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This classic potato salad recipe is seriously the best – it’s a favorite at picnics and barbecues. Wonderfully creamy and tangy, this summer side dish is great for making ahead. Learn how to make it with this easy step by step recipe.
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You really can’t go wrong when serving a traditional potato salad to a table. It’s a great side that works with so many mains. And it’s great to serve on your Memorial day cookout, 4th of July bbq party or for Thanksgiving.
This creamy salad is made with mayonnaise and eggs, and red onion, pickles and apple cider vinegar give it a great tang.
For more classic salads, be sure to check out my Caesar Salad and Caprese Salad recipes.
Why you will love this recipe!
- Make ahead: This creamy potato salad is a great make-ahead dish. Perfect if you are serving it as part of a larger feast or at a cookout.
- Quick and easy: Super quick to prep, this recipe is ready to serve in less than half an hour.
- Dietary info: This salad is vegetarian and gluten-free.
Potato Salad Ingredients
To make this salad recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Potatoes: Potatoes are rich in lots and vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are a staple food in a well-balanced diet. I prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes for this salad.
- Pickles: Sweet pickles add a great tangy flavor and crunchy texture. You can also use sweet pickle relish.
- Celery: Adds a nice texture and light crunch to this creamy salad.
- Eggs: I love the texture of hard boiled eggs in a Southern potato salad. Use free run/organic if you can. Check out this handy hard boiled eggs time chart.
- Red Onion: Red onion is mild enough to be eaten raw. Chop it finely so that it’s not too overpowering.
- Mayonnaise: I prefer to use a full-fat mayo for the best flavor and creamy texture, but you can use low fat if you prefer.
- Mustard: Dijon mustard adds great sharpness. You can use whole grain mustard for a milder taste or mix yellow mustard and Dijon mustard like I did here.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You can also use white wine vinegar if that’s what you have.
- Salt & black pepper
- Fresh herbs: You can add chopped fresh chives, parsley, or fresh dill as a garnish.
How to make potato salad
- Boil, peel and cube potatoes. Fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove. Carefully, add the potatoes to the water and boil potatoes until tender but not too much, just until fork tender. Remove potatoes to a colander, cool with water, peel the skin, and cube the potatoes. Add to a large bowl.
- Make the dressing. In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, pickles, salt, and pepper.
- Dress the potatoes. Add the potato salad dressing to the cut potatoes and stir gently to coat.
- Final ingredients & toss to coat. Finally, add the hard-boiled eggs, celery, and chopped red onion to the bowl with potatoes. Toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle some chives on top.
What are the best potatoes to use?
I like to use Yukon Gold to make my quick & easy potato salad. They are quite starchy, so get nice and fluffy and are really soft in texture. If you prefer more bite, you can use a waxy potato like fingerlings or reds.
Can you make it ahead of time?
You can make this simple potato salad recipe ahead of time, cover it and store it in the refrigerator, and it will keep well for 3 to 4 days.
You can also make ahead just the boiled potatoes, chop the pickles, red onion and eggs, or just prep the mayo Dijon dressing ahead to save some time.
Because this salad contains mayo, it shouldn’t be kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
What do you serve with it?
This healthy potato salad is great to serve with so many mains and it’s a perfect side dish for summer BBQs. It’s great with grilled steaks, seafood and chicken dishes. Try it with:
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Potato Salad Recipe
- Skip peeling the potatoes before boiling them. It’s much quicker and easier to do it after you’ve cooked them.
- Cook the potatoes in salted water to start adding flavor right from the beginning.
- Don’t cut the potatoes in too small cubes because they can break even more when you toss the salad and it will turn to mashed potatoes.
- Let the potatoes cool before dressing them. The heat can cause the mayonnaise to melt and become oily.
- Make it vegan by using plant-based mayonnaise and omitting the eggs.
- You can make this recipe ahead of time, cover and store it in the refrigerator. You can also make ahead just the boiled potatoes, chop the pickles, red onion, and eggs, or prep the mayo Dijon dressing ahead to save some time.
- To lighten things up, feel free to also sub in some plain Greek yogurt or sour cream for part of the mayo.
- For the best flavor, chill the salad for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
More Summer Salad Recipes
If you like this American potato salad recipe, be sure to check out my other salad recipes:
The Best Potato Salad Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
- 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- ½ large red onion, chopped or thinly sliced
- Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional)
Potato Salad Dressing
- ½ jar pickles, chopped
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika, optional
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove. Carefully, add the potatoes to the water and boil potatoes until tender but not too much, just until fork tender. Remove potatoes to a colander, cool with water, peel the skin, and cube the potatoes. Add to a large bowl.
- In another bowl, mix the pickles, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Add the potato salad dressing to the cut potatoes and toss gently to coat.
- Finally, add the hard-boiled eggs, celery, and chopped red onion to the bowl with potatoes. Toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle some chives on top.
Video
Notes
- Skip peeling the potatoes before boiling them. It’s much quicker and easier to do it after you’ve cooked them.
- Cook the potatoes in salted water to start adding flavor right from the beginning.
- Don’t cut the potatoes in too small cubes because they can break even more when you toss the salad and it will turn to mashed potatoes.
- Let the potatoes cool before dressing them. The heat can cause the mayonnaise to melt and become oily.
- Make it vegan by using plant-based mayonnaise and omitting the eggs.
- You can make this recipe ahead of time, cover and store it in the refrigerator. You can also make ahead just the boiled potatoes, chop the pickles, red onion, and eggs, or prep the mayo Dijon dressing ahead to save some time.
- To lighten things up, feel free to also sub in some plain Greek yogurt or sour cream for part of the mayo.
- For the best flavor, chill the salad for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
This is by far the best potato salad I have ever made!. Added fresh Dill instead of chives; chopped pickles gives it that extra zesty flavor.
The potato salad was absolutely wonderful. My only comment was if you don’t like celery, as I do not I would cut the celery in half! Thank you for the great receipe!!!