This authentic Indian Onion Salad recipe is so quick and easy to make yet gives you the best results. The recipe is a copycat of the raw onion salad served in restaurants with poppadoms and green chutney.
You can make this easy Indian salad in under 5 minutes with a few simple/easy to find ingredients.
- BEST Indian Onion Salad for Poppadoms
- What is an Indian Onion Salad
- Why you will love this recipe:
- What goes in Indian Onion Salad
- How to serve Onion Salad Indian Takeaway style
- British Indian Restaurant Style Onion Salad
- Indian Onion Salad with Mint Sauce
- Tomato Onion Salad
- Indian Onion Cucumber Salad
- Sarlas/Challas
- Tandoori Onion Salad
- Sirke Wale Pyaaz
- Onion Salad with Oil
- How to make Indian Onion Salad To soak or not to soak… that is the question
- What to do with leftover Onion Salad
- FAQs
- Other Onion Recipes
BEST Indian Onion Salad for Poppadoms
A basket of poppadoms alongside a trio of onion salad and two chutneys signals the start of your Indian feast in any Indian restaurant!
Onion salads provide texture and bite and enhance the flavour of the Indian mains.
If you’re looking for a quick side dish to accompany your homemade Indian meal, then this is the salad that you need to try!
This particular style of raw onion ring salad is served with fried poppadoms , Indian mint sauce or curries but is versatile enough to be added to burgers, wraps and other recipes that ask for onions.
What is an Indian Onion Salad
Indian Onion Salad or Lachha Pyaaz is a raw onion salad recipe that is served as a side to an Indian meal and is made from raw onion rings or slices, lemon juice, fresh herbs and spices.
It is also known as pyaaz salad or lachha pyaaz ka kachumber in Hindi. Pyaaz, Piyaz or pyaj are the hindi words for all kinds of onions available.
The salad is naturally vegan, gluten-free and is no-cook.
Why you will love this recipe:
- So quick and easy – it’s a great everyday salad
- No cook recipe – no cooking is required for these recipe
- Suitable for all dietary needs – the salad is plant based, suitable for vegans and vegetarians, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and keto-friendly.
- Easy to scale up or down
- Easy to find ingredients
- Budget friendly
What goes in Indian Onion Salad
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
- Onion – you can make this salad with white, red or sweet onions such as sweet vindalia. You can either slice the onions into rings or into half slices. The onions then need prepping in ice water.
In the UK, sweet onion varieties include Ailsa Craig Onions
Lemon/Lime juice – use freshly squeezed where possible
Red chilli powder or green chilli – you can optionally add a pinch of spice powders like red chilli powder or finely chopped green chilli.
Chaat Masala – chaat masala is a tangy spice blend (not spicy at all). It has a very distinct and recognizable taste and is heavily used in Indian street food items such as smashed potato chaat , surprisingly it was soooo good in this chaat masala hummus too.
If you don’t have any on hand, use mango powder, dried pomegranate powder or black salt (kala namak) or you may get away with using a pinch of garam masala or Madras curry powder
Roasted Cumin Powder – (optional) also known as jeera powder . If you can not find chaat masala use this.
Herbs – fresh coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves are the herbs used in Indian onion salad
Salt – to taste (if using black salt, go easy on this)
How to serve Onion Salad Indian Takeaway style
How you serve this onion salad depends on whether you want to serve like Indian restaurants or British Indian Restaurant.
If you are serving it North Indian restaurant style, then it will go great with curries such as matar paneer , daal makhani , Bhindi Bhaji and garlic and coriander naan
If you are serving it British Indian restaurant style then prepare it finely chopped and serve with fried poppadoms and poppadom dips like mango chutney and mint yogurt chutney .
I prefer to make this salad fresh on the day rather than store it in the fridge.
Pair this salad with your everyday Indian vegetarian meal. I love to make a thali consisting of Multigrain flour roti/chapatti , easy spinach and chana dal and cabbage and potato curry
In Gujarat, India, thinly cut onion slices (without any spices powders) are served with Daal Vada (split moong lentils fritters) along with fried green chillies.
Also Finely chopped onions added on top of the Pani Puri (Indian street food) by roadside vendors in India.
I love to add on Instant Pot Afghan Lubya and Red Kidney Bean and Coconut Curry too
British Indian Restaurant Style Onion Salad
A variation of this Indian Onion Salad is served in the UK in British Curry Houses and Indian takeaways.
Before the starter appears, customers are served finely sliced onion salad with poppadoms, green mint yogurt chutney and mango chutney.
The onion salad is made with finely chopped white onion and finely chopped coriander. The salad sometimes includes very small pieces of cucumber and tomato. In some restaurants, the onion is mildly spiced with Indian masala the same as this recipe.
Finely diced onion is easy to scoop up with poppadom and load up with dips/chutney.
Honestly, I end up making a meal of this and fill up before the starter has even arrived!
Indian Onion Salad with Mint Sauce
For an alternative British Indian Restaurant (BIR) onion salad, you can toss these onions in jarred mint sauce.
British mint sauce is a refreshing condiment that adds tang and zingy flavours.
Tomato Onion Salad
Add thinly sliced tomato rounds to this salad, it tastes absolutely delicious and adds nutritional value too.
Indian Onion Cucumber Salad
You can add chopped cucumber to this salad along with the onion.
Kachumber salad
Kachumber is a wonderful Indian salad consisting of finely chopped onion, tomato, cucumber and coriander. It is finished with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Sarlas/Challas
This recipe hails from Kerala India. Sliced onions and cut green chillies are served as an onion salad
Tandoori Onion Salad
This onion salad is sometimes called tandoori onion salad as it is served with tandoori style dishes.
Sirke Wale Pyaaz
This Indian style pickled onion salad is made by pickling small red onions in vinegar then served alongside meals.
Onion Salad with Oil
In Himachal Pradesh, an area in India, some add a teaspoon of mustard oil to this salad.
How to make Indian Onion Salad
Make this Indian Onion Salad in just a two steps before you are going to serve your Indian meal.
Peel the skin of the onions, and wash it under the running water.
Slice using a sharp knife in to rings or dice them ( to serve with papad and chutney ). Slice as thin as possible.
If you wish, wear cut-resistant gloves to protect your hands (better safe than sorry!)
Separate the onion rings using your index finger and thumb. You can use all the rings, even the small ones.
To soak or not to soak… that is the question
It all depends on your preference of flavour and/or the time you have available.
Soaking the onion first will mellow and tone down the strong flavour. Some people aren’t a fan, and some don’t mind it.
If you want to make this onion salad in less than 5 minutes , then I suggest not soaking the onions.
If you have soaked the onions, after 20 minutes remove them and pat dry with a kitchen paper towel to get rid of all the extra moisture.
In a separate mixing bowl toss the onion rings with all the spice powders (which ever you’d like to use). Mix it and sprinkle with herbs.
What to do with leftover Onion Salad
Add them to the plain yogurt to make onion raita or pan fry with a little oil until light brown and use as a topping for burgers or hot dogs.
If you have sliced them thick, make onion rings by dipping them in to the batter and either deep fry or air fry. Or make world famous Onion Bhaji 🙂
Chill the onions in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to cutting or use a good sharp knife
Place the raw onion in an ice water bath for 15-20 minutes minutes. The onion will remain crunchy, but the flavour will mellow.
Get rid of the strong taste of onions by soaking onion slices in ice cold water for at least 20-30 minutes or by sprinkling them with white vinegar. With this both methods onions will loose strong taste and becomes sweeter, however onions soaked in ice water will get crispy while those in vinegar will soften a bit.
White, yellow, brown and red onions can be used for salads
Cilantro/coriander and mint are the most common herbs used.
For Indian onion salad I suggest you must cilantro/coriander and mint, if you can’t find coriander then you can just get away using a flat leaf parsley.
Jain and Swaminarayan faiths will not eat onion or garlic.
Onions are rich in sulphur and eating raw onion in some people can lead to heartburn, bloating and abdominal discomfort. Serving this salad alongside a meal can reduce these symptoms.
Keep them away from the potatoes to prevent going them bad. Store them in the fridge and use in making curry, meat dishes, or pizza or casseroles. You can freeze onion in the freezer for up to six months. Simply, peel and chop and store in the zip lock bag or an air tight container.
I do not recommend storing this salad or making ahead of time as the strong flavour of the onion intensifies as it sits and does not taste fresh when eaten the next day. I suggest make small batches prior to serving instead.
Other Onion Recipes
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Spring Onion Kadhi (spicy soup)
Pyaz ke Parathe
Do Pyaza Baingan (eggplant)
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Indian Onion Salad
Equipment
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 medium red onion
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder red
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala or roasted ground cumin
- 2 tablespoon cilantro/mint
- salt
Instructions
- Peel the skin of the onions. 2 medium red onion
- Using a sharp knife cut the onions in to thin slices.
- Soak the slices in ice bath for 10-12 minutes
- Discard the water, pat dry the onions using a clean kitchen paper (tissue paper)
- Add salt, chilli powder, lemon juce, chaat masala and cilantro. 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 2 tablespoon cilantro/mint, salt
- Toss everything together.
- Serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Indian Onion Salad
Equipment
- 1 Chopping board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 medium red onion
- ¼ teaspoon chilli powder red
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala or roasted ground cumin
- 2 tablespoon cilantro/mint
- salt
Instructions
- Peel the skin of the onions. 2 medium red onion
- Using a sharp knife cut the onions in to thin slices.
- Soak the slices in ice bath for 10-12 minutes
- Discard the water, pat dry the onions using a clean kitchen paper (tissue paper)
- Add salt, chilli powder, lemon juce, chaat masala and cilantro. 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chaat masala, 2 tablespoon cilantro/mint, salt
- Toss everything together.
- Serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
You can make super creamy vegan pesto potato salad in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. This potato salad is bright, herby and full of flavour!
It tastes great chilled or at room temperature alongside your favourite summer BBQ favourites! It is naturally gluten-free, egg-free and plant-based.
- New Potato Salad with Basil Pesto (no mayo potato salad)
- Why use the Instant Pot to make potato salad?
- Why you should make this pesto potato salad
- Ingredients for pesto potato salad
- Red Pesto Potato Salad
- How to make Easy Pesto Potato Salad in the Instant Pot
- Pesto Potato Salad (stovetop)
- How to keep the pesto bright green
- What to serve with Pesto Potato Salad
- How do you store Potato Salad
- FAQs
- Other Crowd Pleasing Summer Salad Recipes
New Potato Salad with Basil Pesto (no mayo potato salad)
Buttery new potatoes are coated in a dreamy herby basil pesto. This mayo-free potato salad is quick to make, tastes amazing and is also healthier than creamy potato salads.
I bought a potted basil plant in back in the spring and now it is overflowing with fragrant basil! Perfect for making loads of pesto!
This potato salad can be considered healthy as boiled potatoes are rich in nutrients. The dressing is made from fresh herbs and nuts. Potatoes are also budget-friendly and are easy to find throughout the year.
I have always been a fan of pasta salads but homemade potato salads are relatively new for me. Since making Instant Pot Greek Potato Salad , I’ve been exploring different vegan/vegetarian potato salad recipes.
It isn’t a summer spread without a potato salad! In Britain, potato salad is customary at a salad buffet or picnic. Back in the day, potato salad coated in mayonnaise and sour cream was probably the only one of two veggie options available.
Nowadays, potato salad recipes are so inventive and packed with all kinds of delicious flavours and dressings.
Why use the Instant Pot to make potato salad?
If you’re a proud owner of an instant pot or pressure cooker, then you’ll be on the hunt for different Instant Pot recipes .
But why use the Instant Pot to cook potatoes rather than the stove?
It seems a bit OTT to use a pressure cooker in this case but it definitely has its benefits.
It is convenient to load up the Instant Pot, press a couple of buttons, and set a time. I can walk away from the stove to get on with other things.
It isn’t just about time as using the pressure cooker doesn’t necessarily save time but it is more convenient. My Instant Pot remains on the worktop at all times ready for its (almost) daily use.
The Instant Pot is also designed to be energy efficient. Now I haven’t done the maths here but I like to think that using it saves me some money overtime!
For example, I can prepare a large batch of potatoes in the Instant Pot for potato salads, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, breakfast potatoes … all ready for use.
Why you should make this pesto potato salad
Perfect for potato lovers – can’t get enough of potatoes in your life? Include this amazing baby potato and pesto salad in your repertoire
Budget-friendly
Vegan and naturally plant-based
egg-free
no mayo potato salad
gluten-free
can be prepped ahead of time
easy to scale the recipe up or down
crowd-friendly
can easily be made nut free – simply avoid adding nuts to the pesto
Basically, this recipe can easily serve a lot of people or even a single person and it is easy to put together. Win-win.
Ingredients for pesto potato salad
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Potatoes – I have used new potatoes which hold their shape well when cooked. Waxy potatoes are best for instant pot potato salads particularly jersey royals or fingerlings.
Try to cook the potatoes whole if they are small enough – cooking potatoes whole helps retain flavour and prevents the potato from becoming waterlogged.
I have halved my potatoes as they were quite big.
Cook potatoes until fork tender and then allow to cool
Optional extra:
for a Pesto Potato Salad with green beans , you can add either fresh or frozen trimmed green beans.
Ingredients for Creamy Basil Pesto
Basil – use plenty of fresh basil for this recipe. If you do not have basil or only have a small amount, you can bulk up the pesto with parsley or even kale. See my vegan kale pesto recipe or Parsley Pesto . Try adding avocado to the blender for creamy yet silky smooth pesto.
You can also use store-bought pesto for ease but homemade pesto will definitely taste fresh!
Pine nuts – instead of pine nuts, you could also add cashew nuts, almonds or pistachio (I have added a spoon full of pistachio nuts too)
Yogurt – use either vegan yogurt or plain Greek yogurt if you want to make a vegetarian potato salad
Nutritional yeast – if you have it then nutritional yeast lends cheesy, nutty flavours. It also boosts the nutritional value of the recipe
Lemon – use either fresh or bottled
Garlic – use fresh cloves where possible
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
Optional:
You can also add vegan mayo, salad cream or sour cream (will be vegetarian not vegan) to the pesto for creamy flavours in replacement of the yogurt
Red Pesto Potato Salad
If you want to make this using red pesto then you absolutely can!
Instead of the basil, substitute sundried tomatoes or semi-dried tomatoes to make a red pesto. Add to the potatoes as in this recipe.
How to make Easy Pesto Potato Salad in the Instant Pot
Full printable recipe in recipe card below.
We start by cleaning the potatoes, if you have any sprouts on your potatoes, scrub them off with a sponge. If you’re potatoes are very green – discard!!
You do NOT need to poke holes into the potatoes before pressure cooking, they should not burst!
Then pour a cupful of tap water in the liner of the Instant Pot and place the trivet or steamer into the inner pot.
Now arrange the potatoes in the steamer, try to keep them in a single layer as possible so all the potatoes cook evenly.
Close the lid of the Instant pot and secure the valve on sealing position. Select HIGH PRESSURE for 4 minutes or 7 minutes LOW PRESSURE.
Once done, release the pressure manually, remove steamer or trivet (make sure you are wearing your heat resistant gloves )at this step to prevent any burns on your hands.
Allow the potatoes to cool before tossing with the pesto. Make pesto whilst the potatoes are cooling.
Now let’s make pesto by blending all the pesto ingredients (except yogurt/mayo and lemon zest) in a blender. Blend until you get a fairly smooth consistency.
Combine well with yogurt/mayo.
From here we move the cooled potatoes in to a large mixing bowl and add the pesto.
We gently stir the potatoes with a big spoon or toss until all the potatoes are well coated with pesto. If you would like extra kick and freshness add freshly ground black pepper and some lemon juice.
Top it up with lightly toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and fresh basil leaves.
Imagine that. In just these three easy and simple steps we have the most vibrant pesto potato salad ready to be served up. This has truly got to be one of the best yet easiest summertime recipes!
Pesto Potato Salad (stovetop)
You still can made delicious pesto potato salad even if you don’t own an instant pot.
Start by filling a pot or pan with cold tap water
Add potatoes straight to the pan (vegetables that grow underground start off cooking in cold water).
Add pinch of salt, and bring the water to boil and cook them 15-20 minutes until soft through or fork tender.
Once potatoes are cooked, drain the water and run under cold water to cool them down and prevent further cooking.
How to keep the pesto bright green
You can blanch basil leaves just 15-20 seconds in salted boiling water then add them to an ice bath for 30 seconds.
Remove, squeeze out of all the water then make pesto as usual. Blanching deactivates the enzyme that causes brownness however basil looses a tiny bit of flavours.
Alternatively, make the pesto just before use and use plenty of lemon juice.
Add pesto to cooled potatoes to also prevent browning.
What to serve with Pesto Potato Salad
This potato salad is best served cold for picnics, BBQs, garden parties or potlucks.
Potato salad goes great with other BBQ food such as burgers, sausages or grilled vegetables
I serve potato salad alongside Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers and Falafel.
How do you store Potato Salad
Pesto Potato salad is best eaten on the day or one day later.
Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge. You can also prepare the pesto and potatoes and keep them separate. Assemble prior to serving.
Do not leave potato salad out for long periods of time as potatoes can spoil quickly.
Yes you can! Pesto is delicious on potatoes. The potatoes should be either at room temperature or cold before tossing through the pesto
You can. Cook the potatoes and store in the fridge when cooled. Either prepare the pesto and store or mix with the potatoes, or make the pesto on the day of serving.
The pesto recipe is easily customisable. If pine nuts are not available or any other reason why you can’t have it, use walnuts, pistachio, cashews, almonds, pecan, macadamia or hazelnuts. Sometimes we like to add sunflower, pumpkin, sesame or hemp seeds too.
The good thing about waxy potatoes is that they don’t become too waterlogged therefore are safe to cook without a trivet.
Prior to cooking otherwise inside can stay raw and the outside overcooks
Yes, you can use store-bought green pesto. Look for vegan varieties.
Other Crowd Pleasing Summer Salad Recipes
Instant Pot Chickpea Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
DIY Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad in Instant Pot
Vegan Watermelon Carpaccio Salad with Tahini
Watermelon Mojito Salad
Grilled Corn, Nectarine and Mixed Beans Salad
Mango, Avocado, Black Beans and Corn Salad with Lime Dressing
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Best Pesto Potato Salad Instant Pot
Equipment
- 1 Instant pot
- 1 Steamer
- 1 Knife
- 1 Chopping board
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram baby potatoes
Creamy Basil Pesto
- 1 cup basil leaves fresh
- 5 tablespoon pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon pistachio nuts
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast or vegetarian/vegan parmesan
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon yogurt vegan or vegan mayo
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper freshly ground
Garnish (optional)
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lightly toasted pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon basil leaves
Instructions
- Wash potatoes under clean running water. 1 kilogram baby potatoes
- Cut into halves. (If big cut into three or four small pieces)
- Pour 1 cup water in to the liner of the instant pot.
- Place trivet and add your potatoes and sprinkle little salt.
- Lock the lid set the timer for 4 minutes on HIGH PRESSURE.
- Once done, release the pressure manually and remove the potatoes.
- Meanwhile make pesto.
- Place all the pesto ingredients in the blender (except lemon zest and yogurt or mayo) and blend until it is smooth. 1 cup basil leaves, 5 tablespoon pine nuts, 1 tablespoon pistachio nuts, 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 clove garlic, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest, salt, black pepper
- Place cooled potatoes in a big mixing bowl. Stir in pesto and yogurt/mayo. 2 tablespoon yogurt
- Gently mix everything using a large spoon or toss to combine. Check seasoning.
- Serve in a serving bowl, garnish it with lemon zest, pine nuts and basil. 1 tablespoon lightly toasted pine nuts, 1 tablespoon basil leaves
- Consume straight away or keep in the refrigerator for later.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
