Spanish Potato Salad – Patatas Aliñadas (Mayo & Dairy Free!)
May 21, 2026
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This Spanish Potato Salad (Patatas Aliñadas) is filled with hard boiled eggs, tuna, crunchy vegetables, tender potatoes, sharp red wine vinegar and of course, lots of olive oil. It’s completely free of dairy and mayonnaise which makes it feel light, refreshing and incredibly satisfying.
Why you’ll love this Spanish Potato Salad (Patatas Aliñadas) !
There is nothing more delightful to me than a potato salad that is dressed with lots of olive oil and requires absolutely no mayonnaise. Of course, there is a time and a place for a dairy heavy potato salad, but I do love this dairy-free Spanish Potato Salad when I am craving a potato salad that is light and refreshing.
The potatoes are boiled until perfectly tender and they need to be dressed while still hot so they can soak up the sharp red wine vinegar and all of that gorgeous olive oil. While every Spanish family has their own way of preparing potato salad, this version is inspired by the kind I grew up eating. Simple ingredients, bold flavours and the type of dish that somehow tastes even better the longer it sits.
It’s the perfect side dish for warm afternoons, barbecues or laid back dinners with grilled seafood, BBQ chicken or crusty bread on the side. And like most Mediterranean recipes, it proves that when you start with good olive oil and a handful of simple ingredients, you really do not need much else.
Ingredients For Spanish Potato Salad
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: These are hands down my favourite potatoes to use for potato salad. They become beautifully creamy once boiled but still hold their shape without falling apart. If you cannot find Yukon Golds, any waxy potato such as Dutch creams or baby potatoes will also work well.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Since this dressing is so simple, using a really good quality extra virgin olive oil makes all the difference. The olive oil is the star of the show here, so use one that is rich, peppery and full of flavour.
- Red Wine Vinegar: This adds sharpness and brightness to the salad and perfectly balances the richness of the olive oil. The potatoes soak it up while warm which gives them so much flavour.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds crunch and a little bite to the salad. If you prefer a milder flavour, soak the onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley keeps the salad tasting light and vibrant. Flat leaf parsley works best here.
- Tuna (Optional): Many traditional Spanish potato salads include tuna which adds extra richness and protein. You can leave it out if you prefer a lighter side dish.
- Eggs: Soft or hard boiled eggs are a classic addition and make the salad feel a little more substantial and hearty.
Ingredient Substituions
One of the best things about this Spanish Potato Salad is how flexible it is. You can easily adapt it depending on what you already have at home.
- Swap Yukon Gold potatoes for Dutch creams, kipfler potatoes or baby potatoes.
- Instead of red wine vinegar, use sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice.
- Replace parsley with dill, chives or fresh oregano.
- Swap red onion for shallots, spring onion or thinly sliced white onion.
- Leave the tuna out entirely or replace it with flaked salmon, grilled chicken or chickpeas.
- Add extra vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, olives, roasted capsicum or green beans for extra flavour and texture.
- If you love a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes or finely chopped fresh chilli to the dressing.
How To Make Spanish Potato Salad
This Spanish Potato Salad could not be easier to make! The key is to dress the potatoes with olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt while they are still warm!
Step 1: Boil the potatoes for 30 minutes or until fork tender. While still warm, gently score a shallow “X” into the potato skin and peel away using your fingers. Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Dress the potatoes with red wine vinegar, olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Stir everything together, slightly roughing up the potatoes as you mix so they soak up all of the dressing.
Step 2: Add the vegetables, tuna and egg to the bowl.
Step 3: Stir through until everything is well combined and serve immediately!
What are other ways to serve and eat this recipe?
- Stuffed into pita bread: Fill a warm pita with the potato salad, extra herbs and greens for a delicious lunch.
- Served over flatbread: Spoon it over my 3 Ingredient Yoghurt Flatbread for the easiest Mediterranean inspired meal.
- Turn it into more of a salad: Toss through crunchy lettuce, rocket or baby spinach to make it feel lighter and even more refreshing.
- Alongside grilled meats and seafood: Serve it with grilled seafood, roast chicken or lamb chops for an easy Mediterranean style dinner.
Storage tips
- Store the potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavours become even better as the salad sits and the potatoes continue to soak up the dressing.
- If the salad feels a little dry after being refrigerated, simply drizzle over a little extra olive oil before serving.
- This salad is best served cold or at room temperature, making it perfect for entertaining or meal prep
How To Prep Ahead Of Time
- Chop all your veggies beforehand and store in Tupperware in the fridge.
- You can boil your potatoes the day before but just be mindful that they won’t soak up the flavours as best as warm potatoes do.
- Boil your eggs a day or two before!
Looking For More Spanish Recipes?
If you make this Spanish Potato Salad, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations! If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Spanish Potato Salad – Patatas Aliñadas (Mayo & Dairy Free!)
Ingredients
- 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 2 boiled eggs
- 1 red capsicum, finely diced
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 15 oz tuna, Drained
- salt
Instructions
- Boil potatoes & eggs: In a medium pot, submerge the potatoes and eggs in cold water. On a high heat, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat medium so the water is at a rapid simmer. Once the water is boiling, set the timer for 8 minutes and then remove the eggs and place into an ice bath. Continue to boil the potatoes for a further 22 minutes or until you can easily poke a fork or skewer through them.
- Peel & cut potatoes: While the potatoes are still warm, use a small knife to gently score a shallow “X” into the skin. From there, the skin should easily peel away using your fingers. Cut the peeled potatoes into small cubes while still slightly warm so they can soak up all of the dressing.
- Peel eggs: Peel the eggs and cut them into small pieces.
- Dress: Add the potatoes to a bowl and dress with red wine vinegar, olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Stir everything together, slightly roughing up the potatoes as you mix so they soak up all of the dressing.
- Finish: Add the capsicum, red onion, parsley, tuna and boiled eggs and stir through until everything is well combined. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dress the potatoes while they are still warm so they absorb all of the olive oil and vinegar.
- Slightly roughing up the potatoes while stirring helps create a more flavourful dressing that clings to every bite.
- Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil as the flavour really shines through in this recipe.
- This potato salad tastes even better after sitting for a few hours in the fridge.
- If making ahead, add a little extra olive oil before serving to freshen everything up.
- You can serve this salad chilled, at room temperature or slightly warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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