Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (2024)

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Today’s vegan warm potato salad recipe is quite simple, requires only one pan (less cleanup!), and is almost impossible to mess up!

I make it no secret that potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables: I cook them in different ways a few times a week, and I’ve featured a number of recipes with potatoes on my blog in the past.

I’m also partial to chickpeas, both in their natural form (see my recipes with chickpeas) and ground up into flour (like my savory chickpea flour pancakes).

As you see, this is not your typical mayo-laden potato salad that’s usually served at barbecues and picnics. The absence of mayo makes for a simple yet elegant potato salad that can be used as a standalone dish or a versatile side.

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In this recipe, potatoes are cooked with the rest of the ingredients in a hot skillet, and there’s no need to add any dressing at the end. The combination of fresh rosemary, basil and other spices brings all of the flavors together nicely.

Watch me make this recipe in an episode of my live vegan cooking show on YouTube:

I’ve been making a version of thispotato salad for years, usually as a side for eggs before I went vegan.

After the switch, I decided to experiment with the recipe to make it into a stand-alone meal that could work for lunch or evena light dinner.

Well, ‘experiment’ is a strong word here: I mainly just threw in some chickpeas or black beans, and the dish came out great!

The experimentation continued with adding some fresh spinach to the pan just before taking it off the heat (shown on the pictures), or serving the potatoes on top of some torn-up kale leaves mixed with avocado and lime juice.

Greens definitely complement the spiciness of the potatoes, and I like it how they slightly wilt under the warmth of the potatoes.

Fresh arugula is another type of greens that works great in this recipe. However, this warm potato salad recipe is very forgiving: if you don’t have arugula or spinach in the fridge, just omit them 🙂

I’ve listed oil spray as my preferred method of getting some cooking fat onto the pan in the recipe below, which works for folks who want to eat as little oil as possible.

At the same time, if you’re not concerned about oils, feel free to use regular pourable oil instead of the spray. My recent go-to has been avocado oil, but olive oil works just as well.

The recipe below is highly customizable, as is the case with most of the recipes on my blog.

You can use an entirely different spice combination, although I’m a big fan of adding fresh rosemary and basil. The former especially brings all of the ingredients together and makes the flavor stand out.

No fresh rosemary on hand? Dried is ok too, but you’ll need to add it earlier in the cooking.

This potato salad works well with some crumbled tofu mixed into the potatoes instead of beans.

Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (6)

Yield: 2 servings

This vegan warm potato salad is made in a hot skillet, with vegetables and spices instead of mayonnaise. it makes a great side dish for any meal, or can be served on its own over some fresh greens.

Prep Time8 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 medium red potatoes, cubed into 1/2-inch pieces (can be left unpeeled)
  • 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas or other beans
  • 1/3 cup bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped
  • 2-3 crimini mushrooms, chopped (optional)
  • Handful fresh spinach or arugula leaves
  • 4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)
  • Olive oil or avocado cooking spray

Spices:

  • 1 tsp rosemary, chopped if fresh/ground if dried
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic

Instructions

  1. Heat a heavy-bottomed nonstick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add cubed potatoes, spray them with some more cooking spray, stir with a spatula to distribute them evenly over the pan, and cover with a lid.
  2. Cook for 8-10 min, stirring every 2-3 min to prevent the pieces from sticking to the pan. Meanwhile, chop onions, bell pepper and mushrooms.
  3. The potatoes are going to be almost done when they form a nice brown crust, and slide easily across the pan. If you pierce a piece with a fork, it should go in easily. At this point, add chickpeas, cover with a lid, and cook 2 min more.
  4. Remove the lid, add onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, salt and all of the spices except basil leaves. Cook another 2 min, stirring often.
  5. Stir in a handful of spinach or arugula leaves. As soon as they begin to wilt, take the pan off the heat.
  6. Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 570Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 89gFiber: 19gSugar: 19gProtein: 20g

Please note that the provided nutritional information data is approximate.

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Question for you: Have you ever tried a warm potato salad before? What are your favorite potato dishes?

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Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (11)

Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats

Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Eventually she embraced veganism as a way to be kinder to fellow living beings and the environment. Alina hopes that this blog helps its readers on their path to becoming vegan and making this world a better place.

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Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (12)Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (13)Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (14)

Vegan Warm Potato Salad Recipe with Spinach and Chickpeas (2024)

FAQs

How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

To keep your salad from falling apart into mush, it's important to use the best potatoes for potato salad. Skip the russet potatoes and use a waxy variety instead, like Yukon gold, red potatoes or fingerlings. Learn more about which types of potatoes you should use for different recipes.

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

Why does my potato salad get soupy the next day? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot.

Should you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling for potato salad? ›

In most cases, yes. Rinsing them in cold water cools them so they're a closer temperature to making the potato salad, which you'd want cold. On the other hand, if you're making red potatoes and going to make German potato salad, I'd rinse them in lukewarm water. Th...…

What not to do when making potato salad? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Potato Salad
  1. Using The Wrong Type of Potato.
  2. Not Starting The Potatoes in Cold Water.
  3. Cooking Potatoes in Unseasoned Water.
  4. Undercooking or Overcooking The Potatoes.
  5. Not Dressing The Potatoes at The Right Time.
  6. Our Favorite Potato Salad Recipes.

How does Rachael Ray make potato salad? ›

In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, grate 1/4 onion using a hand grater. Add mustard and mayonnaise, paprika and cayenne pepper sauce to the grated onion and stir to combine. Add potatoes to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute dressing. Season potato salad with salt and pepper and taste to adjust your seasonings.

Why is my potato salad gummy? ›

Not Getting The Cook Time Right

If you overcook them, the result is a mushy, grainy mess. And if you undercook them, you end up with crunchy (not in a good way) potatoes. It's a delicate balance to achieve soft, tender potatoes for that just-right potato salad texture.

What is French potato salad made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 9 Yukon Gold potatoes.
  2. ½ cup vegetable oil.
  3. ¼ cup tarragon vinegar.
  4. ¼ cup beef consommé or vegetable broth.
  5. ¼ cup chopped green onions.
  6. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
  7. 1 teaspoon salt.
  8. 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Does it matter what kind of potatoes you use for potato salad? ›

Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad. They do cook at different rates so be sure to adjust cook time depending on which type of potato you select.

Can you cut up potatoes ahead of time for potato salad? ›

If you're here, you'll probably be glad to know that yes, you can peel and cut potatoes the day before you plan to serve them — and that it's super easy!

Is it better to boil or steam potatoes for potato salad? ›

Boiling potatoes for potato salad is time-consuming and often waterlogs the potatoes. Here's a simple way to cook your potatoes for a better texture — no pot of boiling water required!

Can you eat potato salad left out overnight? ›

Potato salad, like most perishable foods, cannot sit out for more than two hours, and closer to only one hour when the temperature is above 90°F and you're dining outside.

Why does my potato salad taste bland? ›

If it's a potato salad, be sure to let the potatoes cool (the starch cells close up) before adding any dressing or salad mixture. Warm potatoes will soak up the liquids. Taste an hour after mixing and see if the spices need tweaking. Mashed potatoes do the same thing if you add in the garlic or cheddar cheese too soon.

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad? ›

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

How do you make potatoes not fall apart? ›

Most often, then, the solution to evenly cooked potatoes is cooking them twice: First, boil, steam, or steam-roast (a fancy term for cooking them with water in the oven) until they're mostly tender but not fall-apart finished. Second, brown the outsides and finish cooking the interiors on the stovetop or in the oven.

How to fix hard potatoes in potato salad? ›

I just made a potato salad, and I undercooked the potatoes- they are semi hard...and I aready mixed everything together, is there anything I can do to fix it, without throwing it out? Microwave it for about 30-40 sec until they soften how you like them. Make sure to refrigerate after and cool before eating.

Can you cook potatoes ahead of time for potato salad? ›

When you factor in the other ingredients (such as mayonnaise) this reduces the usable shelf life even more. Because of this combination, I suggest cooking the potatoes on Saturday afternoon, refrigerating, then finish prepping the potato salad that evening or Sunday morning and consuming within two days.

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