Cookout? Potluck? You need this Rainbow Potato Salad with honey mustard dressing on the table. What makes it a rainbow? Sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, red and baby gold potatoes, plus colorful peppers, red onions, and kalamata olives. And it is filled with flavor!
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The mix of purple potatoes and orange sweet potatoes makes the table bright and cheery. The whole family will be eager to dive in. This BBQ side dish is a little sweet, salty, and savory.
This potato salad is made without mayo and can be served warm or cold. Which makes it a great potluck potato dish.
Serve it with this dry rubbed grilled flank steak. Divine and totally simple. In the summer, pair it with a grilled peach burrata salad. But for Fall, I serve it with a shaved brussels sprout salad.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Sweet Potatoes- Use any color sweet potato.
- Potatoes- Originally, I used just purple potatoes. But I have expanded into a mix of small rainbow potatoes: purple, red, and gold.
- Bell Pepper- Any color works, but I like to use a combination of red and yellow or orange.
- Red Onion- You can also use a plain white onion.
- Kalamata Olives- You could also substitute Nicoise olives.
- Vinegar- Sub white wine or apple cider for red wine vinegar if needed.
- Kalamata Olives- You could also substitute Nicoise olives
- Honey- Want to keep this potato salad vegan? Substitute sugar or maple syrup.
- Mustard- Use brown, dijon or griany mustard/
⏲️How to Make Rainbow Potato Salad
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender.
- In the winter, I oven roast the veggies. But nothing beats the charcoal char flavor of summer.
- Blend or whisk the dressing ingredients. Make in advance if desired.
- Chop up the vegetables and toss with the drained potatoes and olives. Add half the olive vinaigrette and taste.
- dd more dressing as needed. Garnish with extra parsley.
More Potato Salad Recipes
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- The potato salad dressing can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- The dressing should be at room temperature. This ensures it coats the potatoes evenly.
- When boiling the potatoes, you can mix the different types. But to ensure no color transfer, boil in separate pots.
- If boiling together, cut the sweet potatoes slightly larger because they cook a tad faster.
- Be sure to salt the water before bringing to a boil.
- Make it spicy by adding a whole jalapeno to the vegetables before grilling or roasting.
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📖 Recipe Card
Rainbow Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Ingredients
Potato Salad
- 16 ounces rainbow or purple potatoes cut into 1 in pieces
- 16 ounces sweet potatoes cut into 1 in pieces
- 1 red pepper quartered and seeded
- 1 yellow pepper quartered and seeded
- 1 red onion sliced into large rounds
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup kalamata olives chopped
- 3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- kosher salt and pepper
Honey Mustard Potato Salad Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1½ teaspoon dijon or grainy mustard
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
Potato Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, cooking until just soft. Drain and cool to room temperature.16 ounces rainbow or purple potatoes, 16 ounces sweet potatoes
- While the potatoes are cooking, roast the peppers and onion. Brush with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. OPTION 1: grill on medium for 12-14 minutes until charred, turning often. OPTION 2: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast on a sheet pan until charred, 20 minutes. Allow peppers and onion to cool to room temperature and then dice.1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, 1 red onion, 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Combine potatoes, peppers, onions, parsley, and olives large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.½ cup kalamata olives, 3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Honey Mustard Potato Salad Dressing
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.kosher salt and pepper, ½ cup olive oil, 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1½ teaspoon dijon or grainy mustard, 1 clove garlic
Notes
- To prevent a transfer of color you can boil the purple and sweet potatoes separately.
- The peppers and onions can be made ahead, so I typically grill them when I have the grill on for other things.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
This potato salad recipe will keep for 3 to 4 days when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.Equipment
- Grill, gas or charcoal
Nutrition
This recipe was updated in April 2025 based on reader feedback.
Jessica Formicola says
I love everything about this salad! SO many delicious colors and flavors!
Demeter says
I love the flavor the roasted veggies give this! It might just become my new go-to side dish. Loved it!
Alison says
I love the bright beautiful colors in this salad. It is hearty, and delicious too. A perfect side dish, or I had it as a main course!
Jen says
Thanks!