Turkish Potato Salad (Patates Salatası)

4.93 from 13 votes
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Turkish potato salad, also known as patates salatası is easy and packed with so much flavor thanks to herbs and olives. You only need a handful of ingredients to make this hearty and healthy potato salad at home.

no mayo potato salad served in a bowl. It's topped with hard boiled eggs.


 

Turkish cuisine offers many delicious salads and this no mayo potato salad is definitely one we make on repeat. Some of my other favorite Turkish salads are piyaz (white bean salad), eggplant salad and Gavurdagi (Turkish tomato salad). I’m excited to be sharing this no mayo Turkish potato salad with you today, it’s perfect for potlucks, gatherings and barbecues. It’s simple, easy and calls for just a few ingredients. 

Turkey trip photo

Why This Recipe Works

  • Light: Turkish potato salad aka patates salatasi is a delicious mayo-free potato salad that’s pretty simple to make and is flavored with a delicious dressing made with olive oil and spices. Since this potato salad is mayo free, it’s lighter than its traditional American version or Russian potato salad.
  • Keeps well outdoors: This healthy potato salad is perfect for barbecue and outdoor parties because it can stay out for hours without going bad. You can make it in advance and take it to parties or potlucks.
  • Fresh ingredients: Like many other Turkish recipes, this recipe is made with fresh ingredients and a lot of herbs and is so light. The flavors are so refreshing thanks to all the herbs and spices.
bowl of salad made with potatoes, eggs, herbs and olives

Ingredients For Turkish Potato Salad

ingredients to make turkish potato salad are boiled potatoes, green onions, parsley, olives, eggs, olive oil and spices
  • Potatoes: It’s best to use starchy potatoes such as yukon gold or russet for this recipe. You can also use baby potatoes like I did in my Mediterranean potato salad and simply cut them in half. If using baby potatoes, there’s no need to peel them.
  • Herbs: I used green onions and parsley for this recipe. Use both the green and white part of the green onions. You can also add fresh mint to the salad if desired.
  • Olives: Traditionally this recipe is made with black olives. I usually use kalamata olives.
  • Eggs: A few hard boiled eggs make this salad hearty and filling. Unlike other potato salads where the eggs are chopped into small pieces and mixed into the salad, for this recipe we top the salad with hard boiled eggs cut into quarters . If you have an instant pot, check out my tutorial on how to make boiled eggs in instant pot.
  • Dressing: It’s a simple combination of olive oil, sumac, Aleppo pepper and salt. Sumac is a middle eastern spice that’s dark red and has a tart flavor. You can find it in ethnic shops or online. The dressing is made in a large bowl and then all the ingredients are added to it.

How To Make Turkish Potato Salad (Patates Salatası)

1. Prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cook them in salty water until fork tender. Let them cool for a few minutes and then chop them into 1-inch chunks.

chopped boiled potatoes for Turkish potato salad.

2. Make the dressing: In a large bowl mix the olive oil with salt, sumac and Aleppo pepper. Add in the potatoes and gently toss them to make sure they are coated with the dressing.

Mix the potatoes with the dressing.

3. Add the rest of the ingredient: Add in the chopped green onions, parsley and kalamata olives. Mix to combine.

Add the herbs and green olives.

4. Rest and serve: Let the salad sit in the fridge for 30 minutes and then top with hardboiled eggs sliced into quarters.

add the eggs.

Variations

Here are a few ways to jazz up this classic Turkish potato salad:

  • White onion: Some Turkish cooks add chopped or sliced white onion to this homemade potato salad. I have made this salad with and without onions, and both versions are delicious. 
  • Lemon juice: The dressing for this potato salad doesn’t call for lemon juice because of sumac, but if you like a bit of acidity in the salad, add the juice of 1/2 lemon to the dressing. 
  • Herbs: While the main herbs in this salad are parsley and green onions, you can also add fresh mint or dill as well.

Serving Suggestions

No mayo salads such as this Turkish potato salad are the perfect side dish for grilled meat because they’re light and fresh. You can serve this salad with grilled spatchcock chicken, beef shish kabobs, kofta kebab, grilled zaatar chicken, Greek grilled chicken or shrimp kabobs.

This salad also goes well with some Turkish dishes including mercimek corbasi (red lentil soup), karniyarik (stuffed eggplant), pide and stuffed zucchini.

close up shot of Turkish style homemade potato salad

Leftovers

Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To serve, give it a good toss and add some olive oil and sumac to freshen up the flavor. I don’t recommend freezing this dish since the texture and flavor would not be the same.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this Turkish potato salad ahead of time?

Yes! Even though homemade potato salad is best served within the first day, this no-mayo potato salad can stay in the fridge for up to two days. Drizzle with some olive oil and lemon juice right before serving to make it taste fresh. 

What can I use instead of Aleppo pepper?

Aleppo pepper, which is very similar to pul biber (Turkish pepper flakes) is a common ingredient in the middle east. However, if you don’t have access to this spice, you can simply use chili flakes.

Can I leave out the eggs?

Yes! If you’re not a fan of eggs in potato salad, you can simply leave them out for this salad.

Can I chop the potatoes before boiling them?

Yes, you can chop the potatoes into small pieces then boil them in salted water. Make sure not to overcook them so they can keep their shape when tosses with the rest of the ingredients.

More Tasty Salad Recipes

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Turkish potato salad
4.93 from 13 votes

Turkish Potato Salad (Patates Salatasi)

Learn how to make homemade potato salad Turkish style. This no mayo potato salad is flavored with fresh herbs and delicious spices. 

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 4 large potatoes, Yukon gold or Russet
  • 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
  • 1 tsp sumac
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil , extra virgin
  • 1/2 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 2 eggs, hardboiled and peeled

Instructions 

  • Wash and peel the potatoes, then place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with water until it covers the potatoes. Add a generous pinch of salt and place the pot over medium high heat.
  • Bring the water to boil and let the potatoes cook for about 20-30 minutes until they are fork tender. Drain and let the potatoes cool completely. cut the potatoes into 1-inch chunks.
  • In a large bowl, mix olive oil, Aleppo pepper, sumac and salt. Add in the potatoes and toss them gently so they're coated with the dressing.
  • Add the chopped green onion, parsley, and halved Kalamata olives to the potatoes and toss to combine.
  • Cover and refrigerate the potato salad for 30 minutes.
  • Top with quartered hardboiled eggs right before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Some Turkish cooks add chopped or sliced white onion to this homemade potato salad. I have made this salad with and without onions, and both versions are delicious. 
  • Cook the potatoes whole and not chopped. When potatoes are cooked whole, they maintain their texture and flavor better. 
  • The dressing for this potato salad doesn’t call for lemon juice because of sumac, but if you like a bit of acidity in the salad, add the juice of 1/2 lemon to the dressing. 
  • You can add other herbs such as dill and fresh mint to the salad if desired. 

Nutrition

Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 1108mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 729IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Shadi HasanzadeNemati

I'm here to show you how to make delicious Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food at home. My easy to follow recipes will bring exciting new flavors to your table!

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4.93 from 13 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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10 Comments

  1. Love your recipes. I have been a great fan of Persian food, especially, for the last 40 years.
    This looks lovely except that I hate olives. Can you suggest a substitute. Thanks.

  2. 5 stars
    This would e perfect for the upcoming holidays! I love that this is super easy to make and is truly homemade and authentic. Thank you for sharing.