Classic Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

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There’s nothing like a picnic with some juicy burgers, savory baked beans, and a classic potato salad recipe. The combination of those three things together equal summer at our house! Looking for a healthy potato salad? Try this one!

Classic Potato Salad Recipe (1)

Classic Potato Salad Recipe

Easy Potato Salad is a staple at all of our family gatherings.

I’ve found over the years that there are many different types of potato salad, and each person seems to have their own liking. Whether it is mustard, mayo, full of veggies, no veggies…everyone needs a classic potato salad recipe for those summer gatherings!

How do you make traditional potato salad?

The traditional potato salad recipe I grew up with was not all that different than the classic potato salad recipe with mustard that my husband’s family grew up with. The recipe that I attached onto was this one called All-American Potato Salad from my hubby’s Great Aunt, and I found it in a family recipe book his aunt gave us for a wedding gift. (By the way…a family recipe book is a great idea for a wedding gift. I’ve loved having those family recipes right on hand!)

This recipe is fairly simple.

Potatoes, eggs, cucumber and dressing.

And because it is so simple, the kids even like it. 🙂

What potatoes are best for potato salad?

Red potatoes work the best for potato salad because they hold their shape well during the boiling process. Don’t have red potatoes? Use an all-purpose round white potatoes. Russet potatoes will soften a lot during cooking so although they tastes good, they won’t hold their shape as you mix the salad.

Do you cut the potatoes before boiling them to make potato salad?

This classic potato salad recipe without celery is my favorite because it is full of….Potatoes!! We wash our potatoes, peel them, then chop them into 1 inch cubes. Then we boil them. This has always been the easiest way for us!

Classic Potato Salad Recipe (2)

What goes in potato salad?

Many people will add celery, onion or even pickles to potato salad. Feel free to add whatever veggies you’d like! We stick with just potatoes, eggs and cucumber.

Watch us make this easy summer side dish!

Classic Potato Salad Recipe (4)

Classic Potato Salad Recipe

4.44 from 16 votes

There's nothing like a picnic with some juicy burgers, savory baked beans, and a classic potato salad recipe. This recipe equals summer at our house!

Servings 12 servings

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Print RecipeSave Recipe

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds potatoes
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 1/2 cups salad dressing Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber

Instructions

  • Wash, peel and cut potatoes into bite-size pieces.

  • In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender (15-20 minutes depending on the size of the potato chunks.). Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl.

  • Put the eggs in another saucepan and add water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and then let the water and eggs boil gently for 5 minutes.

  • Drain the eggs and cover them with ice cold water. Allow the eggs to sit in the cold water while you mix up the dressing.

  • For the dressing, combine the sugar, salt, mustard, salad dressing, vinegar and pepper. Mix until completely combined. Set aside.

  • Once the eggs are cool enough to touch, drain the water. Peel the eggs and dice them, then add them to the potatoes.

  • Pour the dressing over top the eggs and potatoes and mix until the potatoes are covered.

  • After the salad is completely cooled, add the diced cucumber. If you add this while the potatoes are still warm, it will soften the cucumber.

  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

If you'd like a little more crunch to your potato salad, add some celery or onion!

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 748mg | Potassium: 862mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 22.2mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 6.7mg

Author Julie Clark

Course Salad, Side, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Calories 223

Have you tried this recipe?

Share a review below or share on Instagram with the tag #tastesoflizzyt.

Classic Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for a good potato salad? ›

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad? ›

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Why does my potato salad taste bland? ›

Forgetting To Salt The Water

Just as you would with pasta, seasoning the water is the only way to flavor the potatoes themselves. The vegetable absorbs the water it's cooked in, so if you just boil them in unseasoned water, you'll end up with tasteless taters that no amount of mayo, herbs, or bacon bits can help.

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

There's no reason at all, so my advice is to leave the skins on. The skin on a potato adds a nice texture and flavor to the potato salad and it's also the healthiest part.

How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

The key is to allow the potatoes to dry and become cold before you make the salad. If you cut hot, boiled potatoes, they tend to crumble. If you wait until they had time to dry (may I suggest laying them out on a plate or casserole dish during this time) and cold, they cut nicer.

How to make a potato salad Jamie Oliver? ›

Method
  1. Gently boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and slowly add the olive oil. ...
  3. Slice the cooked potatoes in half and dress with the shallot and parsley vinaigrette.

What herbs are in potato salad Ina Garten? ›

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss.

Is homemade potato salad good for? ›

Bottom Line: When stored safely, fresh potato salad should keep for up to five days.

What kind of potatoes do you use for potato salad? ›

To keep your salad from falling apart into mush, it's important to use the best potatoes for potato salad. Skip the russet potatoes and use a waxy variety instead, like Yukon gold, red potatoes or fingerlings. Learn more about which types of potatoes you should use for different recipes.

What is in Walmart potato salad? ›

POTATOES, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT), MUSTARD (WATER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR], XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR), DILL PICKLE CUBES (CUCUMBER VINEGAR, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL ...

What is potato salad dressing made of? ›

A common potato salad dressing typically consists of a mixture of mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Some variations may also include ingredients like chopped onions, celery, pickles, or fresh herbs like dill or parsley.

Which type of potato is best for potato salad? ›

Waxy potatoes are generally considered the best for classic potato salad because they retain their shape, you don't have to peel them, and they have a smooth texture. People who prefer a creamy potato salad that soaks up dressing like a sponge, though, opt for a starchy potato.

Does potato salad contain mayo? ›

Cut potatoes into cubes. Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. Stir in eggs.

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