This Crispy Shaved Potato Salad uses classic ingredients you’ve probably seen a lot in my recipes, but made in a different way, that brings so much texture and a whole new experience, it’s been the recipe I keep coming back to. Thin paprika-kissed potato slices baked until crackly, smoky tofu bacon bits with the perfect chew, and a cool, tangy yogurt-pickle salad full of fresh dill, cucumber, and radish. It hits crispy, creamy, tangy, and fresh all at once. Each serving brings 32 g of protein and 721 mg of calcium, plus its gluten-free and quite easy to make. Inspired by the deli-style tartar salads I grew up loving, reimagined as a fully plant-based dinner you’ll actually look forward to.
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- High-protein, plant-based: 32 g of protein per serving from extra-firm tofu and soy yogurt, enough to keep you full and energized through a busy afternoon
- Gut-loving: soy yogurt and naturally fermented pickles bring beneficial bacteria, while potatoes, dill, cucumber, and radish add fiber and prebiotics
- Antioxidant-packed: bright vitamin C from lemon, cucumber, and radish, plus polyphenols from fresh dill and smoked paprika
- Naturally gluten-free and nut-free: easy to share with friends and family who have dietary restrictions, just use a certified gluten-free tamari
- Weeknight-friendly: 50 minutes start to finish, mostly hands-off while the potatoes and tofu bake
Ingredient notes
- Potatoes: regular yellow or white potatoes work best for shaving, they hold their shape and bake into wonderfully crispy slices.
- Extra-firm tofu: the protein hero of this dish. You need extra-firm so the slices hold together when shaved, but if it crumbles a little, embrace the bacon-bit shape, it tastes just as good. Crunchy chickpeas could also be delicious in this.
- Soy yogurt: adds creamy richness, calcium, and protein to the salad base. Use unsweetened plain soy yogurt for the right tangy flavor, or swap with coconut yogurt for a soy-free version
- Pickles and pickle juice: my secret weapon for that salty, tangy hit. Use whichever variety you love, cornichons, gherkins, or chopped dill pickles all work beautifully
- Fresh dill: brings the whole salad to life.
How to make this recipe (summary)
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C) with the fan on, and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Shave the potatoes using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler. Toss the slices with smoked paprika, garlic powder, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread them on one of the trays in a single layer.
Bake the potatoes on the top rack for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until crispy and golden at the edges.
Shave the tofu by patting the block dry and running your vegetable peeler over it to get thin slices. Some pieces will break apart, and that’s exactly what you want for bacon-bit shapes.
Season and bake the tofu by tossing the shaved slices with reduced-sodium tamari, maple syrup, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and a touch of olive oil. Spread on the second tray and bake on the middle rack for about 25 minutes, until darkened at the edges and lightly crisp.
Build the salad base in a large bowl. Combine soy yogurt, chopped pickles, a splash of pickle juice, lemon juice, fresh dill, whole grain mustard, scallions, cucumber, radishes, and lettuce. Stir until everything is coated in the creamy dressing.
Serve by tossing the tofu bacon bits through the salad, then piling the crispy shaved potatoes on top. Enjoy right away, since the potatoes start softening as soon as they hit the yogurt. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Make it soy-free: swap the tofu for roasted crispy chickpeas (toss with the same seasoning), use coconut yogurt instead of soy yogurt, and use coconut aminos in place of tamari
- Switch up the lettuce: any crunchy variety works, romaine, baby gem, iceberg, or shredded green cabbage for extra crunch
- Use the potato cores: when the potatoes get tricky to shave, set the cores aside and chop them small to bake alongside the rest, or save them for a soup like our Zuppa Toscana
- Watch the tofu: shape and size affect bake time, check at the 20-minute mark, you want a deep dark color but never burnt
- Prep ahead: make the yogurt-pickle salad base up to a day in advance, then bake the potatoes and tofu just before serving so everything stays crispy
- Mind the sodium: pickle brands vary a lot, if you’re watching your intake, check the label or reduce the amount slightly
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Roasted Potato and Avocado Ranch Salad, Sweet Potato Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing.
Why you’ll love this crispy shaved potato salad TL;DR
- Crispy meets creamy
- 32 g protein
- Calcium-rich
- BBQ-friendly
- Make-ahead base
FAQ
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes, naturally, as long as you use a certified gluten-free tamari and check that your whole grain mustard doesn’t contain malt vinegar or wheat.
- Can I make it soy-free? Yes. Swap the tofu for crispy roasted chickpeas, use coconut yogurt instead of soy yogurt, and use coconut aminos in place of tamari.
- How long does it keep in the fridge? The yogurt-pickle salad base keeps for up to 2 days in an airtight container. The crispy potatoes and tofu lose their crunch quickly, so make them fresh and assemble right before eating.
- What kind of potatoes work best? Yellow or white potatoes hold their shape best when shaved and bake into the crispiest slices. Avoid floury varieties like russets, they tend to break apart during shaving.
- Can I add more vegetables? Yes. Shredded cabbage, grated carrot, sliced bell pepper, or chopped celery all add great crunch and nutrients without overpowering the salad.
Crispy Shaved Potato Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 14 oz (400 g) potatoes
- 1 tsp (2 g) smoked paprika
- 2 tsp (6 g) garlic powder
- 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) olive oil
Shaved tofu
- 9 oz (250 g) extra-firm tofu
- 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) reduced-sodium tamari
- 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp (6 g) smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp (9 g) garlic powder
- 1 tsp (5 ml) olive oil
Salad
- 1 cup (240 g) soy yogurt
- ½ cup (75 g) pickled cucumbers - finely chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) pickle juice
- 8 small radishes - finely chopped
- 1 medium cucumber - finely chopped
- 3 cups (90 g) lettuce - finely chopped see notes
- 3 spring onions - finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (5 g) fresh dill - finely chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 g) wholegrain mustard
- 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) convection / fan on. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Shave the potatoes: Remove the peel from the potatoes using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, then keep peeling each potato to get thin slices (see notes).
- Season and bake: In a large mixing bowl, combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the shaved potato and toss until completely coated. Spread onto a baking tray, making sure the slices are nicely spaced out and not piled on top of each other. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, (or until crispy) stirring the potatoes halfway through.
- Prepare the tofu bacon bites: Pat the tofu dry, then use your vegetable peeler to shave it into thin slices. To the mixing bowl you used previously, add 1 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium tamari, 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp olive oil, and mix well. Add the shaved tofu and toss until completely coated. It’s okay if it breaks apart a little. Spread the tofu on the second baking tray and bake on the middle rack of the oven for about 25 minutes (see notes).
- Prepare the salad: In a large serving bowl, add the yogurt, pickles and pickle juice, lemon juice, dill, wholegrain mustard, spring onions, cucumber, radishes, and lettuce.
- Assemble: Toss the bacon bits through the salad. Top with the shaved crispy potatoes and enjoy straight away. The potatoes start softening as soon as they hit the yogurt, so only assemble when you're ready to eat.
