Fresh & Tangy Spring Potato Salad Recipe for Picnics & Parties

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This Spring Potato Salad Recipe is a must-make for warm-weather gatherings!

It’s bursting with fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and a zesty vinaigrette dressing that perfectly complements the buttery baby potatoes.

Whether hosting a sunny luncheon or prepping for a picnic, this colorful side dish will impress!

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A bowl filled with potato salad made with capers, sliced radish, and lemon-oil dressing, garnished with chopped chives.
A bowl filled with potato salad made with capers, sliced radish, and lemon-oil dressing, garnished with chopped chives.

Where is the Recipe Card?

The printable recipe card is toward the end of this page. For recipe tips and ingredient substitutions, continue reading.

Spring Potato Salad Recipe:
Number of Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

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Why You’ll Love This Spring Potato Salad Recipe

  • Quick & Easy: This salad is ready in no time with just 10 minutes of prep and a simple vinaigrette.
  • Great Flavor: Fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar bring a tangy kick, while chives and capers add savory depth.
  • Perfect for Spring Gatherings: This potato salad is ideal for brunches, picnics, barbecues, and even meal prep—it can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator.

Potato Salad Recipes

Potato salad is a beloved side dish with roots in many cuisines, from creamy mayo-based versions like our Red Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs to vibrant vinaigrette-dressed styles like this one.

This spring potato salad skips the mayonnaise for a lighter, fresher take inspired by seasonal produce and garden-fresh herbs. Perfect for spring and early summer, it showcases the best of the season.

Try our Apple-Potato Salad or Cypriot Potato Salad for spring/summer meals.

Ingredients for Spring Potato Salad

The ingredients and tools for this recipe are conveniently linked to online retailers such as Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Walmart. The quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients for Spring Potato Salad: potatoes, arugula, capers, lemon, radish, green onions, chives, seasonings, mustard, oil
  • Fresh Produce: Baby Potatoes (New Potatoes), Scallions (Green/Spring Onions), Arugula (Rocket), Chives, Radishes, Lemon
  • Pantry: Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Capers

The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post. The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).

Substitutions and Variations

  • No Arugula? Swap with baby spinach or mixed greens.
  • Add Protein: Toss in chopped hard-boiled eggs, chickpeas, or grilled chicken for added texture and nutrition.
  • Herb Swap: Use fresh dill or parsley instead of chives for a different herbaceous note.
  • Mayo Lover? Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise for a creamier dressing while keeping the vinaigrette base.

Recipe Tips

  • Skin On/Skin Off: You can leave the skin on the potatoes after they have cooked and cooled.
  • Flavor Boost: Toss the potatoes while still warm to maximize absorption of the vinaigrette.
  • Presentation: Serve on a platter lined with greens and garnish with additional chopped herbs, green onions, and thinly sliced lemon.

Storing Leftovers & Freezing

With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.

Storing Leftovers:

  • Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • Not suitable for freezering.

Food Safety:

Spring Potato Salad Recipe: Step-by-Step

Here’s our quick visual guide. Continue scrolling for the printable recipe card.

Potatoes in Cooking Pot

1. Boil the whole baby potatoes with the skin on in a pot of salted water.

Whisking Potato Salad Vinaigrette

2. Whisk the vinaigrette in a small bowl while the potatoes cook.

Chopped Herbs and Scallions

3. Finely chop the chives and scallions. Chop extra for garnish.

Chopped Cooked Potatoes

4. Chop the cooked and slightly cooled potatoes in half or quarters, depending on their size.

Herbs and Capers Added to Potatoes

5. Place the potatoes in a large bowl with capers, herbs, and onions.

Tossed Potato Salad

6. Toss the potato salad with the prepared vinaigrette while still warm.

A bowl filled with potato salad made with capers, sliced radish, and lemon-oil dressing, garnished with chopped chives.
7. Serve on a bed of arugula and add sliced radish. Garnish with chives and lemon.

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Printable Spring Potato Salad Recipe Card

The printable recipe card is below—please leave a star rating and quick review to share your experience with others!

A bowl filled with potato salad made with capers, sliced radish, and lemon-oil dressing, garnished with chopped chives.

Spring Potato Salad

Michelle Ordever
A fresh and tangy spring potato salad with herbs, radish, and zesty vinaigrette.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Salads
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 353 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 lbs baby potatoes (new potatoes) scrubbed well
  • 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 medium lemon juiced
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 5 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 5 scallions (green/spring onions) thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch fresh chives finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp capers
  • 2 cups arugula (rocket)
  • 6 radishes thinly sliced
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place the potatoes* in a large pot and cover with cold water. Generously season with salt, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and let the potatoes simmer for 15-20 minutes, until fork-tender
  • Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil in a small bowl until smooth and creamy. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them**, and depending on their size, either halve or quarter them.
  • Add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl and toss in the scallions, chives, and capers while the potatoes are still hot. Pour in the tangy dressing and toss gently to evenly coat the potatoes.
  • Layer the arugula on a serving platter and top with the potato salad. Nestle in the sliced radishes and serve immediately. Garnish with very thinly sliced lemon slices and additional chives if desired.
    A bowl filled with potato salad made with capers, sliced radish, and lemon-oil dressing, garnished with chopped chives.

Notes

*Cook the baby potatoes whole, with the skin.
**You can leave the skin on the cooked potatoes when chopping for the salad. 

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 1107mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on the quality of ingredients used and serving sizes. If you need exact calories and macros, please do your own calculations.

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Dinner Menu Suggestions

You’ve made the salad, but what about other courses? Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or a special meal:

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