Classic Potato Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
With the perfect texture, creaminess and balance of flavors, this classic potato salad recipe is simply the BEST! Whether you’re enjoying it at home, on a picnic, or taking it to a potluck, this is sure to be a hit!
How to Make The BEST Potato Salad
Potato salad is one of those dishes practically everyone claims they have the best recipe for. (I know, dangling participle. But the grammatically correct way just sounds so darned highfalutin!) But most potato salads are downright uninspiring. In my experience most of them are either too dry, too wet, too mushy, not salty enough, lack flavor, and are just overall bland. Is that your experience as well?
This creamy Classic Potato Salad recipe features the perfect balance of textures and flavor and is a potato salad you can feel proud to show off at your next barbecue, picnic, potluck or family dinner!
Potato Salad Myths
Before we get to the recipe, let’s dispel a commonly held belief about potato salad and food poisoning, because the two get thrown together a lot. Despite common belief that the mayonnaise is the culprit, the fact is that mayonnaise can actually help inhibit the growth of food-borne bacteria because of its high acidity level (vinegar, lemon juice, salt). Plus store-bought mayonnaise is highly pasteurized. So when you hear about potato salad having caused food poisoning, what actually caused it?
Usually it’s the protein-based ingredients added to the salad like chicken, ham, tuna, eggs, or even the potatoes themselves. Cooked starchy vegetables like potatoes can be an incubator for bacteria if not stored properly. Another reason for bacteria growth has to do with the preparation of the potato salad – it involves a lot of hand contact with the ingredients (eg, chopping, dicing, slicing). So the takeaway here is to just wash your hands and the vegetables thoroughly, use a clean working surface, and store your potato salad properly and you can wave goodbye to food poisoning.
Classic Potato Salad Recipe
Let’s get started!
Chop the onions, celery and pickles and place them in a large mixing bowl.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
Add the potatoes and chopped eggs to the mixing bowl along with the mayonnaise mixture.
Carefully stir the ingredients together until combined being as careful as you can not to break up the potatoes too much.
Let the salad refrigerate for at least a couple of hours before serving.
This salad gets better and better the longer it sits and is fantastic the next day!
Enjoy!
For more delicious salads try my:
- Chicken Salad
- Olivier Salad
- Coleslaw
- Macaroni Salad
- Maroulosalata
- Thai Quinoa Salad
- Crunchy Broccoli Salad
- Black Eyed Pea Salad
- Freezer Slaw
- Pea Salad
- German Cucumber Salad
- Waldorf Salad
- Moroccan Chicken Salad
- Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
- Sauerkraut Salad
- Four Bean Salad
- Broccoli Pasta Salad
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address and we’ll send it straight to your inbox!
Classic Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds firm yellow potatoes , scrubbed and boiled with skins on in lightly salted water (do not overcook or the potatoes will be mushy), then peeled and left to cool completely before slicing
- 1/3 cup chopped dill pickles (can use sweet pickles if you prefer)
- 2 large celery stalks , chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 4 large boiled eggs , chilled and then chopped
- For the Mayo Sauce:
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Sliced the cooled potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds. Place in a large mixing bowl along with the chopped vegetables and eggs.
- To make the Mayo Sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
- Pour the sauce over the potato salad and stir very carefully until combined, being as careful as you can not to break up the potatoes too much.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, preferably longer. This potato salad gets better the longer it sits. It’s fabulous the next day.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on Jul 18, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Hi, great recipe. I never would have thought to put eggs in it, but that is a very good idea. I personally put an apple in there also for a sweet crunch. Try it, it works. Also, do you not put any salt in there? Furthermore I put the cooked, peeled and sliced – still warm potatos in some bouillion, and let it cool down totally. Drain the acces bouillion and mix ot with the veg. and sauce. Viola!
5+ Rating, btw!
Omg! This is definitely the best potato salad Ive ever made! So tasty!
Wonderful, Katie, thank you!
How many calories, carbs, protiens, fat would you say this is per serving?
Absolutely delicious!! Flavor full & creamy as! Lots of fresh ingredients & the kids love it (always a winner), I plan on bringing some into work to share the joy & recipe!
Wonderful, Sharlene, I’m so glad you all enjoy it, thank you!
I just finished making this for the sixth or seventh time, and it occurred to me that I have never thanked you for this recipe. It is foolproof! Always popular with friends. It’s one of those recipes that requires following it to the letter in order to get the very best taste and, of course, making it up the day before. I’ve never been quite sure what you mean by “brown mustard” so I usually just use a Dijon mustard, which is my favorite for salad dressings. Thanks again.
Thank you, grayslady, I’m so glad you like it and appreciate the feedback! This is one of our family favorites as well. Brown mustard brown mustard simply leaves the bran on the seeds which results in a slightly coarser texture than yellow mustard but Dijon is an equally good choice. Thanks again, Kimberly
I have recently discovered your site and the recipes I have tried so far are absolutely fabulous. I have a friend who makes an amazing potato salad but won’t share the recipe – or any for that matter! This potato salad was delicious, my family loved it and it rivaled her recipe. I am a big fan of sharing recipes and cooking tips, you successfully do both – thank you.
I’m so happy to hear that, Andrea, you’ve made my day – thank you!
Hi Trish, I’m searching for a cooked mayonnaise that doesn’t contain sugar. It’s savory and very rich tasting. A local Danish deli serves thieir potato salad slathered in this deliciousness but they won’t disclose their recipe other than to say it contains white wine vinegar and they cook it each morning. The potato salad is simply potatoes, hard-cooked eggs, finely minced white onion and celery and their homemade mayo. Any ideas?
Hi Monica, have you tried Julia Child’s recipe? It’s a cooked mayonnaise made with white wine vinegar and contains no sugar. If you Google it you’ll easily find the recipe. You’ll have a delicious batch whipped up in no time :)
This is the exact recipe my mom used. The only difference is that we always mashed the potatoes.
Hi Kelly, I’ve never had a mashed potato salad before but it sounds intriguing! Are the potatoes completely mashed? Or I’m assuming just smushed a bit?
You make them just like you are making mashed potatoes for dinner then you add the mayo, mustard and other things. It’s really good. Of course everyone thinks their mom’s is the best.
That’s how we always made our potatoe salad.by mashing the potatoes.I’m 62 yes old from cut and shoot tx.I’m part native american.my family loves potatoes salad that way.