The Olivye salad is a truly epic party salad. There were no holidays in my house that had no Olivye salad on the table. Spreads for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Christmas, and of course, the New Year’s table wouldn’t ever be complete without this epic salad.
On the other hand, if you would randomly make the Olivye salad (just because) and someone walks in on you, the first question they would ask: “Oh, well, what are we celebrating today?” The point I’m making here is – Olivye salad = Celebration. So let it be so!
I make this salad when I feel like a celebratory kick is needed, whether it’s a party of 1, a romantic dinner for two, or a get-together with friends and family. This salad makes a delicious side or turns any lunch into a celebration. Sometimes on hot summer days, I make it for dinner.
Traditionally this salad was made with eggs, some kind of meat, onions or scallions, and mayo. Those ingredients are not vegan at all and for sure are not sattvic.
The recipe I’m presenting you here is my vegan version of the classic Olivye salad. The recipe evolved through trial and error as I created the perfect balance of texture and taste while keeping plant-based integrity. Truthfully, I can’t even tell the difference between the plant-based version, and the original one, other than my recipe is fresher and lighter.
Some general salad ingredient notes here:
Potatoes. I would recommend selecting waxy potatoes. This potato type has less starch, making potatoes retain their shape better after being cooked. Red skin potatoes, new potatoes, and fingerling potatoes all fall into this category.
Pickles. Pickles must be crispy. Fermented pickles are great; half-sour pickles work wonderfully as well.
Chopping. Everything should be chopped into tiny cubes. The smaller, the better. The idea behind this is that each spoon (bite) will have all of the ingredients at once.
Do not overcook your vegetables. We want them nice and firm, not mushy. But if this happens, rest assured that your salad will still taste great; just the texture will be affected.
Dressing. I suggest two dressing options for this salad. Both of them are divine, quick, and easy to make. (I don’t use store-bought dressings at all; whether they are vegan or not, they still contain preservatives and emulsifiers.)
First is Simply Creamy Vegan Dressing, or you can use a Better Than Ranch dressing. I placed full dressing recipes right below the salad recipe.
👩🏼🍳 THINGS I USED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
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- 1 cup cooked* chickpeas (optional)
- 3 potatoes (about 2 cups chopped)
- 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 3 carrots (about 2 cups finely cubed)
- 1 cucumber (1 cup finely cubed)
- 1 cup pickled cucumbers (1 cup finely cubed)
- 1/4 cup dill (fresh, chopped)
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
3 Dressing Options
- Creamy Vegan Dressing ( see the dressing recipes below)
- Better Than Ranch Dressing ( see the dressing recipes below)
- Mayo with Avocado Oil (Primal Kitchen )
chickpeas
- Soak half a cup of chickpeas overnight in 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and a splash of lemon. In the morning, rinse them through a mesh sieve. Place chickpeas in a pot with 2 cups of water, cover with a lid. Bring them to a boil, lower the heat and cook on medium-low heat for 1/2 hour. Add salt and continue cooking for at least 1/2 hour. (I add a tbsp. of Basic Savory Spice Mix, but it is optional for this recipe. If you have it handy I would recommend using it.)You can use a pressure cooker if you prefer.Drain the chickpeas and set them aside to cool.
cooking vegetables
- Wash and scrub potatoes and carrots. Add potatoes to a large pot and fill it with water. The water level should be about 2 inches above the potatoes. Cover with a lid, bring potatoes to boil, continue cooking on medium heat. 10 minutes later, add whole carrots into the same pot and continue cooking for another 20 min, or until vegetables are tender***.Drain and rinse all the vegetables under cold water to stop the cooking process, and set them aside on the large plate to cool completely.While potatoes and carrots are cooking, transfer green peas into a small pan, add 1 tbsp of water and a pinch of salt and cook under the lid on medium-low heat for about 6-8 min. Transfer onto a plate to cool.
Chop, chop, chop
- Chop cucumbers, pickles, carrots, and potatoes into small cubes. Wash and chop dill finely. Combine all the vegetables with chickpeas in a large mixing bowl, add salt and pepper and mix well.
- Add Primal Kitchen Mayo with Avocado Oil or Creamy Vegan Dressing, or Better Than Ranch dressing, mix well, adjust salt if needed.
- Serve cold****
Be Alive 🌱,
❤ Love, Julia
food philosophy
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Thank you for these beautiful recipes!
I was taught that potatoes and pickles can increase my pitta doshas. Could you please recommend substitutes? Thank you in advance.
Thanks for reaching out! For this salad recipe, finding the right balance is key, especially when considering pitta dosha.
About the pickles: They add a nice tang that balances the other ingredients. If you’re concerned about pitta, you could reduce the amount of pickles slightly, choose a less spicy variety, or balance them with cooling herbs like dill, which is already in the recipe. Salt is essential in our diet, and in a salad like this, it’s all about balance. Using pickles can actually help reduce the amount of added salt while still achieving a flavorful dish.
As for a substitute for potatoes, try root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, rutabaga, or jicama—they have a similar texture but are less likely to increase pitta.
The beauty of this salad lies in its balance. The cooling effects of cucumber and dill help offset the mildly heating properties of carrots and the potential heat from pickles. The overall composition of the dish is what matters most, not just the individual ingredients.
This salad, with its variety of vegetables and the option for cooling dressings, can fit into a pitta-balancing diet when assembled mindfully. Always listen to your body and adjust ingredients to suit your individual constitution and needs.
I hope this helps. 💞
Stay cool and balanced!