This is not your average potato salad! This no mayo potato salad is perfect for picnics and potlucks. White wine, vinegar, olive oil, and Dijon mustard make a delicious potato salad.

Easy and Delicious Potato Salad

Do you like your potato salad, creamy and mustardy, or oil and vinegar-y? I don't really think I've ever met a potato salad that I didn't love, but I tend to make those with an oil and vinegar base more often than I make a creamy one.

I'm not sure why, it just seems to work out that way. I think perhaps it's because you can alter the flavor of the vinaigrette so easily and totally change the flavor of the potato salad.

This French potato salad is a perfect example of a quick and easy and so delicious potato salad!

Ingredients in French Potato Salad

Dry White Wine
White Wine Vinegar - can use Rice Vinegar for a more subtle flavor.
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Dijon Mustard
Waxy Potatoes
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Tips for making Potato Salad (Especially Vinegar Based)

Use waxy potatoes - waxy potatoes (like Yukon Gold, Fingerling or red potatoes) will stay firm and hold their shape better.

Start with cold water - this allows the potatoes and the water to heat up together and the potatoes will cook more evenly.

Salt the water - just like pasta, you need to season the cooking water of the potatoes.

Cook until just tender - depending on the size of the potatoes, start checking them after about 8 minutes of boiling. The tip of knife should feel just the slightest bit of resistance.

Dress the potatoes while warm for a vinegar based dressing. The potatoes will absorb the flavors better while warm.

Serve vinegar potato salads at room temperature or warm.

How to Make French Potato Salad

Step 1 - If the potatoes are small leave them whole, otherwise cut them in half. Place them in a pan and cover with cool water. Turn the burner to high and bring to a boil.

Step 2 - In a large bowl, whisk together the white wine, white wine vinegar, olive oil, and Dijon mustard.

Step 3 - after the potatoes come to a boil, start checking them with the tip of a knife at about 8 minutes.

Step 4 - when the potatoes are just tender, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

Step 5 - cut the potatoes into bite sized cubes. You can leave the peel on if you like, though it usually slips off while dicing the potatoes.

Vegan and Paleo Friendly Potato Salad

With no eggs or mayo, this potato salad is both vegan and paleo friendly. I'm not following either of those diets, I just happen to love this potato salad!

Note that some wines are not vegan - you can read about How to Tell if a Wine is Vegan?

This potato salad is a riff on one that I found in a very old Martha Stewart cookbook. What I love about it, besides how good it is, is that it is so easy to modify it.

Variations on this potato salad:

use a whole grain or spicy mustard for a more robust mustard flavor
use flavored oils - like chive oil or basil oil
add fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley, chives, or thyme
you can omit the wine if you want an alcohol free version

Looking for More Easy Side Dish Salads

Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cranberries

Black-eyed Peas Salad

Honey Mustard Broccoli Salad

Zucchini, Corn and Bean Salad

Three Bean Salad with Cilantro Dressing

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5 from 34 votes

French Potato Salad

This simple potato salad is so delicious and easy! The warm potatoes soak up all the flavor from the tangy white wine and Dijon mustard vinaigrette!

Course Salad

Cuisine French

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 277kcal

Ingredients

¼ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 waxy potatoes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
fresh herbs for garnish

Instructions

Wash the potatoes. If they are large, cut them in half. Place in a pot and cover with cold water. Over high heat, bring to a boil. Boil until just tender when pierced with a knife. Drain.
While potatoes are boiling, in a large bowl, whisk together the white wine, vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper.
Add warm potatoes to dressing in bowl and toss. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Can garnish with fresh chopped herbs.

Notes