The Best Greek Potato Salad (No Mayo!)

Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves | Last Updated: April 25, 2025

Greek potato salad with olives, capers, dill and red onion in a yellow bowl

This is the potato salad Greeks actually make. No mayo, no heavy cream dressings — just good olive oil, a splash of white wine vinegar, a hit of Dijon mustard, and whatever fresh herbs are growing nearby. We call it patatosalata, and it shows up at every summer table in Greece, from backyard gatherings to seaside tavernas.

What makes it so good is how simple it is. Boiled baby potatoes, still warm and steaming, get tossed straight into the dressing so they absorb every drop. Red onion, spring onion, capers, olives, and a generous handful of fresh dill do the rest. It’s the kind of salad that gets better as it sits, and it’s perfect alongside grilled fish, roasted chicken, or just a glass of cold wine.

If you’re a fan of our delicious Greek Potato Salad, you’re in for a treat with our Horiatiki Salad, Broccoli Cauliflower Salad, and Tabouli Salad!

Overhead view of patatosalata Greek potato salad with fresh dill and kalamata olives

Overview

Why you will love Greek potato salad

No mayo — and you won’t miss it. The dressing is built on extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon. It’s bright, tangy, and rich all at once. This is how Greeks make potato salad, and once you try it this way, the mayo version will feel heavy by comparison.
It tastes better warm. Most potato salads are served cold. This one is best when the potatoes are still warm enough to soak up the dressing. That’s the Greek way — and it makes all the difference in texture and flavor.
It’s endlessly versatile. Serve it as a side dish for a summer cookout, a light lunch on its own, or as part of a mezedes spread. It works warm, at room temperature, and cold from the fridge the next day.
It comes together in 45 minutes with pantry staples. The ingredient list is short, the technique is simple, and the result looks and tastes like something from a good Mediterranean restaurant.

Here is what you need

Baby potatoes, a lemon, spring onion, onion, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, capers, sliced olives and dill on a wooden surface.

Potatoes — Small yellow or baby potatoes work best because their thin skins hold up well to boiling and you can leave them unpeeled. Fingerlings are great too. Avoid large starchy potatoes like russets, which tend to fall apart and turn watery in a salad. Yukon Golds are your best bet if baby potatoes aren’t available.

Red onion — Adds a sharp, slightly sweet bite. If raw red onion is too strong for you, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before adding.

Spring onions (scallions) — For a milder, grassy freshness that complements the red onion without overpowering.

Capers — A briny, punchy ingredient that plays beautifully against the richness of the olive oil. Rinse them if they’re packed in salt.

Olives — Sliced so they mix into every bite. Kalamata olives are the classic Greek choice and bring a meaty, fruity depth. Any good-quality olive works.

White wine vinegar — Non-negotiable in the dressing. It gives the salad its characteristic Greek brightness. Pick a good quality one — it matters here.

Dijon mustard — Acts as both flavor (a gentle spice) and emulsifier (it holds the dressing together). You can substitute with whole grain mustard for a slightly milder version.

Fresh dill — The herb most associated with Greek potato salad. Parsley works too, and dried oregano is a wonderful addition or substitute if you want a more traditional Greek flavor.

Extra-virgin olive oil — Use the best you have. The dressing is simple enough that the quality of your olive oil comes through.

Greek potato salad in a bowl with a fork and a spoon.

Pro tips

Dress the potatoes warm. This is the most important step. Warm potatoes are porous and absorb the vinaigrette much better than cold ones. Don’t wait for them to cool.
Cut them while hot. As soon as you can handle them, halve or quarter the potatoes and toss with the dressing immediately.
Make it ahead. This salad genuinely improves after a few hours in the fridge. Make it the morning of a dinner party and let the flavors develop.
Shake the dressing, don’t whisk. Put everything in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously. It emulsifies perfectly and you have zero extra dishes.
Add a final drizzle. Right before serving, a small drizzle of fresh olive oil and a splash of white wine vinegar wakes everything up.

Storage

Greek potato salad can be kept in the fridge for a week. If you add eggs, mayo, bacon or ham this time will shorten to three-four days. And keep in mind homemade mayo doesn’t last as long as commercial mayo.

Potato salad can be frozen, but it is not recommended. It might not taste the same. Boiled potatoes don’t do very well in the freezer.

Variations

Add boiled eggs. Cut them into quarters and toss with the rest of the ingredients. The yolk emulsifies with the dressing as the salad sits and gets better with time.
Bacon. Fry some bacon until crispy, then crumble it all over the potato salad.
Add cheese like feta or graviera (Greek gruyere). Another cheese I love in this salad is cubed cheddar
Chop some pickles and throw them in with the rest of the dressing.
Swap onion for shallots. Dice them small or cut in very thin slices.