It's the end of summer here in New England, but there is one final gathering where people will drink, eat and hopefully relax a bit. Labor Day is upon us. Barbecues are planned, traveling routes are being debated, and menus are forming in our minds. Well, I've got a nice, little treat for you with my super easy sweet potato salad tossed in a Dijon vinaigrette. This is a great, no-mayonnaise potato salad. It's delish!
No Muss, No Fuss Sweet Potato Salad
I found this recipe in an unusual place. Years ago, a friend of mine went to an international school for her master's degree. At the end of the program, the students gathered up recipes from all over the world and made a small binder for all their classmates. This sweet potato salad recipe jumped out at me because, at the time, I was obsessed with sweet potatoes. 🙂
As you know (or maybe you don't know?) potatoes are my favorite food in the world. And that includes sweet potatoes too!! Years ago, I made this recipe and was smitten immediately. Unfortunately, the book was lost somewhere along the way and I don't know who authored this recipe. But I do want to thank them for such a delicious side dish that tastes amazing and is quick and easy to make.
Super Easy Sweet Potato Salad: Hold the Mayo
I realize this is a controversial statement, but here goes: I don't like mayonnaise. Anyone else out there just grossed out by it? And every barbecue seems to have the trifecta of annoying salads with mayo: potato salad, macaroni salad, and egg salad.
Well, no more! Now you have a colorful, delicious option with this sweet potato salad. This can be served warm, room temperature or just out of the fridge. It all works! And bonus, for the three other people out there who also don't like it, this is sans mayonnaise! A potato side dish you can bring to a barbecue that doesn't have mayo! Woot, woot!
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If you want a couple of other options with no mayo, you could always take a look at this fresh and crispy summer slaw with cabbage, carrot, daikon, mint, basil, lime juice, peanuts and scallion. This slaw rules! I also have a very tasty little potato salad with olives, capers & asparagus if you have time check it out.
Quick and Easy Vinaigrette: Toss and Coat
Apart from loving that this recipe does not contain mayonnaise - I love it because it's not the usual barbecue side dish. It's also not just for barbecues! This would actually make a great Sunday brunch side dish as well.
I really enjoy adding Dijon mustard to marinades and dressings. And the marinade for this sweet potato salad is so easy with just six ingredients:
- Olive oil (extra virgin or regular)
- White wine vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
- Dijon mustard
- Parsley
- Salt
- Pepper
Easy Steps for Making Super Easy Sweet Potato Salad
Super Easy Sweet Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 portions 1x
Description
Tired of mayonnaise-based potato salads? Then you’re going to love my super easy sweet potato salad with Dijon vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed sweet potatoes (3-4 large sweet potatoes)
- 1 cup plum tomatoes, chopped (2 plum tomatoes)
- 1 small handful of thin-sliced red onion
For the dressing:
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic (1 small clove)
- ¼ cup olive oil (regular or extra virgin)
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
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Instructions
- Cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Works well to cut the potato in half lengthwise down the middle. Then cut each half into long wedges, rotate pile and cut down into the bite-sized cubes. You’ll need 3-4 sweet potatoes depending on the size.
- Transfer cubed sweet potatoes into a large pot of water (I didn’t salt the water). Turn heat on high and cook until potatoes are tender. Check the tenderness at the 15-20 minute mark and be careful not to overcook or your salad will be mush. They need to be tender enough to be able to toss in a vinaigrette but not so tender they fall apart if you touch them. Once cooked, strain potatoes in colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. They will still be a little warm and that’s okay. This salad can be served warm, cold or room temperature.
- Chop plum tomatoes into pieces similar in size to the sweet potato cubes.
- Finely dice the garlic – almost to a mince.
- Pour olive oil in a small bowl and add the garlic. I like to let the garlic sit in the oil a couple of minutes while I finish the prep.
- Thinly slice some red onion. I try to get this as razor thin as possible because we don’t want the raw onion to overwhelm the flavor of the salad. You’ll need only a small handful of thin sliced onion for this.
- Chop some fresh parsley for the vinaigrette and a little extra for garnish. Yes, I chopped a lot of parsley in the video. I needed more for another recipe so made extra. J
- Finish making the vinaigrette. Add white wine vinegar (or regular white vinegar) to the bowl with the olive oil and garlic. Then the Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk together until emulsified (well blended). Add parsley and give one final whisk to combine.
- Transfer the strained sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl and add the tomatoes, onion, and vinaigrette. Toss gently to coat the potatoes. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with a little fresh parsley. Enjoy!
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