs are cool you may add them as well.
- In a small bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients, stir till well until combined (or use mayo).
- Toss the salad thoroughly with the dressing, adding a little more if it doesn’t look moist enough. Check if it needs more seasonings.
- Chill the Russian potato salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and then enjoy!
Prepare The Dressing
- Gather all ingredients and blend with an immersion blender until nice and smooth.
- Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour to thicken.
Video
Notes
Tips For Russian Potato Olivier Salad
- You can replace the pickles (fermented cucumbers) with capers or any other pickled vegetable, even sauerkraut. Just make sure you squeeze the juices from the pickles so they don’t add sogginess to the salad.
- Use any kind of meat you like: bacon (without sugar and additives), shredded chicken, fish, crab or shrimp.
- When you mixed all ingredients, taste your Olivier salad and make sure it has a balanced taste. Sometimes the potatoes might be overpowering, or you might be lacking acidity or salt or some crunch. If your flavors are muted, add salt. For more acidity, add more pickles.
- The dressing and all the chopping can be made ahead of time and then combined with the dressing just before serving.
- Allow cooked ingredients to cool before you combine them in the salad.
- The dressing is a replacement for mayo, but you can use mayo if you like.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
©HealthyTasteOfLife. Content and photographs are copyright protected and need prior permission to use. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to other websites and any social media is strictly prohibited. Sharing and using the link of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated!
Maya
Wednesday 26th of February 2020
This olivier salad looks delicious, and I love that you provided a mayo alternative ...I'll definetly try it!
HealthyTasteOfLife
Wednesday 26th of February 2020
Thank you, I hope you enjoy it!