Try this refreshingly different vegan Indian Style Potato Salad with Turmeric and Green Peas, for a vibrant take on an old favorite. The dressing sparkles on your tastebuds and is made of ginger, turmeric, mustard seeds, and coconut milk. This is a vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
You might have already tried this yummy and classic vegan potato salad dressed with vegan mayo and dill. But if you're looking for a recipe that's off the beaten path, here's my Indian style potato salad with turmeric and green peas.
This salad is lean and healthy, and it has a dash of delicious spice from turmeric, mustard seeds, and ginger. The flavor will appeal to you especially if you love that great Indian snack, the samosa.
This is a great side dish to serve alongside nearly any dish, but especially with grilled foods. The lemon and scallions add a pop of freshness that goes beautifully with anything charred.
Table of Contents
What you'll love about this vegan potato salad
- It's delicious. The turmeric-potato-green-peas-scallions combination is to die for. And the creamy coconut milk tying it together...yum!
- It's fresh and vibrant and so summery.
- It's healthy. There's no mayo here, vegan or otherwise, and everything in here is actually good for you.
- It's easy to put together. Anyone can do it.
Ingredients
- Baby red or yellow potatoes (or regular yellow or red potatoes are fine). I like the look of the baby potatoes in this salad.
- Coconut oil. Be sure to use coconut oil in this recipe because the flavor is terrific with the mustard, ginger and turmeric.
- Black mustard seeds. I am often asked if one should use yellow or black mustard seeds in Indian recipes and the answer, always, is black.
- Turmeric: This adds both a lovely color and lots of healthfulness to the recipe.
- Red pepper flakes: For spice, of course. Use more or less, as you prefer.
- Ginger: Ginger with coconut is a match made in flavor heaven and one you will come to adore, if you give it a try.
- Coconut milk: This adds incredible creaminess and ties all the flavors in this salad together
- Spring onions or scallions. These add amazing oniony flavor to the salad.
- Lime or lemon juice: For welcome tartness.
- Green peas. I love the pop of color from the green peas here, and the freshness they add. Be sure to thaw them thoroughly before using as you won't be cooking them further.
- Salt to taste
Steps and tips for making the vegan potato salad
- Use new baby potatoes if you can, and halve or quarter them depending on how big they are. But if you can't get baby potatoes, yellow or red potatoes work just as well. Cut the potato into bite-sized pieces, about ¾ths of an inch.
- Cook the potatoes: Cooking them right is key because they are, of course, the stars of this recipe. To do this, place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover by an inch. Bring the water to a boil, cover with the lid, lower the heat, and cook another 10 minutes or until a knife pierced in the center of the potato goes in cleanly. Drain the potatoes rightaway.
- Although the cook time in the recipe says 40 minutes, most of this is hands-off time, for the potatoes to cook. The dressing itself takes no more than five minutes to stir up and it's made in the style of an Indian "tadka" or tempering. To make the dressing, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Mustard seeds won't pop in cold or warm oil, so make sure the oil is thoroughly heated before you add the mustard seeds and sputter them. Then add the turmeric, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and let the tempering cool for a few minutes. Stir in the coconut milk. (When you temper spices, it is really key you don't burn them because you are working over fairly high heat, so turn off the heat as soon as you smell the fragrance of the spices and the spices look slightly darker but not burnt.)
- Finally, toss the potatoes with this dressing, the spring onions, lemon juice and green peas. You're done!
Suggestions for additions/substitutions
- I really like the samosa-like flavors of the potato salad and green peas in this salad, but you can definitely add another veggie into the mix. Grated carrot, for instance, would be nice. I wouldn't add a watery veggie like zucchini because it would really change the consistency of the salad and make it soggy.
- I don't add garlic to this recipe because I want the freshness of the ginger to shine through, but if you're addicted to garlic, a couple of cloves, minced and sauteed with the ginger, will be nice.
- Instead of spring onions, you can use chives, or garlic chives, or cilantro. All would be delicious in here.
- Use more coconut milk if you want your salad dressing creamier.
- You can use lime or lemons interchangeably in this recipe, it doesn't really matter. The lemons sold in India, at least back when I lived there, were, in fact, more lime-like, in flavor and looks, and we really didn't distinguish between the two.
If you cook this vegan Indian Style Potato Salad with Turmeric and Green Peas, I'd love to hear, so please leave a review and rating below. If you are on Instagram do share a photo of the cooked dish and be sure to tag it @HolyCowVegan.
More vegan potato recipes
- Smashed Potato Salad with Turmeric and Curry Leaf Dressing
- Lemony Greek Potatoes
- Masala Smashed Potatoes
- Crunchy Chickpea-Roasted Potatoes, no added oil
- Sheet Pan Curry Roasted Cauliflower and Potatoes
Vegan Indian-Style Potato Salad with Turmeric and Green Peas
Try this refreshingly different Indian-style Potato Salad with Turmeric and Green Peas, for a vibrant take on an old favorite. The dressing sparkles on your tastebuds and is made of ginger, turmeric, mustard seeds, and coconut milk. This is a vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
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Review Recipe
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 118kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby potatoes (yellow or red are fine. Can use larger yellow or red potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- ⅓ cup canned coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- 3-4 spring onions (Green and white parts chopped)
- Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
- 1 cup frozen green peas (thawed)
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover by an inch. Bring the water to a boil, cover with the lid, lower the heat, and cook another 10 minutes or until a knife pierced in the center of the potato goes in cleanly.
- Drain the potatoes immediately and set aside. Place the frozen peas in the warm pot you cooked the potatoes in and cover. This should be enough to warm them without overcooking them.
- To make the dressing, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. Add the mustard seeds when the oil is hot. After they crackle and sputter, add the turmeric, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the coconut milk.
- Halve the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add in the green peas, the turmeric-coconut dressing, and the spring onions. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Add salt to taste and toss everything together.
- Serve warm or cold.
Nutrition
Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Potassium: 462mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 208IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
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Ed
This is super easy to make and mind-blowing good!!!! a real show stopper! a total crowd pleaser!
my only variation was i added fresh chopped cilantro
5 stars! Will repeat
Isabel
Tried this tonight. We thought it was so tasty. Thank you.
Lynda Karpen
I made it for supper tonight and it was delicious. I added a little Caesar dressing and fresh chilli plus a shallot and a sprinkling of Fenugreek.
Will definitely make it again.
Delicious.
Helen of Trout
I LOVE this potato salad! I've made it several times now and last night made it again. Thank you so much for yummy recipes!
I like to use sweet onions diced in it instead of green onions.
I've also added the shredded carrots before and liked that too. I will be adding some red peppers next time. The cauliflower suggestion is also intriguing and I'll be trying that out! So many yummy options!
Vaishali
So happy you loved the salad, Helen! One of my favorite recipes. 🙂
Menno van Ingen
Just made this dish for me and my girlfriend. It was delicious. Loved the ginger and the heat from the chiliflakes, fresh green peas, it was al just yummy. Definitely going to make it some more.
Vaishali
So happy to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!
Michele
Very good. Was looking for a potato salad without mayo for an outdoor event so I tried this and everyone really liked it. It’s refreshingly different and I will make it again. I did have to order the black mustard seeds from Amazon, HEB didn’t carry them. Thank you for the recipe.
Vaishali
So happy you made it!
Danny
Made this exactly as written (though I had to redo the sauce because I had the heat too high the first time and burned the spices). Loved it. Then I added in shredded carrot as suggested and some chopped red bell pepper for even more color. Making this again for a potluck! Thanks for the recipe!!
Sarah
I just discovered your blog! ?? I LOVE how you add little tips/secrets to your recipes and ways to change them up too!! Wow!! I think I can learn a lot from you! I’m so impressed that I subscribed with my personal email so I don’t miss your content—and I rarely subscribe with my personal email! Looking forward to learning more! Can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks so much, and blessings to you! ❤️
Vaishali
Hi Sarah, what a lovely message! Do let me know if you try the salad, and thanks for subscribing. :)❤️
Kathy
Amazing. Flavors were robust ans recipe was so easy. I think it would be great with cauliflower also!
Vaishali
So happy you made it, Kathy. I agree it'd work with cauliflower as well!
Jamie
Lime juice or lemon juice? It says lime in the ingredients but lemon in the instructions. Thanks!
Vaishali
Either is fine!
Christy
Tried it yesterday. Replaced the coconut milk with low-fat yogurt, and it was still great. Added some cilantro at the end. Thanks for the recipe!
shan
This looks awesome. Do you think it can be made a couple of days ahead?
Thanks!
Vaishali
Yes, cover and refrigerate.
Bhairavi
Just made it today!!!!!
Delisshhhh
Thank you for sharing
Vaishali
So happy you tried it! 🙂
Amarthya
Dear Vaishali, this dish is >>>YUM<<<, you have knocked it out of the ballpark for Vegan America once again, now we will rock the summer BBQ with pride and dignity and a new traditional potato salad. My fam come from Penn-Deutsch culture and I LOVE when you jazz up the old standard recipes with fresh ideas as only you can! Thank you sister!
Vaishali
Thanks, Amarthya. Have a great Memorial Day weekend!