Potato Salad

This low-FODMAP potato salad skips the onion and garlic bulb, leaning on fresh dill, chives, scallion green tops, and garlic-infused oil for the savory bite.

Prep 20 min

Cook 20 min

Serves 8

Gluten-freeDairy-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900g) waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold, red, or new potatoes), scrubbed
• 4 large eggs (optional)
• 3/4 cup (180g) mayonnaise (check the label for no added onion or garlic)
• 2 tbsp Dijon or yellow mustard (check for no garlic; mustard is low-FODMAP at about 1 tbsp per serving)
• 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallion (green tops only)
• 1/4 cup (about 40g) chopped dill pickles (optional; check the label for onion or garlic)
• 3/4 tsp fine salt, plus more for the cooking water
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Cook the potatoes and eggs

1. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks. Put them in a large pot, cover with cold water by about an inch, and add a big pinch of salt.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until a knife slides in easily, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and spread on a tray to cool.
3. For the eggs, place them in a separate small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit 10 to 12 minutes, until the whites and yolks are firm (see USDA egg safety in the sources). Cool under cold running water, peel, and chop.

Make the dressing

1. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic-infused oil, and vinegar until smooth.
2. Stir in the dill, chives, scallion green tops, salt, and pepper.

Assemble

1. While the potatoes are still warm, toss them with a splash of the vinegar so they absorb the tang, then let them finish cooling.
2. Add the cooled potatoes to the dressing, along with the chopped eggs and pickles if using. Fold gently to coat without mashing.
3. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or vinegar. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tips & Substitutions

• Pick the right potato. Waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold, red, new) hold their shape better than starchy russets. Potato itself is FODMAP-free, so there is no portion cap on the potato base.
• Read your bottled ingredients. Jarred mayo, mustard, and relish often hide onion or garlic, and the fructans add up fast. Choose plain versions or make note of the label.
• Chives and scallion greens do the onion job. Both are low-FODMAP and give the allium note you would normally get from raw onion. Use only the green tops of scallions; the white bulb is high in fructans.
• Add crunch carefully. If you want celery, keep it to about 10g total, since Monash lists larger servings as high in mannitol. Chopped dill pickle or a little diced red bell pepper add crunch without that risk.
• Make it vegan. Skip the eggs and use a vegan mayo free of onion and garlic. The dressing works the same way.
• Dress in stages. Toss warm potatoes with the vinegar and garlic-infused oil first, then fold in the mayo once everything has cooled so it stays creamy instead of thinning out.

Why This Works

• Garlic flavor without the fructans. Garlic's FODMAPs are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so garlic-infused oil carries the aroma while leaving the fructans behind.
• Green tops only. Fructans in the allium family concentrate in the white bulb. Scallion and chive greens stay low, so they stand in for raw onion cleanly.
• Potatoes carry no FODMAP load. Plain cooked potato tests as FODMAP-free in Monash's data, so the base of this salad is comfortable at generous serving sizes.
• Mustard and vinegar stay light. Plain mustard is low at about a tablespoon, and white or cider vinegar adds tang without adding FODMAPs.

Storage

Keep the potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because it contains mayonnaise and eggs, hold it chilled and do not leave it out at a potluck for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it is above 90°F/32°C). This salad does not freeze well, as the potatoes and dressing turn watery and grainy after thawing. Give it a quick stir and a taste before serving leftovers, adding a little salt or vinegar to freshen it up.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.