Awesome Alternatives to Potato Salad
on Apr 15, 2020, Updated Feb 09, 2024
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If you’re looking for delicious alternatives to potato salad, here are some wonderful ideas to try for your next family meal or when you need to take something to a summer barbecue or potluck.
There are always folks who can’t eat potato salad due to dietary restrictions or who don’t like it as a matter of personal preference.
Personally, I’m always looking for ways to enjoy meals at home without eating the same things over and over. These salads make great sides or enjoy as make-ahead lunches that last all week.
Serve them with these delicious tuna patties or our homemade Big Mac sloppy joes and you have a meal!
Or for something extra special, try this easy tomato pie recipe!
Alternatives to Potato Salad
I have nothing against potatoes but sometimes you need to change it up . Here are a few side dishes that would make a great potato salad alternative.
Vegetable Salads
Cauliflower is a great substitute for potatoes and it’s significantly lower in carbohydrates.
It makes a great taste substitute for potatoes and you could easily adapt your favorite potato salad recipe by substituting cauliflower.
Here’s a great low carb cauliflower salad recipe to try from Wholesome yum. Try it and see if you can taste the difference.
A great way to eat some healthy greens is to throw together a raw broccoli salad. Try to use organic broccoli, wash it well and dice the florets for the salad.
You can also shred the stalk – lots of good nutrients there! You can add almost any crunchy veggie to this salad according to your taste.
Mayonnaise-like dressings and vinaigrette dressings both work well with broccoli salads.
This is a gorgeous and zesty broccoli salad recipe from Love And Lemons that you might try.
Bean Salads
Three-bean salads have long been a staple at picnics and potlucks and for good reason – they are delicious.
The fun thing about bean salads is that you can create combinations based on your favorite preferences.
Don’t like cannellini beans? Just substitute another bean. The classic three-bean salad calls for canned cannellini, kidney and garbanzo beans.
Feel free to substitute green beans, black beans and black-eyed peas for any of the traditional beans.
Three-bean salads are usually served chilled, so plan ahead if you’re taking this to an event. Here’s a three-bean salad for inspiration.
Black bean salads tossed with fresh corn, green onions, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes and avocado are a favorite Tex-Mex salad option.
This salad works well for picnics and barbecues, plus it’s delightfully bright, colorful, and delicious. Here’s a simple version to try from Averie Cooks.
Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are just as versatile as potato salads in that you can add almost anything to them and they will taste amazing.
They also have the added bonus of working well with meats such as diced chicken or seafood such as shrimp being added to them.
For a delicious cold based pasta salad, chop and dice your favorite salad veggies and dress with a tangy vinaigrette. Here’s a Greek-inspired pasta salad to try from Simply Recipes.
Sweet Potato Salads
For good measure, here’s an actual potato-based salad idea using sweet potatoes. This is a great alternative that can be dressed up or down, kept sweet or transitioned to spicy.
Try this option for a fall salad: cut sweet potatoes into chunks and then steam them until fork-tender.
Add a small chopped red onion, chopped celery, dried cranberries, Dijon-style mustard, apple cider vinegar and mashed avocado (optional).
This is a great alternative to potato salad, and it doesn’t contain mayo. If you’re looking for a mayo-based sweet potato salad version with a little kick to it, check out this recipe from Small Town Woman.
Let these ideas inspire you to try something new and interesting as an alternative to potato salad.
You may find a new favorite for your salad rotation!
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