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Creamy Potato Salad – an easy crowd pleaser perfect for BBQ’s and potlucks, and always a family favorite!
I’m willing to bet that you’ve probably been to a BBQ or maybe even hosted one at least once in your life. And, I bet that someone, somewhere brought a big bowl of creamy potato salad. I’ll also bet that you have a definite opinion as to what kind of potato salad is best. Is your favorite recipe is the one Mom used make?
Do you like German potato salad made with vinegar and no mayonnaise? Maybe you prefer a sour cream based potato salad.  Or are you like the rest of us southern cooks that busts out the big jar of Kraft mayonnaise or Miracle Whip for our potato salad? Such discussions have caused many a feud over the years!
This recipe is for anybody that needs a good, solid, perfect-every-time Creamy Potato Salad recipe in your back pocket.
I’ll say this about my potato salad, it’s almost as good as my sister-in-law Windy’s, and she didn’t pay me to say that. She did teach me one important trick, however. After boiling the eggs, smash the yolks with a fork and mix them with the mayo and mustard before blending in the other ingredients.  Chop the egg whites separately and add them with the celery and potatoes. I don’t know why this makes it better but it does!
I use large baking potatoes for this recipe and boil them whole.
When fork tender, they’re peeled and chopped into bite size pieces. The egg yolks are smashed with a fork and mixed together with the mayonnaise and mustard until creamy. Then add the chopped egg whites, onion, relish, celery and seasonings. Once blended, the potatoes are folded in taking care not to break them apart. If you don’t want to use sweet relish, you can substitute sweet pickles but also add a little vinegar. You can also substitute dill relish or pickle juice and add a little fresh dill too.
Sprinkle with a little hot paprika, chill and enjoy.
I prefer to make this potato salad the day before serving allowing the flavors to blend. The leftovers are great for several days, so make extra!
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Traditional Creamy Potato Salad
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 10 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Traditional creamy potato salad - perfect for BBQ's and potluck dinners. Always a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 5 or 6 large baking potatoes, do not peel
- 1 cup diced celery
- ½ cup finely diced onion
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish or substitute sweet pickles and add 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise, or more if needed
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 hard boiled eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
- Paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes under clean running water. Leaving potatoes whole with skin on, cover with water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and boil gently, turning potatoes occasionally, until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Remove skin and chop into bite sized pieces.
- Boil eggs and place yolks in a large mixing bowl. Chop eggs whites and set aside. Smash the yolks with a fork and add mayonnaise and mustard. Mix well. Add all other ingredients except potatoes and mix until well blended. Taste to check seasonings. Add potatoes and fold together gently. Sprinkle with paprika and chill overnight. Serve!
Recipe Notes
For instructions to hard cook/boil eggs, see this POST
We love informal get-togethers and BBQ’s on the back deck and often serve this Easy Pasta Salad with Zesty Italian Dressing to our guests. Â These delicious Deviled Eggs are always at our family gatherings. Another great make-ahead recipe is our Easy English Pea Salad, my husband’s favorite! With summer just around the corner, you may want to try this refreshing Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
I printed out this recipe for BLT Macaroni Salad from She Wears Many Hats – it’s perfect for picnics! Also love this Mexican Pasta Salad with Creamy Southwestern Dressing from Well Plated, so much flavor going on! So many salads, it’s hard to pick 🙂
Jessica N Owens says
My great grandma made the best potato salad. She gave me her recipe many years ago, but it was lost until tonight when my 7 year old daughter found my old recipe notebook!
I’ve tried many times to replicate her salad without the original recipe (they were good, but they missed that something special). I realized tonight that blending the yolk with the dressing is what makes it!
Cheers to keeping old school styles of cooking relevant 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jessica!
Jackie A. says
Thanks Tricia – this recipe looks super and I like the look of the creamy consistency. My Mom always used dill pickles and their juice and it’s the only thing I’d do differently. I learned the hard way, at gatherings, to ask if sweet relish or sweet pickles had been used before taking a big bite – I love great potato salad even better than a bowl of my favorite flavor ice cream! The sweet makes me shake like a baby given a lemon slice to chew on. LOL Another thing, my children, grandchildren and I have a bad reaction to the FD&C yellow that is in the relish brand you show and in most relishes and even dill pickles. We get mean and cranky, not always so easy finding brands that don’t have it.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks for the great information Jackie! I just love the sweet relish myself but I bet this would be great with your changes!
Littlemisst says
i made this with red potatoes and didn’t remove the skin. Turned out perfectly. Also added a little something special by using olive oil mayo. Just for the extra flavor.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks for letting me know! This is a classic, simple, delicious basic recipe – glad you made some great changes 🙂 Have a happy Memorial Day!
Glenda says
I see a carton of yogurt in the picture but, don’t see it listed in the recipe. Which is correct?
Tricia Buice says
Hi Glenda – under the photo with the ingredients I wrote that I was experimenting by adding a little Greek Yogurt … ” You may have also noticed the plain Greek Yogurt in the photo. I substituted some yogurt in place of a little mayonnaise just to see how it turned out. I don’t think it made a big difference but you can experiment yourself.” Just looking for ways to limit the mayonnaise but it is not in my original recipe and not necessary. If you are a Greek Yogurt fan you can give it a try because it didn’t make a big difference as noted in the post. Thanks so much for reading and for the comment. I hope you will come back again. Sorry to be so late in responding – I’ve been off-the grid, so to speak, helping our daughter move into their house. Happy New Year to you and your family!
Beth Green says
Using the same basic ingredients you do, Tricia, I add one more thing…<br /><br />I chop the potatoes while they're hot and pour about a 2/3 cupful (or less) of French dressing over them. After stirring well, I allow them to cool the rest of the way before adding the other ingredients. Learned this tasty trick from a friend in Gloucester, Virginia!
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen says
Can I just have a few big spoonfuls of pickle relish?<br /><br />I know. I'm weird.<br /><br />But did you know that relish + hummus is actually AMAZING?<br /><br />Strange. True.