Creamy Potato Salad with Cashew Dressing and Fresh Basil

Potato salads are well loved favorites anytime of year, but I think especially during the hot summer months when most of us don't feel like fussing too much over a hot stove. In addition, they are portable and easily transported to potlucks, barbecues or packed for a picnic. The advantage this particular creamy potato salad has for taking along for a gathering is that it's dairy-free, so it won't spoil in the heat, especially if packed into a cooler.

I originally was going to go with an oil-based dressing for this salad, but instead went with cashews for a burst of protein. The result was a creamy dressing with some olive oil, zesty fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast for a bit of cheesy flavor, some almond milk to thin it out, some zingy mustard and fresh herbs. Combine this dressing with baby potatoes, fresh peas, plump and salty Kalamata olives and freshly torn fragrant basil leaves. You end up with a refreshing and filling salad for any occasion. I assure you the mayonnaise won't be missed.

The only complaint from those who got to try the salad — "you should have doubled the recipe"!

This recipe was inspired by some samples I received of mustard from Maille Canada. They now have mustard available in convenient squeeze bottles. I've been purchasing Maille mustard for years in jar form and its silky texture and tart flavor never disappoints. A little goes a long way. I was also surprised to see how many different varieties of mustard the company offers. In addition to their traditional offerings, the selection of gourmet mustards are quite intriguing.

Creamy Potato Salad with Cashew Dressing and Fresh Basil

Recipe by Lisa Turner
Published on July 20, 2016

Creamy potato and pea salad in a creamy cashew and mustard "mayonnaise" style dressing

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Salad:

1 1/2 lb (700 g) baby potatoes
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas, blanched
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly torn if large
1/4 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (optional)

Dressing:

3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water for a few hours and drained
1/4 cup olive oil
juice from 2 lemons (3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3 to 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast, to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons almond milk, or as needed
1 teaspoon Dijon honey mustard
1 teaspoon Dijon grain mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, trimmed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Bring the potatoes to a boil in a large pot of water. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until they are fork tender — about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain well and let cool for 10 minutes or longer before transferring to a large bowl along with the peas, basil leaves and olives if using.
To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small blender or food processor and pulse into smooth. If it is too thick, add a bit more olive oil or almond milk. Taste for seasoning and adjust nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to taste. Toss the potatoes with the dressing and serve.

Makes 6 servings