Ok Google How Do You Make Potato Salad

Must Try

How To Make Potato Salad

Sweet Potato & Tuna Salad Recipe – Easy n Tasty

There’s more than one formula for a great potato salad. There are creamy potato salads, vinegar-based potato salads, warm potato salads, cold potato salads, and a world of add-ins to flavor up the mix. And then there are the potatoes: Russets, reds, Yukon Golds. We’ll take you through the different styles of potato salads, show you how to cook the potatoes, and suggest top recipes to try.

Try this recipe for Best Classic Potato Salad from Nicole Mcmom, and watch the video above to get all her tips for how she makes her favorite potato salad.

Whats In Potato Salad

I spent many a summer afternoon making and taste testing this salad alongside my amazing mama, just like she did with hers. In fact, Ive made it so many times I dont even need the recipe. You know a recipe is that good when you know it by heart.

Heres the ingredients youll need for this classic potato salad:

  • Yukon gold potatoes
  • white vinegar
  • kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Soak Your Potato In A Cold Water

When your potatoes seem like they are already clean enough and that they are sliced with uniform sizes, you can now put them in a saucepan. But you have to remember that the water in it should be cold at first.

And it should cover the potatoes that you put into the saucepan, so, depending on your potatoes, an inch of cold water will do. One reason why it should be in a cold water first is for them to be cooked evenly.

Don’t Miss: How Many Calories In An Egg Salad Sandwich

Spud Preparation And Cooking

Learning how to make potato salad is easy, but the cooking step is critical to the final texture. Peel and cut the potatoes into large pieces, ¾-inch dice. This size retains nice chunks when stirred and later eating. Cook the potatoes in salted, cold water. Bring water to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

This process allows the flavor of the salt to be absorbed and gives an evenly cooked texture. However, dont overcook! They should be fork-tender but still hold together when pierced, so they dont fall apart entirely when mixed. I like to check every few minutes. It takes about 15 minutes to cook the potatoes.

How To Cook The Potatoes

Traditional Potato Salad

We simmer potatoes whole in salted water when making potato salad. Here are our top tips for doing it:

Salt the cooking water. Its important to add a generous amount of salt to the cooking water. By salting the water, the flavor of the potatoes comes out. They wont taste salty, only like excellent potatoes.

Simmer, dont boil. When it comes to cooking potatoes for potato salad, theres no need to boil. When you do they violently bash against each other. Instead, bring the water with potatoes to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. The potatoes cook just as quickly.

Potatoes are cooked when you can push a fork through the center. When they are done, drain the potatoes and add them to an ice bath, which stops them from cooking. After 2 to 3 minutes they are cool enough to handle.

While I love using skin-on potatoes for mashed potatoes, I like to remove the peel from the potatoes for this. Since I use small potatoes, peeling them before cooking would be a frustrating task.

Instead, I cook my potatoes with the peel on, let them cool, and then peel. Since the potatoes are cooked, the peel comes off easily .

Don’t Miss: Outback Unlimited Soup And Salad

What Our Readers Are Saying

If you dont believe that our recipe helps you achieve the best homemade potato salad, take a look at what our readers are saying about the recipe! More reviews are in the comments section below.

Ive made this so many times!! Always so yummy and a big hit with even the pickiest eaters!! Pam

Best potato salad ever!! Melinda

Excellent. Tastes delicious! Its so much better than the potato salad purchased at the store. LouAnn

I LOVED this potato salad! Paula

Perfect For Cookouts Picnics And Suppers

Youll find this dish served at most family get-togethers in my family from holidays like Easter alongside my Cola-Glazed Ham to reunions to cookouts to Sunday suppers! Its a great potluck dish anytime, too. Potato salad is delicious with chicken, beef, and pork and is a dish that everyone in my family loves!

Don’t Miss: Best Salad For Kidney Disease

How To Make The Best Potato Salad

This classic potato salad is the one I grew up on. Its the recipe my Grandma Mary Jane originally made, then passed down my mom, aunts, and cousins, and me and my sister. Its accompanied burgers, grilled ribs, and every other favorite summer dinner recipes under the sun.

As favorite family recipes do, its a food memory none of us can, or want to, forget. It shows up at nearly every BBQ, picnic or good old fashioned supper soirée at my house, and its one Im proud as punch to share when I go to others homes as well. And its extremely popular with readers who love it all year round, at Thanksgiving and Christmas too. Who knew? Looks like this recipe has found its Southern potato salad roots.

So now its your turn to give it a try. Heres how to make the best potato salad ever. Lets get started

Make It Ahead Of Time

Italian Potato Salad Recipe – OrsaraRecipes

You can prepare and store this dish in an airtight container placed in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Otherwise, you can freeze portions in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 month. To do so, spread in a thin layer and remove all of the air, then seal. Defrost in the refrigerator a day before using. I like to chop some fresh onions and parsley to garnish on the top right before serving.

Also Check: Macaroni Salad Recipe With Egg

What Potatoes Are Best

The very best potato salad recipe begins and ends with what type of potatoes you use. We love waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes, because they hold their shape as they cook and keep their firm texture in the salad while chopping and tossing with the dressing. However, if you dont have any of those kinds on hand, you can use Russets. Weve used them in this recipe many times and they work fine. Theyre just a bit softer and flakier than red potatoes or Yukon Gold, but taste just as delicious.

The Best Potatoes To Use

Small, waxy, and thin-skinned potatoes are best for potato salad. Small yellow, white or red potatoes are perfect . They are quick-cooking, and since they are already small, theres no need to chop them before cooking them.

Leave the potatoes whole. Whole cooked potatoes maintain more of their flavor and natural sweetness. Were also partial to the texture of potatoes when they are cooked whole compared to chopped.

If you dont have small, waxy potatoes available, other potatoes will work in their place the texture will be slightly different. We try not to use russet potatoes since they tend to fall apart.

If thats all you have, dont worry. Chop them before cooking they are much larger and take a long time when cooked whole.

Don’t Miss: Corelle Salad Bowl 20 Oz

Picking The Right Potatoes

The potatoes you use will make all the difference in the texture of your salad. Some cooks prefer waxy potatoes such as Yellow Finn, Yukon Gold, and red potatoes because they hold their shape when they’re cooked and keep their firm texture in the salad when they’re chopped up and tossed with dressing.

Russet or Idaho potatoes have a drier, starchier texture and tend to break down during cooking, chopping, and tossing with dressing. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This kind of potato soaks up dressing like a sponge and tends to yield a softer, creamier potato salad. Read up on how to choose the right potato for the recipe.

Tater Tip: Potatoes can add color highlights to your salad. Red potatoes are red on the outside and creamy white on the inside, while purple potatoes hold their color all the way through. You can also use sweet potatoes to add a cheerful touch of orange, as in this Caribbean Sweet Potato Salad.

Related: Get recipes for red potato salads.

Prepping And Cooking Potatoes

Ottolenghi Inspired Potato Salad

To peel or not to peel? If you’d like to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush before you cook them. Once you’ve either scrubbed or peeled your potatoes, cut them into bite-size chunks, place them in a large pot, and cover them with water. Use a large enough pot to allow for several inches of head room to accommodate the boiling, starchy water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, then generously salt the water. Reduce the heat if necessary to keep the pot at a gentle boil.

How long to boil potatoes for potato salad? Depending on your definition of “bite-size,” the potatoes will take between 8 and 15 minutes to cook. As soon as they’re tender enough to cut through easily, drain them and let them sit in the strainer for a bit to let the steam evaporate excess moisture. Remember that the residual heat will continue cooking the potatoes a little bit even after they’ve been drained.

Hot or not?

Beyond boiling. Boiling’s not the only way to cook potatoes for potato salad. Try some of these other methods:

Recommended Reading: How To Make Homemade Pasta Salad

What To Serve With Potato Salad

Potato salad is a potluck and summer BBQ classic! You really cant beat the creamy combination of potato salad with sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. This week I ate my potato salad along side my BBQ Cheddar Baked Chicken and Three Bean Salad, but it would also make a great side dish for Brown Sugar Roasted Pork Loin, Glazed Ham Steaks, hamburgers or Black Bean Burgers, Classic Homemade Meatloaf, or Blackened Salmon with Zucchini.

The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Scroll down for the step by step photos!

Cover And Wait For It

Now that you have done almost everything to your potatoes, you can now cover the saucepan and wait for the water to boil. This doesn’t mean that you can leave the kitchen area and do something else, though.

You have to keep an eye on it to make sure that the water would not boil over because it might just dirty your cooking area. When you see that the water is already boiling, you can remove the lid after reducing the heat to a medium or a medium-high. You have to uncover the potatoes because if you do not, then the potatoes would turn mushy and not fit for a potato salad.

Don’t Miss: Eating Salad At Night To Lose Weight

This Is The Best Potato Salad Recipe

We have the best recipe for potato salad and you will never make another type again! This is seriously so easy and the best!

I love potato salad but can be a bit picky so this is really saying a lot! It cant have too much mayo or be too sweet.Im also not a huge fan of mustard based potato salads.

This recipe has the perfect blend of mayonnaise, sweet pickles, spices and more for such a flavorful potato salad. It has the perfect combination of everything for an amazing potato salad recipe.

In fact, whenever I make this everyone wants the recipe. I always bring this potato salad to cookouts and people expect it. It is that good!

What Type Of Potato Is Best For Potato Salad

Potato Egg Tuna Salad Recipe – Super Easy – No Mayo

We use white potatoes, or Yukon Golds, in our familys recipe. Because they have a thinner skin, theyre easy to peel after boiling and taste creamier, a little sweeter, and hold their shape well after cooking. Avoid using starchier potatoes like russets that too easily turn to mush in salads like this.

Also remember to choose potatoes of the same size for the most consistent cooking.

Recommended Reading: Can You Eat Salad On Keto

Instant Pot Potato Salad

Make things even easier on yourself and prepare your potatoes and eggs in the Instant Pot at the SAME TIME! Its a huge time-saver and you dirty less dishes. Simply put the potatoes in the Instant Pot and add the eggs. Just make sure the eggs dont touch the sides. Add a cup of water and then cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, slow release for 5 minutes, then quick release. Immediately put the eggs in an ice water bath for 5 minutes and allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature. Peel the skin off the potatoes and dice to use in the recipe.

How To Make It:

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. When the water starts to boil, add two teaspoons of kosher salt and the cut-up potatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and boil for approximately 10 minutes.

Generally, it will take about ten minutes to cook potatoes. Depending on the size of the potato cubes, it may take a minute or so more or less. The potatoes are cooked when you can take a cube and mash with a fork with little resistance. Drain the potatoes in a colander.

Pour the cooked potatoes back into the dry pan and use a potato masher to mash them three to four times. This step makes a creamy potato salad and ensures that the potatoes soak up even more of the delicious dressing.

While the potatoes are cooking, combine all the other ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.

Add the cooked potatoes and fold in.

Garnish with a dash of paprika.

Cover it tightly and refrigerate. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Recommended Reading: How To Make Healthy Salad Dressing

What Kind Of Potatoes Are Best For Potato Salad

Waxy potato varieties, like Yukon Gold or red potatoes, are best for potato salad because they hold their shape and dont break down quite as easily as russet, which are great for mashed potatoes. Waxy varieties also tend to have a creamier texture, rather than mealy, so theyre extra luscious in this potato salad.

How To Make Creamy Southern Potato Salad Step By Step Photos

Mom

Peel and cube 3 lbs. of potatoes. Rinse the potatoes briefly with cool water to remove excess starch. This will help prevent your potato salad from getting dry and gluey.

Add the cubed potatoes to a large pot and cover with cool water. Add 1 tsp salt to the water. Place a lid on the pot and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until theyre tender . Use a fork to pierce one of the larger pieces to test the doneness and make sure they are fully tender. Theres nothing worse than hard potatoes in your potato salad! Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander and rinse again briefly with cool water to cool the potatoes and rinse away excess starch. Let them drain well.

While the potatoes are boiling, cook the eggs. Add your eggs to a small pot and cover with cool water. Bring the pot up to a boil and then let the eggs boil for one minute before turning off the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water with a lid on top and the heat turned off for 15 minutes, then carefully pour out the hot water and run cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking process. Once the boiled eggs are cool enough to handle, peel the eggs and dice them.

This is the Tony Chacheres seasoning that I use in my potato salad dressing. If you dont have access to this, you can use any sort of basic seasoning salt, like Lawrys.

You can also finely dice 2 ribs of celery and slice 2 green onions while waiting for the potatoes and eggs to cook.

Also Check: Glass Salad Bowl With Lid

Southern Potato Salad Ingredients

  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt

Cook potatoes. Start by scrubbing and peeling 3 pounds of potatoes. Cube them, add to cold water and boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork, but not until they are mushy. Drain well once they are done.

Boil eggs. At the same time, hard boil 6 eggs and then peel them once theyre done. Chop the eggs in preparation for the salad.

Dice onion and pickles. While the potatoes are boiling, dice your onion and dill pickles.

Combine. Stir together the drained potatoes, chopped eggs, diced onion, diced pickles and salt with the mayonnaise and mustard until creamy. Add more mustard, mayo and even pickles to taste.

Taste test. Make sure your tasting spoons are lined up and at the ready. You will want to have them for your own taste tests!

Once youve completed your potato salad, you can either serve right away or refrigerate to serve later.

Can You Freeze Potato Salad

A plate of Potato Salad and a fork on the table

Well, you can freeze potato salad. But if you were to ask if freezing this popular dish is the recommended method of extending its shelf life, then I would say no.

Why? Because a key ingredient of potato saladmayonnaiseis notorious for not freezing well. Ice crystals are formed on and within the mayonnaise, which causes the separation of the dressing when it is thawed out.

Thus, frozen potato salad will have coagulated look that isnt appetizing at all. It can also discolor the potatoes which can further make the dish unpleasant.

Even other ingredients like onions and celery dont freeze well. Those ingredients can turn into mushy and tasteless versions when they are frozen.

Don’t Miss: How To Make Salad In A Jar

Popular Articles

More Recipes Like This