This light and healthy traditional Lebanese potato salad recipe is made with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, scallions, and fresh herbs. Perfect for pot luck as no refrigeration required.
In this Post: Everything you need for Lebanese Potato Salad (Patata Salata)
My Aunt Paula has been making this Lebanese Potato Salad recipe for as long as I can remember. Made with bright lemon juice, silky olive oil, scallions, mint and parsley, this potato salad beats out the traditional mayo-based version any day of the week in my book.
Ok fine, maybe I’m a little biased. But can you blame me? Just look at this goodness! You can use any variety of baby potatoes but I particularly love Little Potato Company because of their creamy flavor and silky texture.
What’s better? Because this potato salad doesn’t contain any mayo, it is ideal for a picnic outdoors. In fact, I think it tastes even better as the sun warms up the dish a bit.
In fairness, my aunt also makes a mayo-based potato salad filled with 2 pounds of bacon and chopped hard-boiled eggs. I highly recommend you make that one next.
How to Make Lebanese Potato Salad:
To start, place halved potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender; strain and let cool slightly.
Next, begin chopping the scallions, mint and parsley. Fresh mint is preferred in this recipe but if you don’t have it, scallions and parsley will be delicious on its own as well.
Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl with the herbs then toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss well then adjust for seasoning before serving warm, room temperature or chilled.
What is the best type of potato to use for potato salad?
Yukon gold potatoes are my favorite because of the creamy texture and thin skin that you don’t have to peel. If you only have traditional russet potatoes on hand, be sure to peel and dice before boiling.
How far in advance can I prepare this potato salad?
This potato salad gets better as it sits so feel free to prep a day or two before you plan to serve. The potatoes will absorb the oil and lemon over time so you may wish to drizzle a little extra when it’s time to eat the potato salad.
How long will this potato salad stay fresh?
The great thing about Lebanese potato salad is that it doesn’t contain any mayo. This makes it ideal for BBQs and outdoor gatherings because it can sit in the sun a bit longer than traditional potato salad. To store, keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will be fresh for up to 5 days.
Your fork is waiting.
Lebanese Potato Salad (Patata Salata)
Ingredients
- 12 yukon gold potatoes (halved)
- ¼ cup olive olive
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup parsley (minced)
- ½ cup scallions (minced)
- ¼ cup fresh mint (minced)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place halved potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender; strain and let cool slightly.
- Toss cooked potatoes in a large bowl with all remaining ingredients.
- Check for seasoning, adjust and serve. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.
Liz. If could only make this exact Lebanese salad by substituting the Potatoes with boiled Reddish. Exactly the same, no Mayonnaise or anything else. Just olive oil and Lemon juice added.
Love to know if it works and has some possibilities.
I just stumbled across your site after googling Lebanese potato salad. Great site! And AWESOME salad! So fresh and delightful. The mint takes it over the top. I have to get it into the fridge before I eat it all.
Isn’t the mint the best?!!
Great recipe! My only critique is that this DOES need to be held under temperature control. Cooking the potatoes renders them a potentially hazardous food, meaning that if it’s not held under temperature control, bacteria can grow rapidly and at dangerous levels after four hours. Bacteria double every 20 minutes between 41 and 135 degrees F.
Not sure about the mint. Does anyone else have reservations or thoughts about the mint?
Remember, you want to use spearmint not the spicy peppermint (like you have in chewing gum or ice cream.) Trust me – it is DELICIOUS!!!
Without the mint it isn’t LebanesePotato salad. The mint is a staple in the Lebanese kitchen and we couldn’t cook without it. Even use dried mint in cooking recipes such as the stuffing for grape leaves and Koussa! The best!!!
Isn’t mint just the best?
Looks amazing! Just want to confirm that you chopped the potatoes small after boiling the halves?
Nope you cut them to your desired size BEFORE cooking! So cut them however you wish them to be when you eat them. I love it with small dice as well as bigger chunks – up to you!
I enjoyed the salad but added 1/4 tsp Allspice and brought out the Lebanese flavour. Salad is Best made the day before you devour it gives time to develop the taste that makes your taste buds ask for ….more pleae!
What a great idea!
Would love to post it on Facebook, but there is no link for that. Do not like mayonnaise so this it perfect for me.
I’m so glad you enjoy this!! To post it on Facebook just copy and past the URL to the blog post. :) https://thelemonbowl.com/lebanese-potato-salad/
Im not so crazy about the mint aspect of this salad. Obviously it’s a choice. I’m Lebanese born and raised, and we never use mint in our potato salad, we also add some diced raw sweet onions for that crunch factor.
Lebanese food is delightful and this salad seems mouth-watering, Liz! Can I use dried parsley?
I would not use dried personally – try to get fresh!
This looks so yummy,will definitely try it over the weekend and hopefully it turns out like this.I will give you the feedback.
I hope you loved it!
Simply perfect. LOVE the mint!
This is my kind of potato salad. I can’t eat mayo so I’m always looking for more mayo-free recipes. Love their potatoes.
Oh that’s great!! I hope you love it!
Those little potatoes are so wonderful – I love their creamy texture. Great salad – I want to try this solely because of the mint involved!
They are seriously so good!
this is my kind of potato salad – no mayo – yay!!
Exactly!
This sounds wonderful and I will certainly try it. But as a bacon and egg lover, I would love to see your Aunt’s mayo version!
Ok I will share it soon!!! :) Promise!
This is such a perfect side for summer parties!!
So easy and good!
I love this. My mom used to make it, and I like it so much more than potato salads with mayo.
That’s so cool!!! I hope you love it!
We loved this potato salad. How fresh and yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
So happy to hear it!