I’m so excited to share this Greek-style crispy potato salad with tzatziki with you. It’s a bright, satisfying salad that brings together crispy smashed potatoes, juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, chickpeas, and briny Kalamata olives, all coated in a dairy-free tzatziki–style dip that’s herby, lemony, and so creamy, with a little omega-3-rich twist.
It’s simple enough for lunches, but beautiful and fragrant enough for hosting. This is actually the perfect salad if you’re hosting a BBQ this summer or for an Australian Christmas lunch. Everyone will rave about this delicious and textural side (even people who don’t like vegetables) while unknowingly giving some love to their healthy gut microbes and improving digestion. This meal is packed with fiber, resistant starches, and plant diversity, making it a real feast for both our taste buds and gut buds.
If you love Mediterranean flavors and minimal fuss, this one belongs in your rotation.
Why I love this recipe (as a nutritionist)
- Fiber-forward for gut health: potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, and dill deliver ~20 g fiber per serving for happy digestion
- Resistant Starch: Cooked and cooled potatoes are a great source of resistant starch, which supports gut health and improves insulin sensitivity. Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that isn’t fully digested in the small intestine. Instead, it moves to the large intestine, where it ferments and produces short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate. These fatty acids help support colon health and have anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Iron-rich and satisfying: chickpeas and olives help reach ~9 mg iron per serving, paired with Vitamin C and alliums for better absorption
- Creamy without dairy: thick dairy-free yogurt and grated cucumber make a luscious tzatziki with no heaviness. With added hemp seeds, for healthy fats, and omega-3s
- Air fryer convenience: smashed potatoes turn ultra crispy in less time and with less oil
- Colorful antioxidants: tomato, red bell pepper, dill, and lemon add vitamin C and polyphenols that make you feel amazing
- Allergen-friendly and shareable: naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free ,so it works for most tables
Ingredient notes
- Cocktail potatoes: with more skin (which provides extra fiber and iron), they are perfect for boiling then smashing—crispy edges, tender middles
- Chickpeas: add plant protein, fiber, and minerals; canned is great—rinse well before using. Cannellini beans or lentils make a good substitute
- Cherry tomatoes & red bell pepper: juicy sweetness and vitamin C to support iron absorption
- Kalamata olives: briny richness for that classic Greek flavor; slice to spread the umami pops throughout
- Dairy-free yogurt: choose a plain thick style for tzatziki (coconut or soy work well)
- Dill, garlic, lemon: the trio that makes our tzatziki bright, fresh, and zippy
- Hemp seeds: optional, they add protein and omega-3s to the salad, without changing the taste
How to make this recipe (summary)
Cook the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, then cool completely for maximum crispiness. Once cooled, smash the potatoes by gently pressing them with a hard object (like the bottom of a mug or strong glass) and brush with olive oil.
Air fry the potatoes until golden and crunchy (oven method in recipe card below).
Stir the tzatziki by grating the cucumber, squeezing out water, and mixing with dairy-free yogurt, dill, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper.
Toss & serve with tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, chickpeas, olives, and plenty of tzatziki while the potatoes are still warm for the best texture. View recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Variations and tips
- Add extra protein: toss through grilled tofu or tempeh cubes, or add more hemp seeds to the salad
- Swap the herby: if you can find fresh dill, a mix of parsley and mint is lovely, or use dried dill
- Extra Crunch: place the tzatziki at the bottom of the plate, and serve immediately. They will soften once mixed with the other ingredients.
- Meal prep smart: store components separately; combine just before serving to keep the potatoes crisp
- Add greens: add some chopped lettuce, massaged kale, or arugula to bulk it up
- No air fryer: use the oven method (see Notes in the recipe card below)
- If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our Crispy Potato Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Mediterranean Sheet Pan Pita Bowls.
Why you’ll love this Greek-style crispy potato salad TLDR
- Ultra crispy
- High fiber
- Iron rich
- Meal-prep friendly
- Weeknight easy
- Mediterranean vibes
FAQ
- Is this potato salad gluten-free? Yes, it’s naturally gluten-free as written.
- Can I bake the potatoes instead of air frying? Yes—bake at 400°F (200°C fan on) for 30–40 minutes until golden; broil to finish if you like extra crisp.
- How do I make the potatoes crispy? Cool them fully after boiling, smash gently, don’t overcrowd the basket or tray, and serve right away.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes—store the salad and tzatziki separately for up to 3 days, make the potatoes when ready to eat, then toss before serving.
This recipe is sponsored by our friends at GreenPan. GreenPan is the original healthy ceramic non-stick cookware, free from PFAS and forever chemicals, making healthy eating even quicker and more convenient! Plus, they look so gorgeous in my kitchen. I’ve been using GreenPan pots and pans for a few years now and absolutely love them. In this recipe, I used the large pot from the Padova collection in cream white, which features Thermolon. A healthy ceramic non-stick coating reinforced with diamonds to make it ultra-durable and heat responsive (and, of course, completely PFAS-free).
I made the potatoes ultra crispy using the Bistro XXL Air Fryer in Oxford Blue. I actually let go of my old air fryer when we moved a few months ago. It was so old and started to smell weird when baking (definitely not a good sign!). I’d been searching for something just as convenient but healthier and built to last, and I couldn’t believe my luck when I came across GreenPan’s air fryer collection! This one is not only PFAS-free and super sturdy, but also looks beautiful on my kitchen counter. I can already tell it’s going to last forever! It would make such a great Christmas gift for the healthy cook in your life or even for someone who doesn’t love cooking but wants to eat a little healthier. I love it so much that I’m already planning to gift one to my sister-in-law this year (hopefully she doesn’t read the blog that closely 😅).
Greek-Style Crispy Potato Salad with Tzatziki
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 lb (450 g) baby potatoes
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 7 oz (200 g) cherry tomatoes - chopped in half
- ½ red bell pepper - diced
- 1.5 cups (245 g) chickpeas - cooked
- 1 cucumber - small, diced
- 15 kalamata olives - pitted and chopped
Tzatziki-style dip
- 1 cucumber - small
- 1 cup (240 g) plain dairy-free yogurt - I used soy
- ¼ cup (3.5 g) fresh dill - finely chopped
- 2 tbsp (20 g) hemp seeds - optional
- 1 garlic clove - minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- sea salt flakes - to taste
- freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold salted water. Keep them whole and unpeeled to avoid soaking them with excess water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, adjusting slightly depending on potato size. Test doneness by piercing with a fork. Drain and allow to cool completely. (I usually do this a few hours before starting the recipe so they are well cooled.)
- Crisp the potatoes (air fryer): Lay out a piece of parchment paper and spread the potatoes on it. Using a sturdy mug or glass, smash the potatoes flat. Brush or spray them with olive oil. Air fry for 20 minutes at 200°C (fries setting on the air fryer). See notes for the oven option.
- Prepare the tzatziki: Grate the cucumber and squeeze out excess water with a clean cloth. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, garlic, hemp seeds, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble: In a large salad bowl, add the tzatziki, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, chickpeas, olives, and crispy potatoes. Serve right away while the potatoes are warm and crispy.
