Vegan Potato Salad with Tahini Dressing

Vegan Potato Salad with green lentils and a refreshing creamy tahini dressing is packed with flavors and nutrients. It takes your dinner parties or pot lucks to the next level.

I must tell you that we’re not vegan, but we love to eat vegan meals once in a while. This Vegan Potato Salad has become one of our favorite side dishes and we love to have the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Despite my obsession with the classic Turkish Potato Salad, I love to create new potato salad recipes. Sometimes you want to make a change in the classic dishes no matter how much you love that old-fashioned recipe. Are you one of those people? As a person who is always open to new flavor combinations, I have that feeling quite often.

I made this Vegan Potato Salad for a pot luck party a while ago and to my surprise, it was one of the treats that disappeared so fast. Everyone loved it so much that they wanted to learn the recipe right after their first bite. It was a pleasure for me to see how they were surprised when they learnt the ingredients.

Besides potatoes and green lentils, the other vegetable I use in this salad to add a summer effect is fresh peas. They give a nice green color to the salad and make it even more satisfying. On the other hand, thanks to tangy green apples, herbs and the unique tahini dressing, the salad is wonderfully refreshing too. Green apples and herbs add a nice crunch as well. Among all the ingredients, everyone wanted to learn the details about the green creamy tahini dressing. I think it helped my Vegan Potato Salad a lot to become a game changer.

Tahini is one of my favorite ingredients, and I think I can combine it with anything comes to your mind. I’m  I accept it sometimes needs a bit of refreshing effect though, especially when you use it in a salad dressing. BTW I’m hooked by the Warm Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Garlicky Tahini Dressing I saw on Canadian Living. It’s a must try recipe for me next winter or probably sooner.

About The Cucumber Tahini Dressing for This Vegan Potato Salad

• What makes the dressing that refreshing is the cucumber and lemon juice. I used one middle sized cucumber, which makes ½ cup chopped cucumber and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.
• There is no olive oil in this dressing as the tahini itself is oily enough.
• I was expecting a dreamy green color when making the dressing but it wasn’t even close to what I imagined. That’s why I added some arugula and mint leaves and blend it well. I ended up with a super refreshing and creamy tahini salad dressing with a lovely color. I think it goes well with any salad or even on roasted chicken or steak.
• If there is any leftover, you will see it gets thicker. You can add a little water to thin it out before you use it.

You don’t need to be vegan to make this Vegan Potato Salad. I’m pretty sure it will become one of your favorite side dishes. Why don’t you make it today and see that it’s possible to make a super tasty potato salad without eggs or mayonnaise? It will quickly attract everyone’s attention, so get ready for lots of compliments.

Vegan Potato Salad

Vegan potato salad with green lentils and an amazingly refreshing tahini dressing makes a perfect side dish.

• Author: Zerrin Gunaydin
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Potato Salad:

• 2 lbs potatoes
• ¼ cup green lentils, uncooked
• 1 cup fresh peas
• 2 green apples(Granny Smith), chopped
• ¼ cup green onion, chopped
• ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup dill pickles, chopped

Tahini Dressing:

• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, frshly squeezed
• ½ cup cucumber, chopped
• 2-3 arugula leaves
• 2-3 fresh mint leaves
• 1 garlic
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes in salty water. After 20 minutes, check them with a fork. If they are not tender enough, cook them for 5-10 minutes more.
2. Drain and let them cool for about 10 minutes. Chop them into bite-size pieces.
3. Meanwhile boil green lentils in another pot for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain and pour cold water over them to help them cool.
4. Throw the fresh peas in boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or so. Don’t overcook them, otherwise they lose their nice green color. Transfer the cooked peas into cold water to stop their cooking and drain.
5. In a large bowl, combine chopped potatoes, green lentils, peas, green apples, green onions, parsley and dill pickles.

To make the tahini dressing:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until completely smooth. Taste and make any adjustments you like.
2. Drizzle the tahini dressing over the salad and give it a good stir. Serve it at room temperature.

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