Vegan Potato Salad with Avocado Ranch Dressing

This vegan potato salad is tossed in a creamy, tangy homemade avocado ranch dressing that’s packed with healthy fats.

Given that I was a teenager in the nineties, I ate my fair share of ranch dressing. (And Cool Ranch Doritos, let’s be honest!). That creamy, tangy flavour is as much a part of my childhood food story as my grandma’s caldo verde, after school Cheemo perogies or rhubarb crisp. My love of nostalgic comfort food isn’t going anywhere just because I’m a dietitian!

Creating yummy vegan salad recipes is one of my favourite pastimes. So how it’s taken this long for me to create my own version of ranch dressing, I have no idea! As far as plant-based recipes go, avocado ranch dressing is proof that plant foods can taste just as addictively delicious as your family faves, with a few little flavour tricks up your sleeve!

This herby vegan potato salad with avocado ranch dressing is SO SIMPLE to make, and comes together in just 20 minutes or so! Despite creating recipes for a living, I don’t have a ton of time for meal prep during a normal workday, which is why all of the recipes in Eat More Plants Cookbook take 45 minutes or less…because flavour and nutrition shouldn’t be a full time job.

If you need a couple of BBQ ready salads, you can’t go wrong with a potato salad…to round out the buffet, why not try my peach arugula salad and cold soba salad too?

Health Benefits of Avocados

I am the avocado queen – I will happily eat them at breakfast, lunch and dinner…and I’ve even been known to put a WHOLE avocado in my smoothie, when I’m feeling extra. It’s a flavour and a texture I crave – but avocados are also an incredibly nutritious part of a plant-based diet…for some reasons that might surprise you!

• Avocados are rich in monounsaturated oleic acid, a type of fat that is super heart healthy.
• Avocados have way more fibre than you think; a half an avocado has almost 7 grams of fibre, which is about a quarter of a woman’s daily fibre intake and about 20% of a man’s daily intake.
• Avocados are rich in anti-inflammatory, bone-loving vitamin K, potassium for heart health, skin saving vitamin C as well as folate to build strong blood cells and support maternal health.
• Avocados are also packed with lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that support vision and skin health while fighting oxidative damage in the body.

Oh, and they taste amazing. Fat carries flavour, making it an important part of making healthy food taste amazing. What’s more, enjoying healthy plant fats like avocados helps you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins and phytochemicals that are an important part of an anti-inflammatory diet. Not like you needed any more excuses to love your avos…but now you’ve got them!

10 Ways to Use Avocados 

A ripe avocado is a beautiful thing…but you can also run into the issue of too many ripe avocados at once. I’ve been there!!! So, if you find yourself with a bunch of avocados, here’s how to use them up before they go too brown.

• Slice them on toast…of course! Avocado toast for liiiiife!
• Add a ¼ avocado (or more!) into a smoothie to make it creamier and more filling
• Dice them onto a salad
• Dice and drizzle with balsamic vinegar or even a bit of tamari for a blood sugar stabilizing snack
• Add thin slices to pizza before serving
• Stuff avocados with a diced vegetable or grain salad
• Layer avocados into sandwiches
• Make guac, make friends!
• Blend with white beans, edamame or even chickpeas to make a special dip
• And, blend them into a salad dressing, like my Avocado Ranch Dressing!

Also, pro tip: you can dice and freeze avocados for later! Just pop diced avocados onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment and place in the freezer until firm. Then, transfer to a freezer bag and use within a month for best flavour.

What you’ll need to make this herby vegan potato salad:

So gather up just 12 everyday ingredients for the salad and dressing, plus some salt and pepper and you’ll have craveable side dish that’s perfect for BBQs, potlucks or just a simple weeknight meal.

• 1 1/2 pounds of baby potatoes, with skin
• chopped almonds or pepitas
• green onions
• chives
• capers
• fresh dill
• avocado ranch dressing

Vegan Avocado Ranch Dressing Ingredients

For this delectably creamy vegan avocado ranch, all you need is six staple ingredients you’ve probably already got in your pantry! It comes together in just 3 minutes!

• Avocados: these gorgeous green gems packed with healthy fats make this dressing a winner.
• Vegan Mayo: adds a bit of tang and thins out the dressing. My fave brand is actually Hellman’s Vegan (not sponsored!) Or, you could substitute vegan yogurt if you want but the flavour and texture will be a bit different.
• Lemon: creates bright and fresh flavours
• Apple Cider Vinegar: this fermented food is super tangy and creates a more complex flavour
• Onion and Garlic Powder: an important part of that classic ranch flavour…no chopping required!

Vegan Potato Salad Serving Suggestions + Tips

• What to serve this vegan potato salad with? How about my hearty Beet + Walnut Burger, a soft and flavourful White Bean Buffalo Burger, or a Banh-Mi-Inspired Sandwich?
• This salad keeps quite well for 2-3 days in the fridge, but you might find that the potatoes soak up and dull the flavour a bit. Just freshen up with a squeeze of lemon or a bit of extra garlic powder and salt.
• If you like, you could roast the potatoes instead of boiling them. Just roast at 425 with a bit of oil, salt and pepper until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes