How To Cook The Potatoes
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 .
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.
What Goes Well With Potato Salad
I cannot think of anything better to have a nice potato salad than with chicken. It can be fried chicken or barbeque chicken. It also goes amazingly well next to a steak and a nice piece of pork butt roast. Seafood is fantastic too. A nice piece of salmon or maybe some garlic shrimp.
But If animal protein is off the limits for you there are a few vegetables that go very well. You can pair the potato salad with green beans or corn on the cob.
A must-try if you never had it before is rice. But not white rice more like a bowl of nice yellow rice or Latino-inspired rice like Arroz Guisado will be the ultimate pair.
Thank you for stopping by!
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Mayonnaise In German Potato Salad
Someone may be thinking, “This isn’t German!” … but it is. It’s fashioned after the potato salad my Mutti made, and she’s from Berlin.
In northern Germany, many of the potato salads are creamy and in southern Germany, the salads have a bacon/vinegary/broth based dressing. However, this is not always the case. Some in the south use mayo, and some in the north like the bacon/vinegary ones.
Two completely different types of dressings. Both totally traditionally German!
Storing Leftover Potato Salad
Because of the mayonnaise and eggs in this salad, be sure to keep it stored in the refrigerator, until ready to serve. I recommend that you store potato salad in an airtight and moisture-proof container. It will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Can you freeze this dish?
I wouldnt recommend it. Why? Because a key ingredient of potato salad mayo does not freeze well. The other ingredients such as celery and hard boiled eggs become mushy when thawed so try to make this day of or a few days ahead.
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The Secret To Making The Best Quick And Easy Potato Salad Is On The Three Main Ingredients That Are Potatoes Mayonnaise And Vinegar
First, lets talk potato. The way to cook potatoes for a potato salad that is quick and easy is to cut the potatoes before cooking them. I peel the potatoes and cut them no bigger than one inch thick. I do this because the smaller the chunk of potato the faster it will cook. Then add my potatoes to cold water so they can cook evenly. After cooking I drain the potatoes, and never rinse I just set them aside so they can cool
Second, lets talk mayonnaise. This is the ingredient that acts as the dressing and bounds everything together. Is smooth and gives the potato salad that tangy flavor.
Last but not least is vinegar. To make potato salad taste better the best thing to use is vinegar. My first secret when it comes to using vinegar in potato salad is that instead of pouring it on top of the potatoes I put it in the water. The reason why I do this is that vinegar can be quite strong. So by doing it this way I get that acidity the recipe needs without taking away from the other ingredients.
What Potatoes Are Best For Potato Salad
When you walk into the produce section of the grocery store, its easy to get overwhelmed by the variety of potatoes. How do you know which ones are right for your recipe?
Save the yukon gold potatoes for scalloped potatoes and the red potatoes for German potato salad. For this easy potato salad recipe, grab a bag of russet potatoes.
Yes, the same potatoes youd use to make baked potatoes!
Russet potatoes are nice and starchy, which means that they will pair really well with the creamy dressing in this salad. They are a classic potato for a classic recipe!
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How Much Potato Salad Per Person
It’s safe to assume that 1 pound of potatoes will feed about 3-4 people. In this case, 2 pounds of potatoes for the potato salad yields about 6-8 servings. If you plan to feed 20 people, you will need to triple all of the ingredients. To feed 50 people, you will need about 8 batches for 100 people, about 15 batches…and so on.
How To Cook Potatoes For Potato Salad
The easiest way to cook potatoes for potato salad is to boil them. Here are two key tips for boiling potatoes success:
How long to cook your potatoes? If you cut them into 1-inch chunks like we do, they will cook from start to finish in about 25 to 30 minutes.
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Customizing Your Potato Salad: Ideas For Adding Your Own Personal Touch
This versatile dish is the perfect way to feed a crowd, with endless options for customization. Whether you prefer to keep things simple with just the basics, or like to add in your own unique touch, potato salad is sure to be a hit on any camping trip. Here are some ways you can customize your potato salad:
Choosing different types of potatoes, like red or Yukon gold.
Adding in fresh herbs and spices, such as dill, rosemary, or paprika.
Incorporating crunchy add-ins, like chopped nuts or crispy bacon.
Using different dressings and toppings, such as a creamy ranch dressing or tangy vinaigrette.
Add some protein to your potato salad by incorporating cooked eggs, shredded chicken, or canned tuna.
Give your potato salad a zesty kick by adding in some chopped onions, green peppers, or jalapeños.
Make things even easier by using a store-bought potato salad mix. Simply add your own dressing and toppings, and youre good to go!
Ingredients In Easy Potato Salad
This list is going to be pretty short, nice and easy right?
- Potatoes I used Yukon gold as theyre perfect for this recipe.
- Eggs I use hard-boiled eggs for texture and extra creaminess.
- Celery Celery is a low-calorie vegetable that offers a range of health benefits. I personally like to slice my celery very small. You can cut them as small or large as you want, but in my opinion its a must for that bit of crunchiness.
- Onion I used a medium onion. White onion works best as its mild and crunchy.
- Pickle Sweet pickle relish is what I like to use but feel free to use whichever kind if your favorite.
- Mayonnaise I love using a good organic mayonnaise. If youd like to make your own Ive included instructions how in the tips section below.
- Mustard This adds an extra kick of flavor as well as a bit of color. I usually use Dijon mustard in my recipes, but when it comes to potato salad, regular yellow mustard wins.
- Spices such as fresh dill, salt and pepper.
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What Do We Need
- Salad cream is a creamy and tangy salad condiment, primarily sold in the UK. You may be able to find it on the international aisle of larger grocery stores in the US.Here’s an affiliate link if you wanted to buy it online or, I’ve created my own simple recipe for Salad Cream if you wanted to make your own.
- White pepper – this is a must and really makes the flavour of this recipe! You don’t need a lot, about ¼ tsp is all you need.
- Potatoes – I like to use floury potatoes, as I like how the edges break down and become a little fluffy after boiling. If you prefer your potato salad to have potatoes with firmer edges, use waxy potatoes instead. You can even replace with baby new potatoes if you like (it’s fine to leave the skin on if you’re using new potatoes.
How To Make The Best Potato Salad Recipe
1) The key to making the best potato salad is to use starchy potatoes and let them get really soft, so they are partially mashed once mixed. This gives the recipe a rustic, yet thick and luxurious quality. I like to use Yukon Gold or Klondike Goldust potatoes. You can also use Russet potatoes if you like. Do not use new potatoes, because they hold their shape too well and will leave the dressing soupy.
Start the potatoes in cold water and bring them to a boil to ensure even cooking. Make sure to salt the boiling water so the salty flavor gets deep down in the potatoes.
Once the potatoes are soft, drain off the water and peel off the skins. You can leave some of the skins on if you like the added texture.
Chop the potatoes when they are soft this saves time on the peeling and chopping.
2) Next, mix all the dressing ingredients together. Use your favorite mayonnaise as the base.
I know better than to tell you what brand to useMayonnaise is an intensely personal condiment!
Here in the Carolinas, we use Dukes Mayonnaise, but mom usually uses Hellmanns. You can even go with Miracle Whip if that is your favorite.
Mix a large amount of sweet pickle relish into the dressing.
Use the good quality refrigerated relish that tastes fresh, has large chunks, and stays firm. Otherwise, the dense ultra-sweet shelved variety might overwhelm the flavor of the dressing.
If you cant find good relish, finely dice firm refrigerated sweet pickles instead.
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Quick And Easy Baked Potato Salad
If you love baked potatoes but associate them primarily with the colder winter months, this Baked Potato Salad will fill that void come summer. With reduced-fat cheddar cheese, chives, and real bacon, youll feel like youre eating a traditional baked potato in a dish thats just slightly more summer picnic-friendly. The best part? Theres no need to fire up the oven when you have a microwave handy! If requiring a gluten-free recipe, check the label of the indicated recipe ingredients to ensure they are gluten-free.
My Top Potato Salad Tip
Now for my top tip when it comes to making potato salad:
As soon as the potatoes are finished cooking, drain them and spread them onto a large baking sheet. Immediately drizzle them with apple cider vinegar and sprinkle them with several big pinches of salt.
The potatoes will soak up tons of flavor while theyre hot, so adding some extra salt and a nice amount of vinegar will make them super tangy and delicious. No bland potatoes here!
Let the potatoes soak up the vinegar and salt for a few minutes, then give them a taste. You can always add more vinegar or salt if you want!
After the potatoes are perfectly seasoned and have cooled, you can add them to the dressing along with the eggs and dill.
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What Goes Into The Recipe
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for quantities and full method
- red skinned potatoes– why? because they look pretty. If you really can’t find any, you can use a white skinned potato, but it won’t look as pretty.
- bacon– this gives such a good flavour and helps cut through the creamy mayonnaise.
- parsley- I like flat leaf Italian style parsley, if you can’t find it you can use curly parsley or you can even swap for mint, basil etc if you can’t find parsley
Easy Potato Salad Recipe
My grandmother’s easy potato salad recipe is a staple at almost every summer picnic, family cookout, and holiday celebration. Best of all, the crowd-pleasing side dish comes together with just 5 ingredients! Serve the red potato salad alongside an Easter ham, grilled burgers, or bbq chicken for a cool, creamy, and flavorful dish that’s always a hit.
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How Far Ahead Can You Make Potato Salad
Potato salad can be served right away, or refrigerated until ready to serve. It’s best served the same day it’s made, but leftovers will keep for about 3 to 4 days .
You can also boil the potatoes and fry the bacon a few days ahead. Keep them refrigerated separately and assemble the salad when ready to serve.
Potato salad does not freeze well, and we don’t recommend it.
If you are using Russets and not Yukon Gold potatoes, peel them first, then cut them into 1-inch pieces for cooking.
The bacon is entirely optional, feel free to skip it, or experiment with other ingredients. My dad likes adding minced carrots and chopped hard boiled egg to his potato salad.
The Rest Of The Ingredients
Now we have perfectly cooked and seasoned potatoes and a creamy dressing, its time to add some extra ingredients.
Potato salad is a personal process, and there are lots of opinions out there as to what makes it perfect or the best. The recipe below is our version it includes everything we love, but remember that its your potato salad, so add what you like!
Celery and Pickles The celery adds a lovely crunch and our house isnt stable without dill pickles in the refrigerator so adding them is a no-brainer for us. If you dont like pickles in potato salad leave them out .
Red Onion I love the sweetness and crunch of red onion in this. To make sure that the onion doesnt overpower the salad with raw onion flavor, I deflame the onions. Its a simple process, simply add cool water to chopped onion and set aside for 10 minutes. The time in the water takes the raw edge off the onion.
Hard-Boiled Eggs Maybe its how we were brought up or what were used to but, potato salad without eggs is missing something. Hard-boiled eggs add texture and extra creaminess.
Fresh Herbs The most common herbs are parsley and chives, but dill, cilantro, and tarragon all work well. In our recipe below, we use both dill and parsley. Experiment for yourself to see what you love. Add a tablespoon at a time then taste. Also, remember dill and tarragon are a little stronger than other herbs so add accordingly.
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How To Make Potato Salad
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Cook the potatoes: Cut the potatoes in quarters and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water until it is one inch over the top of the potatoes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, 13 to 15 minutes.
- Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl mix the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, salt and pepper, mix until smooth.
- Assemble the salad: Drain the potatoes of all the water. Once cooled enough to handle, chop the potatoes into bite size chunks. Place them in a large bowl. Gently mix in the dressing until the potatoes are coated well. Add the eggs, celery, onions, dill and toss. Garnish with more fresh dill.
- Chill before serving: Cover the salad with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours before serving
About This Potato Salad
My take on the classic American potato salad, this vegetarian recipe includes a homemade egg-free mayonnaise dressing. For a vegan version, simply use a Vegan Mayonnaise when making the dressing.
I love potatoes and so enjoy making various recipes with them. I have shared many Potato Recipes from Indian cuisine as well as world cuisine and this potato salad is a favorite as it is easy to make and tastes great.
Potatoes combine deliciously with both mayonnaise and sour cream. While I make a potato dill salad with sour cream or yogurt, I prefer making this smooth potato salad recipe with a mayonnaise dressing.
I used a batch of homemade mayonnaise to make the dressing in this recipe. However, you can use store-bought egg-free or vegan mayonnaise too. Just make sure that the mayonnaise has a good taste and flavor.
This salad works great as a main dish or as a side to your main course. I always makeSalad Recipes to go with my mains dishes as they make great sides and add to the overall nutrition and experience of the meal.
Even when serving an everyday Indian dish as the main course, I will make an international salad to go with it. For example, a beetroot salad pairs wonderfully with the main course of dal-rice or khichdi.
You just need to know your flavors and you will be able to make amazing and nutritious pairings of various dishes.
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