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 Potato Salad Recipe
Every summer I turn to this creamy potato salad recipe for cookouts, weeknight dinners or picnics. Its got everything I want in a potato salad and its always a crowd favorite!
It does require a few steps , but the end result is so worth it, trust me. Try it once and it may just become your easy potato salad recipe for life!
How To Make A Potato And Green Bean Salad With Feta Vinaigrette
We love a big bowl of classic potato salad, but get just as excited with this simple salad of sliced potatoes, green beans, olives and a dressing made with feta cheese and sherry vinegar. For another mayo-free potato salad, take a look at our easy herb potato salad or try our easy green bean salad with crispy shallots!
We cook the potatoes whole then let them cool slightly and slice. For the green beans, we start with fresh and cook until crisp tender. Then to make the dressing, we whisk vinegar, olive oil, mustard and the lemon juice until creamy. Add the feta cheese, stir well then season with salt and pepper.
The real trick is to wait about 15 minutes before serving. In just 15 minutes the potatoes have a chance to soak up flavor from the dressing. The wait is worth it. This is perfect served as a side, but we usually enjoy it with some protein on top. Try baked chicken breast or some roasted shrimp.
Recipe updated, originally posted June 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. Adam and Joanne
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Why Use Vinegar In Potato Salad
Potato salad will taste bland unless the potatoes are properly seasoned. Adding acid, specifically vinegar, to potato salad will help brighten up the flavor. You should layer the vinegar and add it to both the cooking water and to the cooked potatoes while they are still warm.
Pro-tip: Vinegar is especially needed if you are serving your potato salad cold! As a rule of thumb, cold foods need to be seasoned more generously than foods served warm.
How To Make Classic Potato Salad
If youre ready to fix a large bowl of this tasty potato salad, youll need to pick up a few ingredients including:
- 8 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 5 hard-boiled eggs diced or sliced
- optional, paprika for garnish
To make your potato salad, just follow our simple instructions:
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Classic Potato Salad Ingredients
The ingredients are BASIC. Ones that everyone has in their refrigerator already. If youd like to add dill feel free to do so! I use whatever I have on hand. Sometimes Ill sprinkle the salad with a bit of paprika for color, but its totally optional. And celery-everyone adds celery, but I dont care for it so I always leave it out. I wont judge you if you add a handful to your salad, but the main things youll need are as follows:
- 2 1/2 pounds of potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 onion, diced
- dill
You can add as much dill as youd like, just remember that you dont need as much dried dill as fresh. A little goes a long way.
No Mayo Potato Salad Add
Having said THAT.You can add other minced fresh herbs to the salad , such as thyme, oregano, chervil, , or sage. Use some minced red onion in addition to or instead of the copious amounts of scallions for an additional pop of color. Thinly sliced celery also makes a nice addition, adding a bit of crunch.
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How To Make Red Skin Potato Salad
Red skin potato salad is simple to make and packs tons of flavor and texture. Waxy red skin potatoes hold up better to boiling than starchy russet or Idaho potatoes, so they are also stress-free to prepare!
Traditional Potato Salad Recipe With Bacon
This Traditional Potato Salad recipe with Bacon is an American classic guaranteed to be devoured at any summer cookout. You’ll love this recipe because it’s quick and easy and can be made hours ahead of time! Just reserve the crispy bacon until right before serving. This will keep it crispy on top!
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What Type Of Potato Is Best For Potato Salad
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.
Potato Salad With Egg
The last potato salad that I had at a friends cookout was made without hard-boiled eggs.
Ive found that I just really love the flavor and texture that the eggs add to potato salad recipes. In my opinion, eggs are a must! I also use them in my Amish potato salad.
Do you like your potato salad with egg? Inquiring minds want to know. Let me know in the comments below! 🙂
The one ingredient that my moms classic potato salad recipe did not include is the celery seed.
Ive found that I absolutely love the extra flavor that celery seed adds to the recipe and I never leave them out. Another recipe that I always add celery seed to is my perfect > restaurant-style coleslaw. If youre looking for a fast and easy coleslaw recipe, dont miss it!
Its spring here in Ohio, but its been far too cold to consider having a cookout. Just leave it to our crazy Ohio weather to mess with my grilling plans!
You can bet that the first warm day we get Ill be firing up the grill, making some burgers and whipping up a big batch of this classic potato salad recipe for my family to enjoy.
Im really in my happy place during the summer on those lazy Saturdays when I can relax in the backyard with my friends and family.
RELATED: Looking for another delicious summertime side dish? We also have the BEST sweet macaroni salad and a wonderful cold spaghetti salad!
My simple three bean salad recipe is also a great choice.
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More Easy Salad Recipes
- This Lemony Chicken Breast Recipe with Feta and Cucumber Salad it is quick to make and is perfect for weeknight meals.
- Easy Chickpea Salad with Lemon and Dill the salad comes together quickly and it made with fresh lemon, fresh dill, crisp cucumber and tomatoes.
- This delicious and Easy Potato Salad Recipe is mayonnaise free and has lots of fresh herbs.
- Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe with a tzatziki-inspired dressing made with Greek yogurt, vinegar, fresh lemon, garlic, and dill. Its light, refreshing and less than 30 calories per serving!
Recipe updated, originally posted June 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. Adam and Joanne
Heat Of The Summer Potato Salad Recipe Summer Potato
Both make the dressing extra creamy. Making mayonnaise doesnt have to turn into an endurance test.
Mayonnaisefree potato and egg salad recipe pete and. Step 1 wash the potatoes and boil the eggs.
This oil and vinegar potato salad isnt made with any eggs. Combine remaining ingredients in large covered container and place in refrigerator while potatoes are cooling.
Easy herb potato salad potatosalad how to make herb. To make a potato salad without hard boiled eggs, simply leave them out no other recipe changes necessary.
Easy egg salad recipe in 2020 egg salad recipe best. Every 4th of july she would make this potato salad for around 30 to 40 people.
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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
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For more vegetarian recipes, check out the category: Mediterranean Vegetables & Fruits
Also check the recipes below:
This recipe is included in the challenge: 7 Vegetarian Side-dishes for a Stress-free Party
If you are making this potato salad mayonnaise, leave your comment below I would like to hear from you. You can find more delicious ideas if you FOLLOW ME on , , and or sign up to my newsletter.
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How To Make An Easy Potato Salad Recipe From Scratch:
This fast and easy potato salad only requires 5 simple ingredients, as well as salt and pepper. It’s a perfect make-ahead side dish for entertaining, or for casual cookouts at home. I’ve served it with everything from an Easter ham to a grilled burger!
Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise
- Sour cream
Which potatoes are best for salad?
With so many different varieties of potatoes available at the market, it can be confusing to know which potatoes will work best in a creamy potato salad recipe. I’ve shown red potatoes here, but Yukon Gold potatoes or other waxy potatoes will also work well. These potatoes hold their shape when cooked and keep their firm texture in the salad when you chop them up and toss them with dressing. You’ll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.
Step 1: Boil the Potatoes
First, bring a pot of salted water and the unpeeled potatoes to a boil. Cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender .
Step 2: Peel and Cube the Potatoes
Once they’re cool enough to handle, peel and dice the potatoes.
Step 3: Add the Remaining Ingredients
Place the potatoes in a large bowl, and then stir in the celery, green onion, mayonnaise and sour cream. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper, too!
Step 4: Chill
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.
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Easy Simple Classic Potato Salad
Potatoes, celery and onions tossed in a classic mayo dressing simple ingredients make the best recipes!
If you google potato salad on the internet you will quickly discover that there are several ways this recipe can be made. It all depends on who you ask and what part of the country they were raised in. A majority of them, I have found, include eggs. And a good majority have bacon.
What surprised me though was how many of them had pickles or sweet pickle relish.
This is my moms classic potato salad recipe. I watched her make it a hundred times. There are no hard boiled eggs, there is no bacon, there are no pickles.
What is there? Potatoes.
Sometimes simple and classic are where its at.
She and I differ a little bit in HOW the potato salad gets made though .
Potato Salad Recipe Variations:
There are so many ways to customize this potato salad recipe, so feel free to experiment and see what you love most! For example, you could
- Add bacon: I will always be down for a potato salad with bacon stirred in.
- Add fresh herbs: Feel free to also mix any fresh herbs you might love chives, dill, parsley, basil, thyme, etc. into this potato salad.
- Add extra pickles: If you really love pickles, feel free to add in extra pickle juice and/or any other pickles you love!
- Omit the pickle relish: If you dont love pickles, just omit them entirely.
- Omit the mayo: If mayos not your fave, feel free to use full-fat plain Greek yogurt instead.
- Use different potatoes: Everyone has a different opinion about the best potatoes for potato salad! I say use whichever you love Yukon Golds, Russets, red potatoes all will work here. 🙂
- Use baked potatoes: Happen to have leftover baked potatoes on hand? Chop them up and add them in to make this a baked potato salad!
- Use different vinegar: If you dont love apple cider vinegar, feel free to swap in white vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.
- Use different mustard: If you dont love Dijon mustard, feel free to swap in regular yellow mustard or your favorite spicy mustard instead.
- Make it vegan: Just swap in your favorite vegan mayo to make this a vegan potato salad recipe.
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How To Make Potato Salad:
1. Boil the potatoes. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel potatoes, if desired, and cut them into 1 inch chunks.
2. Make the dressing. Add egg yolks, mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper, to a bowl and mix together.
3. Mix dressing and potatoes.
4. Add egg whites, celery, onion, and pickles.
5. Stir well and refrigerate.
What The Kids Can Do
Kids can use an age appropriate knife to slice the scallions, and chop the parsley. They can also help measure and mix up the dressing. Also if you want to cook the potatoes in halves rather than small pieces, once the potatoes have cooled, the kids can cut them up with a knife, now that they are soft.
Leave out the white wine if you are concerned about the very small amount of alcohol for the kids. Ive always been preoccupied with other things to worry about.
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How Much Potato Salad Per Person
The exact amount of potato salad needed to serve a crowd will depend on various factors such as how many other sides you are serving and your guests appetites.
As a general guideline, you can assume each person will eat ½ cup or 4 ounces of potato salad.
- 4 people 2 cups or 1 pound
- 8 people 4 cups or 2 pounds
- 10 people 5 cups or 2 ½ pounds
- 12 people 6 cups or 3 pounds