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I bet you’ve been to at least one BBQ in your life or maybe even hosted one where someone brought a big bowl of delicious, creamy Potato Salad to share. This flavorful make-ahead side dish serves a crowd and keeps well for days.
Perfect for BBQ’s, picnics and potlucks, and always a family favorite!
This traditional southern potato salad recipe is the kind I grew up on. However, I also love a good warm German potato salad made with tangy vinegar, bacon but no mayo.
Perhaps your family swears by a great sour cream based potato salad. Or are you like the rest of us southern cooks that bust out the big jar of Dukes mayonnaise, Kraft’s or Miracle Whip when making classic potato salad? Whatever kind is your favorite, it’s all good!
Ingredients overview:
- baking potatoes like russet or red potatoes with the skin on or off
- hard boiled eggs
- regular mayonnaise or mayo with olive oil
- prepared mustard
- onion
- celery
- sweet pickle relish or substitute chopped sweet pickles mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- celery seed
- table salt and black pepper
- paprika for garnish
Overview: How to make the BEST classic Potato Salad recipe
1. Our first secret is to boil the potatoes whole, with the skin on:
Scrub the potatoes under cold running water then place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, turning occasionally, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain and allow the potatoes to cool until easy to handle. Peel off the skin and discard. Chop into 1-inch cubes.
2. While the potatoes are boiling prepare the potato salad dressing:
Place the eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to LOW, cover and cook for 14 minutes. Drain then run cold water over the eggs until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Peel the eggs and slice in half.
Remove the yolks to a large bowl. Chop the egg whites and set aside.
3. The second secret is to mix smashed egg yolks with the mustard and mayo:
Smash the yolks with a fork then add the mayonnaise and mustard. Blend with a fork until creamy. This simple little trick adds that special something to the mixture.
Next add all other ingredients other than the potatoes. Mix until well blended then gently fold in the potatoes. The potatoes can be slightly warm but not hot.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with sweet or hot paprika, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. This can be done 24 hours in advance if desired.
NOTES and TIPS for the best Potato Salad Recipe:
- If you don’t want to use sweet pickle relish you can substitute chopped sweet pickles along with a tablespoon of vinegar.
- For a slightly different flavor profile, substitute dill pickles or dill relish and/or pickle juice. Add a little fresh herbs like dill to the mix.
- Substitute Dijon mustard for yellow for a tangy flavor.
- We typically use russet potatoes for this recipe however any variety will work well. Yukon Gold potatoes are another good choice.
- Always check the seasoning before adding the potatoes. This recipe will need some salt so it’s best to check before serving.
We make this potato salad the day before serving to allow the flavors to blend and meld. Leftovers taste great for several days, so make extra!
Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Thanks for PINNING!
Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 baking potatoes do not peel (russet)
- 3 hard cooked eggs yolks and whites separated
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise or more as needed
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- ½ cup onion finely diced (red or sweet onions both work well)
- 1 cup celery diced (about 2 large ribs)
- ⅓ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons celery seed
- 1 teaspoon table salt or 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes under clean running water. Leave the potatoes whole with skin on and place in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, turning potatoes occasionally, until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly. Remove skin and chop into bite sized pieces.
- While the potatoes are cooking cook the eggs. Remove the yolks to a large mixing bowl. Chop eggs whites and set aside. Smash the yolks with a fork and add the mayonnaise and mustard. Mix well.
- Add all other ingredients except the potatoes and mix until well blended. Check the seasonings and add salt if needed. Gently fold in the potatoes until coated. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Potato salad can be made the day before planning to serve. This salad keeps well for up to 5 days well sealed in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes
- Check out our post on how to make the perfect hard cooked eggs.
Nutrition
The perfect summer side
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 friends and family. Another classic favorite are these delicious Deviled Eggs. They’re a staple at all our family gatherings and holidays.
Let’s not forget this great make-ahead recipe for Easy English Pea Salad. It’s my husband’s favorite.
Finally, we love to change it up and this Mexican Pasta Salad with Creamy Southwestern Dressing is unique and perfectly flavored. So many salads to make and enjoy!
Originally published May 2011, updated April 2023
Joan Straszewski
Almost like my mother’s recipe. I’m going to use her ingredients with your assembly instructions. BTW she said that “lazy people use sweet relish instead of chopping sweet pickles.” Having tried both, I agree with Mum. Taste is so different.
Tricia Buice
Hi Joan! I’m not sure if I should be offended or say thanks for the tip about sweet pickles! Haha – I can say, without a doubt, that I’m not lazy when it comes to cooking and baking. I’ll try your tip next time I make this potato salad, which will be soon. Enjoy!
Diane Lembck
This is my favorite potato salad recipe.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Diane! It’s my favorite too. Have a great summer!
Miss Deb
This is how I’ve always made it except I chop whole eggs without the separation part. I think either way would work fine.I love the potatoes in bite sized chunks, no shredding or smashing.
Theresa
This is so similar to my mom’s potato salad. She added sliced radishes as well. Or, instead of radishes she used sliced black olives & pimento.
Yum!
Tricia Buice
Hi Theresa. I love the addition of radishes! I bet it’s a pretty addition and that bitter crispy crunch would be terrific. Glad you liked it!
Chris Garrett
The recipe uses 6 baking potatoes. Any idea how many pounds that is? They come in so many different sizes and I definitely need 12 servings. Thanks
Tricia Buice
Hi Chris. You’ll need about 3 pounds of potatoes. Enjoy!
Kim R
Excellent potato salad. I just love recipes with specific measurements especially potato salad. This is great. So many times you are guessing how much of this and a little of that. I have made this since I found the recipe on Pinterest 4 times
❤️🤍💙
Tricia Buice
Thank you Kim! I’m so glad you enjoyed this potato salad. We truly appreciate you taking the time to comment. Bravo!
Julia
We love this so much in our house! I am just curious for it being 12 servings what size is each serving? I’m about to make it again on a large scale but never have measured it out lol
Tricia Buice
Thank you Julia. Each serving should be about 2/3 to 3/4 cup each. I’ll double check that next time I make it! Thank you so much for the feedback. Enjoy!
Kailey
This is the best potato salad I’ve ever had! I’m so glad I found this recipe. Thank you.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Kailey! We feel the same way 🙂
Jessica N Owens
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
Thanks Jessica!
Jackie A.
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
Thanks for the great information Jackie! I just love the sweet relish myself but I bet this would be great with your changes!
Littlemisst
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
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
I see a carton of yogurt in the picture but, don’t see it listed in the recipe. Which is correct?
Tricia Buice
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!
Linda
I have made alot of different Potato salad in the past years and along the way I forgot how my mom used to make hers, your recipe was right on the dot, thank you for sharing
Tricia Buice
Thank you Linda! I love food memories and am so happy you tried our recipe. Thanks again!
Beth Green
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
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.