How to Make the Best Classic Potato Salad Recipe

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Learn how to make the best classic potato salad recipe with easy step-by-step instructions. 

Summer is a time of relaxing and gathering to enjoy good food with family and friends. This creamy potato salad is the perfect side dish to serve with my favorite smoked brisket or baked beans at your next backyard barbecue or family reunion. 

Growing up, I had the opportunity to live a few blocks from my grandma. And every Sunday night we would go over to her house to enjoy simple, humble meals that were made with whole ingredients and utterly delicious. We enjoyed many dinners alternating between her potato salad and her German potato salad. As she continued to age and arthritis overtook her joints, she needed more help in the kitchen. Not only did I help her in some of the simple tasks of peeling potatoes for potato salad, or apples for apple pie, I was also developing a love of cooking and baking. 

She passed away just a few years before I got married, so when I started making food for my little family, it was often her food that I thought of. To me, this is the perfect potato salad, and often makes me think of her when I enjoy it. 

The Best Classic Potato Salad Ingredients

• Potatoes –  My go-to are Yukon gold potatoes.
• Hard-boiled eggs – I always use the Instant Pot whenever I need to make hard-boiled eggs. Not only is it quick and easy, but it gives the best results for peeling the shells, especially with farm-fresh eggs. 
• Onion – I love to use a sweet onion, such as Vidalia for extra texture and flavor. Some people will use green onions, and while I love the pop of color, I find that they don’t hold their shape and texture like a sweet, raw onion does. 

Dressing Ingredients

• Mayonnaise – I always use my no-sugar homemade mayonnaise. Not only is it eliminating one more source of seed oils in our diet, but it’s also super easy to make and tastes delicious.
• Sweet pickle relish – The pickle relish adds a touch of sweetness and a slight tang. If you don’t have sweet relish, you can make some by dicing up sweet pickles. 
• Mustard – Use yellow mustard or Dijon mustard to add a tang. If you prefer to leave the mustard out, replace it with a touch of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to achieve a similar flavor. 
• Sour cream – Helps create a creamy potato salad.

The Best Classic Potato Salad Recipe Instructions

Place 5-6 clean, medium potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and season well with salt. Turn the heat to medium-high to bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling reduce to medium heat so the water doesn’t boil over the edge of the pot. Boil the potatoes for 20-30 minutes or until they’re fork tender potatoes. The amount of time will vary depending on how big your potatoes are.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the hard-boiled eggs.

Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool to room temperature. Not only are cool potatoes easier to handle, but they also allow the starch cells walls to close up so that the potatoes don’t absorb all of the dressing, resulting in a creamier salad.

With the side of a paring knife, gently scrape the potato skins off. The thin skins will come off of the cooked potatoes easily. Dice potatoes into large chunks, roughly 3/4 of an inch, and add to a large bowl. 

Add the diced onion, diced hard-boiled eggs, and pickle relish to the same bowl as the cubed potatoes. 

To create the creamy dressing, add mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and sweet pickle relish in a small bowl and stir until combined. Pour the mayo mixture over the potatoes and stir by lifting the potatoes as you rotate the bowl to work the dressing in. Do your best to not crush the potatoes. 

Wait until all of the ingredients are mixed and taste the potato salad before add any salt. Start with 1/2 tsp and add more if needed. The amount of salt will vary depending on how well the water was salted when cooking the potatoes.

My grandma would cover the potato salad with slices of hard-boiled eggs and then sprinkle the top with paprika. This step is optional but makes for a really pretty presentation.

How to Store The Classic Potato Salad

Since the potato salad has mayo in it, it’s suggested to keep it cold when serving. Store any leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Tips

• Don’t overcook potatoes. You want the potatoes to hold their shape in the salad.
• Allow time for the potato salad to chill, at least 4 hours. This will allow the flavors to meld  The Make the day before you plan to serve it for the best flavor. 
• Try different add-ins such as bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, or diced celery.
• Add dill for a fresh flavor.

FAQs

Can I Freeze Potato Salad?

It’s not suggested to freeze a mayo-based potato salad. As the mayo thaws, the ice crystals break down the cell walls in the mayo, which makes the emulsion separate and leaves a curdled oil in your salad. 

What Are the Best Potatoes for Potato Salad? 

Waxy potatoes are considered the best potatoes to use because they hold their shape well and don’t get too soft and mushy when cooked. Avoid a floury potato, like regular russet potatoes or King Edward, as their low water content will make the potato fluffy and soft. Save those for mashed or baked potatoes.  My favorite kind of potato for potato salad is Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes. 

Can I Make the Classic Potato Salad Dairy-Free?

Since the only dairy is sour cream, substitute a dairy-free sour cream to make dairy-free.

Can I Make the Classic Potato Salad Gluten-Free?

Potato salad is naturally gluten free. If you aren’t using homemade mayo, double check that your mayonnaise doesn’t contain gluten. All of the other ingredients traditionally don’t contain gluten.

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment and rate the recipe. Tag photos #Lockremhomestead over on Instagram when you share pictures of your Classic Potato Salad!