This mustard potato salad gets a Mediterranean makeover with a bright dressing and the addition of fresh herbs and capers. Packed with flavor, and it's egg-free and far lighter on the calories!

Read through for important tips and watch the video below.

Mustard Potato Salad garnished with red onion and parsley

Every culture, from Greek to Italian and almost every household in between, has its own treasured potato salad recipe. Mine is this mustard dill potato salad.

What I'm proposing here is not the traditional potato salad, mashed with mustard, pickles, and hard broiled eggs, this one gets a bright Mediterranean makeover.

Like our Greek Potato Salad, it's a healthier option that swaps mayo for fresh flavor, thanks to the addition of fresh herbs (dill and parsley). Here, I add briny capers and a little bit of punchy chopped red onions. And you'll love the Dijon mustard dressing with good extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar.

Especially during the hot summer months, potato salad, caponata, and this tomato salad make a regular appearance as sides next to grilled whole chicken, pork souvlaki or kofta kebabs!

But there are many more ways to enjoy this potato salad. I can't wait for you to try it!

Mediterranean mustard potato salad on platter. Two spice bottles to the side

What kind of potatoes to use?

Waxy, thin-skinned potatoes, like new potatoes or red potatoes, are great for this mustard potato salad because they tend to have the least amount of starch, which allows them to hold their shape well. Plus, you don't have to peel them!

I also often use small gold potatoes (yukon gold potatoes) which are great all-purpose potatoes that have just a little bit more starch but will still hold their shape.

Russet potatoes are too thick-skinned and too starchy, which makes them the least favorite candidate for a potato salad recipe like this one.

ingredients for potato salad

If you're here, you'd probably agree with me that the deli and store-bought stuff is just not what you want. To me, it's too heavy and soggy having sat in a pool of mayo for hours.

But sometimes, homemade potato salad can have it's issues too--bland, too mushy, not enough flavor.

But this mustard dill potato salad has all the magical qualities you're looking for: Holds its shape for gorgeous presentation; packed with flavor; and never heavy-tasting. Here is why...

Tips for the best potato salad

  1. Choose the right potato. Like I said earlier, avoid super starchy, thick-skinned russet potatoes and go for new potatoes, red potatoes or small gold potatoes which will hold their shape better.
  2. Slice the potatoes before cooking. If you cook the potatoes first, you won't be able to slice them neatly for the perfect presentation. Plus, thinly sliced potatoes will cook quickly (6 minutes or so)
  3. Salt the water in which you cook the potatoes. This will help add flavor right from the start.
  4. Opt for a lighter dressing than mayonnaise-heavy dressing. I used a homemade Dijon mustard dressing for potato salad with extra virgin olive oil and a good splash of white wine vinegar for extra tang. And if you really want to amp up the flavor, add some spice like coriander, sumac and a dash of black pepper.
  5. Pour the dressing over the hot potato slices. Don't wait too long for the potatoes to cool; adding the dressing while their still somewhat hot will help them absorb flavor better.
  6. Play up the flavor. The dressing may be sufficient for some, but I like to add herbs (dill and parsley) for added freshness and color. Most potato salad recipes add pickles, but I like capers for a little Mediterranean flare (either will add some salty and tangy touch here). And a little bit of chopped red onions (or shallots if you need something milder).
  7. Allow the potato salad to rest before serving. Leave it at room temperature or refrigerate for 1 hour or longer so the flavors have a chance to meld. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.
Mustard potato salad served on platter, garnished with dill and parsley

How to make mustard potato salad

  • Slice and cook the potatoes. I used a mandoline slicer like this one (affiliate link) to slice my potatoes thinly into rounds. Get them in a pot of water (salt the water generously) and boil, then lower the heat and cook until tender (about 6 minutes). Drain well.
Sliced cooked poatoes in a pot
  • Make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, mustard, white wine vinegar and spices in a small bowl (or a measuring cup, which makes it easy to pour). Whisk well.
Dijon mustard dressing for potato salad
  • Pour dressing over the potatoes and toss gently.
potatoes combined with Dijon dressing
  • Add the rest of the ingredients. Throw in the capers, fresh herbs, and chopped onion. Toss gently to combine.
herbs, capers, and onions added to potatoes
  • Stop. Don't eat the mustard potato salad yet. Allow some time for things to marinate and for the flavors to meld. If you like, chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour, but be sure to bring it to room temp before serving.

More comforting sides to try

Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Za'atar

Baked Greek Potatoes

Spanish Tuna and Potato Salad

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin and Lemon

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4.87 from 116 votes

Mustard Potato Salad, Mediterranean-Style

The Mediterranean Dish
potato salad with dijon mustard dressing, dill, and capers
Mediterranean-style mustard potato salad with fresh dill, parsley, red onions and capers. The key to this potato salad is to dress the boiled potatoes while they're hot with the Dijon mustard dressing, this way, they will better absorb all the flavors. And for best results, allow the potato salad some time to marinate before serving.
Prep – 15 minutes
Cook – 6 minutes
Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Serves – 8 people
Course:
Sides

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ lb small potatoes such as new potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or red potatoes
  • Water
  • teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped red onions
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped dill
  • 2 tablespoon capers

Dijon Vinaigrette 

Instructions
 

  • Wash and scrub the potatoes and dry them well. Slice potatoes thinly using a mandoline slicer. I used this slicer (affiliate link).
  • Place potatoes in a pot and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Add salt. Turn the heat down and allow the potatoes to simmer for about 6 minutes or so until they're tender (you should be able to poke the potatoes with a fork).
  • Add vinaigrette ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well-combined.
  • When the potatoes are ready, remove from heat and drain well. Place them in a large mixing bowl and immediately dress them with the Dijon mustard dressing. Gently toss to coat.
  • Add onions, fresh herbs, and capers. Toss gently to combine.
  • Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter. For best results, allow the potato salad some time to marinade before serving. You can refrigerate it for 1 hour or so but be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Make-ahead instructions You can make this mustard potato salad ahead of time. Dress the potatoes with the vinaigrette but hold the onions, herbs and capers until later. Refrigerate up to 8 hours. Before serving, add the onions, herbs and capers and toss. 
  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge covered for 2 to 3 days or so. 
  • Visit our Shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils and all-natural spices used in this recipe. 

Nutrition

Calories: 150.9kcalCarbohydrates: 15.8gProtein: 2gFat: 7.2gSaturated Fat: 1.1gPotassium: 386.6mgFiber: 2.2gSugar: 0.9gVitamin A: 271.3IUVitamin C: 20.9mgCalcium: 15.8mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?

This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2017 and has been recently updated with new information and media for reader's benefit.

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I'm Suzy; born and bred right on the shores of the Mediterranean. I'm all about easy, healthy recipes with big Mediterranean flavors. Three values guide my cooking: eat with the seasons; use whole foods; and above all, share! So happy you're here...
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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe many times since it was posted 3 years ago. It’s so so delicious and definitely one of my absolute favorites. Perfect for summer dinners!

  2. 4 stars
    These were the best MASHED potatoes we ever had!!! LOL Okay, this was my first fail with you...but I'm certain it was user error. 😆 I followed instructions to the letter except I used red new potatoes (what I had on had). Sliced the same thickness, boiled the same time. However, I think I underestimated how quickly my stovetop cooked them! I also made the mistake of dumping the hot thin potatoes into a colander! The result: all my potatoes broke! Then I tried to carefully place them in a bowl and any that had escaped being destroyed in the draining step, now joined the broken crew! I rolled with it and poured in the vinaigrette dressing, but "gently" tossing just resulted in "mashing". I threw in the onions and rest of the ingredients, gave it one more...um...gentle toss. Set it on the table and hoped for the best. Thankfully, my family thought they were tasty mashed potatoes. 😆 If I try again, I'll cube the potatoes instead and watch the pot like a hawk!!! 🤣

  3. 5 stars
    Great dish! I made it as a side for the salmon kabobs, and it complemented the salmon very well. We ate it while was still a bit warm, but it did not mater. The cold left overs were fantastic as well 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    I made this for dinner with a friend about two weeks ago--got reviews. One thing though I did not mandoline slice (have nightmares of the only time I ever used), I decided to just cut in half (removed about half the peels after cooking). This works just fine and I kind of prefer for the more potato-y vibe. But the dressing and ingredients followed the recipe. This is so good and you will never miss the mayo.
    Five stars plus!

  5. Noticed you don't have sodium in the nutritional information. Could you please give us an idea of what it is? I'm watching how much sodium I eat and if it's low enough I'll definitely be trying this.

    1. Hi, Mrs. Plotner. I'm sorry that we don't have the sodium count in the nutritional info here. With sodium numbers, it really will vary for individual taste and the kind of salt and amount used, so it is tricky. In all, the nutrition information provided here is a best estimate.

  6. 4 stars
    Love the flavors! I was missing some ingredients and ended up subbing dry parsley, dry thyme for the fresh parsley; lemon juice and white balsamic vinegar for the white wine vinegar; lemon pepper for the sumac; and Kalamata olives for the capers. Dressing was still so delicious! Next time I might not boil the potatoes that long, or perhaps just slice them thicker - they broke into pieces when I stirred in the dressing.

  7. could this salad be served warm? if so, any tips on best way to achieve that end? assuming just let it cool slightly after dressing the hot potatoes but don't actually refrigerate?

  8. 5 stars
    Loved the flavors in this recipe! I’ve made it a few times, but I’m wondering if I can cube the potatoes instead of slicing them?

  9. 5 stars
    This potato salad recipe is quickly becoming a family favorite. My sister first made it for a group of her friends looking for a lighter version potato salad. It was so tasty, she then made it for our Mother's Birthday celebration (20 people).
    I made it again last night for 11 of us. Our son-in-law has celiacs disease, and this recipe worked into his diet, and all of ours. Everyone loves it! Thank you.

  10. 5 stars
    Lamb burgers and potatoes salad tonite I'll let you know how it goes suffice to say I'm hungry after reading this recipe!!

  11. 5 stars
    This salad was divine. I made it for a bbq alongside a leafy salad and this one disappeared within seconds.
    Thanks for the recipe.

  12. I love this potato salad! Going to a pot luck this weekend, and I was trying to figure out what to make, and my friend asked if I could make that fantastic potato salad again! Of course, yes! It was a big hit last time. I use my food processor tool to slice the potatoes. It is amazing how fast it slices, and each slice is perfect! Thanks for all your amazing recipes!