This Greek Potato Salad has perfectly tender chunks of potato with a kick of red wine vinegar with fresh Greek herbs like oregano and dill for a flavor that is out-of-this-world! It’s the perfect side dish with all kinds of grilled or roasted meats and veggies.
My friend Jana had us over for dinner one day and she served this Greek potato salad. It was so delicious and different from other potato salad recipes that I immediately asked her for the recipe!
I love that it has a bit more bite to it from the punchy flavors of red wine vinegar, a generous amount of green onions, and herbs. It’s just creamy enough with a little mayo but not overwhelming. And if you prefer potato salad without mayo, you can easily omit it and add a little olive oil instead.
If you love potato salad, you will also like our Hot German Potato Salad and Deviled Egg Potato Salad! And for another delicious Greek potato dish, try our Skordalia (Greek Garlic-Potato Spread).
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Red potatoes – These are my favorite choice for this type of potato salad because the waxy flesh doesn’t break down as much as russet potatoes and the thin skin means no peeling is needed.
- Herbs – Some fresh parsley, dill, and oregano impart the flavors of the Greek islands while sliced green onions add just enough crispness and bite.
- Red wine vinegar – Another wonderful and punchy ingredient that is often used in Greek cuisine helps set this potato salad recipe apart from others.
- Salt – Coarse kosher salt keeps this side dish from being bland.
- Garlic – You can use garlic powder or fresh minced garlic for this recipe, depending on personal preference. Fresh garlic will give a stronger, punchier bite while garlic powder has a more subtle garlic flavor. Both are delicious.
- Mayonnaise – I love a good, creamy potato salad and the small amount of mayo here gives just the right amount of creaminess.
How to Make Greek Potato Salad
- Boil potatoes. Add potatoes to a large pot of cold water along with 1 Tablespoon of table salt or sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender.
- Drain and cut. Remove potatoes from the heat and drain well. Let the potatoes cool enough that they can be easily handled, then cut them in quarters or halves depending on how large they are. You want decent sized chunks so you don’t end up with mashed potatoes.
- Mix well. Transfer the potato chunks to a large bowl and drizzle with vinegar. Add mayonnaise, green onions, parsley, dill, oregano, minced garlic or garlic powder, and salt. Toss well to combine until the potatoes are evenly coated, then taste and adjust salt as needed.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, you can absolutely omit the mayonnaise entirely. In that case, I recommend replacing it with ½ cup of good quality olive oil.
Heavens no. At least not one that I am aware of. I saw lots of french fries on Santorini and in other parts of Greece, but no potato salad. However, the flavors are ones that I definitely experienced firsthand during my travels to Greece. If anyone has had potato salad in Greece, I would love to know what it was like and how this recipe measures up!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overcook the potatoes. Even with red potatoes which hold their shape better than russets, they will break down if you overcook them, especially when you start to toss them with the other dressing ingredients.
- Add the vinegar while the potatoes are still warm. The warm potatoes will absorb the flavor of the vinegar better than if they have cooled completely.
- Try adding olives. Another popular ingredient in Greek cooking are olives and they would be a great addition to this recipe. 2 out of 4 of my family members don’t like them though, so we leave them out, but some kalamata olives would be another great addition.
What to Serve With Greek Potato Salad
- Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms
- Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs
- Huli Huli Chicken
- 15 Minute Pan Seared Salmon
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Easy Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Storage Instructions
Store any uneaten potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because there is mayonnaise in this recipe, it should not sit out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. If you are taking it to a potluck or picnic, I recommend keeping it in a cooler with ice until just before you are ready to serve it.
More Side Dish Recipes
- Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata
- Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad
- Easy Homemade Coleslaw
- Zucchini Salad
- Classic Macaroni Salad
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Easy Greek Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon table salt or sea salt (for boiling the potatoes)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar (up to ½ cup)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or 1 Tablespoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or more, as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a large pot of cold water along with 1 Tablespoon of table salt or sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 15-20 minutes until fork tender.
- Remove potatoes from the heat and drain well. Let the potatoes cool enough that they can be easily handled, then cut them in quarters or halves depending on how large they are. You want decent sized chunks so you don't end up with mashed potatoes.
- Transfer the potato chunks to a large bowl and drizzle with vinegar. Add mayonnaise, green onions, parsley, dill, salt, oregano, and garlic powder. Toss well to combine until the potatoes are evenly coated, then taste and adjust salt as needed.
Notes
- Optional: If you want a no-mayo potato salad, simply omit the mayo altogether and dress with ½ cup olive oil.
- Substitution: Replace green onions with thinly sliced red onion for more kick to the potato salad.
I use low-fat Greek yogurt for a healthier potato salad.
Sounds great!
The traditional greek-potato salad is with out mayo. Rather than a olive mustard vinaigrette.
There is also the possibility of full-fat greek yogurt as a substitution to the classic mayo option. And some even put a spoon of mayo. But let me be clear this not traditional rather an approximation to the popular mayo-based option.
Personally I prefer much more the vinaigrette option, since it enhances more the flavor of the spices.
I’m curious if you made the recipe before deciding which you prefer and giving this recipe 3 stars. It doesn’t seem like you tried the recipe for what it is rather than what you think it ought to be. I did say in the post that this is not traditional and that it can be made without mayo.
Mayonnaise isn’t in any Hellenic dish and we’d absolutely NEVER mix it with red wine vinegar. We do, actually, have a potato salad but this definitely isn’t it.
I visited Tampa a few years ago and found a tiny deli that served Greek salad with potato salad snuggled under the lettuce. I made your recipe to try and duplicate it and it was fantastic. I’ll be making this one again. Thank you!