If I had my way, every barbecue food spread would feature a big bowl of potato salad. It’s just one of those summertime staples that I can’t live without! My mom always made potato salad as a side dish at barbecues when I was growing up, and I continued the tradition once I had my own kids. I still use my mom’s classic recipe, which never fails to receive rave reviews!
Today I’ll be sharing that tasty potato salad recipe with you, along with a couple of my own tips for making it as quick and easy as possible! I highly recommend using my fast and easy homemade mayo at least once. But, be warned, store-bought will never be the same.
My Secrets For Quicker & Easier Potato Salad
I actually used to make potato salad a bit begrudgingly, because all that boiling, peeling, and chopping took time and effort! But that was before I discovered the joys of the Instant Pot! The Instant Pot totally revolutionized the way I make potato salad, and made my life a whole lot easier!
Whenever I make potato salad these days, I cook both the potatoes and the eggs in my Instant Pot (separately, but I’m sure you “power users” out there could figure out a way to do both at once!) I just cook them using the directions listed on my Instant Pot Cheat Sheet, which you can download for free at the link below!
Related: The Most Useful Instant Pot Cheat Sheet On The Web
And I’ve recently discovered an even faster way to make “hard-boiled” eggs in the Instant Pot. It eliminates the need to peel them after cooking, so it’s a real time-saver! You can read all about my super-fast Instant Pot egg hack at the post below.
Related: The Most Brilliant Hack For Hard-Boiled Eggs Of All Time
Alright, now that you have all of my time-saving potato salad tips, let’s get to that recipe! :-)
The World’s Best Classic Potato Salad
Ingredients:
8-10 white rose or red potatoes
6 hard-boiled eggs
2 Tablespoons green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
Directions:
Boil the potatoes until they fork-tender. (You don’t want cook them too much or they won’t hold up when it’s time to stir.)
Drain the potatoes and let them sit until they are cool enough to handle. Then peel the potatoes with a small knife and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Related: This Is The Easiest Way To Peel Potatoes!
More Ideas You'll Love
Cook the eggs, either by boiling them or using my easy Instant Pot method. Let the eggs cool, then chop them up.
Thinly slice the green onions.
Add the diced potatoes, chopped eggs, sliced green onions, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to serve it.
When you’re ready to eat, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, and yellow mustard to a small bowl and stir well. Pour the mayo mixture into the large bowl and fold gently to combine. (I like to add about 1/3 of the mayo mixture at a time to make sure I add just the right amount!).
Serve and enjoy! Leftover potato salad will stay good in the fridge for a few days afterwards (that is, if you have any leftovers!)
What is your favorite summertime side dish?
Classic Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 10 white rose potatoes or red potatoes
- 6 eggs hard boiled
- 2 tablespoons green onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes until they are just soft – you don't want them to be too mushy.
- Let them cool, then peel them and cut them into bite sized pieces.
- Hard boil the eggs – I like to use this method.
- After they cool cut them into bite sized pieces.
- Chop the green onions.
- Mix the potatoes, eggs, onions, salt and pepper in a bowl. Chill in the fridge until just before you're ready to serve.
- Right before you serve the salad add the mayonnaise, sour cream and yellow mustard and mix well.
Soaking potatoes in broth while they cool make them moist without having to add too much mayo or oil
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We add chopped apple to our potato salads. Ever since we tried this we never leave the apple out! It adds a whole new dimension of flavour and texture, not to mention vitamins, fibre and juiciness.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Any ideas on how to make when you love potatoes salad but have an egg allergies?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Try adding apple instead! And/or gherkins, pickled onions, walnuts, ham…. I think you can put very nearly anything in a potato salad. My husband doesn’t like mayonnaise (believe it or not), so we have a mustardy French Dressing on our potato salad and I’ve come to really enjoy it this way.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This recipe looks delicious! http://jillee.co/2u5B8gU
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Try making “Just Egg” plant-based egg and adding an equal amount. In the dairy case at the supermarket. It’s great just scrambled with some bacon and toast for breakfast too!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is very close to the recipe my family has been head over heels about for years! I have totally fallen in love with using Yukon Gold potatoes in my salad as there is a lovely sweetness to them that is awesome. I also have always loved pimentos in my potato or macaroni salads but now, I make my own pimentos by just roasting red bell pepper under the broiler, then peel the blackened top skin as I would when roasting poblano chilies. Slice, chop the cooked red bell pepper and voila! You have wonderful, inexpensive pimentos and they taste great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is almost the recipe I make. I also add celery & olives. Never tried the sour cream, will have to give that a try. Also, the onion & celery are finely chopped because I, too, don’t like big crunchy bits.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great post thanks for sharing
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The Pink Pineapple
New post:http://thepinkpineappleblog.blogspot.com/
My potato salad is more of a salad….diced onion, diced celery, finely shredded carrot, sweet pickle relish, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, finely chopped hard boiled egg, all mixed with the cubed potatoes and real mayo. I also sprinkle in Mrs Dash Italian seasoning and a very little salt Make it nite before so flavors mingle. It’s nice and crunchy, lots of flavor, and requested Summer after Summer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ever try soaking your potatoes in a bit of Italian dressing while they cool?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds a bit like the ind my Mom made and now I make, except, no sour cream but add some sweet pickle juice.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mix all the ingredients together and taste. After I add to the taters I let it set for an hour or more in the fridge and mix it than taste it -yummy!
Thanks for all of your daily ideas great info!
Nope! Sorry it isn’t! Mine is!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It’s mine but they forgot bacon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.LOL, that’s cute. :)
What’s your recipe?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Looks good, but nothing unusual. Needs more herbs and garlic salt.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks I was looking for a lower salt recipe which this is. Love the idea of 1/2 sour cream 1/2 mayo. That cuts the salt in the mayo. Thank you so much I am trying this today.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Whenever there is a picnic or any gathering of family and/or friends or a fund raising dinner I am always asked to make potato salad, usually 5 to 10 pounds of it. But my recipe is quite different. I make yellow potato salad, not white. But it is not too tart. I use Miracle Whip, mustard, salt and pepper, a little celery salt, a bit of white vinegar and/or sweet pickle juice and a bit of sugar in the dressing. But it is not tart! I add and mix and taste til I get it right. Lol! I DO let the potatoes cook until they are just past the firm stage as we prefer more of a mashed potato salad. In addition to the potatoes and eggs I add a large yellow onion, chopped, a stalk or two of fine diced celery, and chopped sweet pickles or pickle relish.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Should have added that I mix all together including the dressing and refrigerate a few hours before serving. You need time for all the flavors to meld, for the potatoes to absorb the flavor of the dressing and other ingredients.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you say it’s a wonderful recipe, then it probably is. However, it has the same ingredients in it, that mine does, except for sour cream, plus a couple ingredients I use, that I won’t reveal here. I might try the sour cream, though because it sounds like a nice touch. Thank you for sharing this.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use this basic recipe, but add finely chopped celery, and some garlic powder. Enjoy your daily ideas.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.FINALLY! A good recipe!! I can’t wait to make it. I can’t stand “crunchy” stuff in the potato salad like pickles and celery, this will be perfect once I remove the onion. Thanks!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This looks divine can’t wait to try it!
Alexis||https://lidsandtricks.com/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds very good. Similar to my mother’s recipe except we add chopped dill pickle or dill relish, not sweet relish. We sprinkle paprika on top before serving.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Sounds perfect to me, I’m going to make this today! We like a touch of spicy, so I sometimes add a small spoonful of red pepper/onion salsa to my PS, but not this time! Thanks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That can’t be the world’s best potato salad – you forgot the CELERY and a tsp of sugar (or Stevia!) I like to add about 3 tbsp of chopped sweet pickles, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The sour cream makes it extra rich and creamy. Thanks for sharing.
My mother made hers with with the following ingredients and it was to-die-for! My daughter & I have carried on the tradition of making her potato salad for special & holiday dinners and it is always requested. I make this from scratch and don’t really measure it so quantities are estimated. The only thing I have changed is to add bacon on top of the dish.
1 large chopped red onion
2-3 celery stalks, chopped or celery seed
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large jar pimentos, sliced or diced
About ½ cup pickle relish (or more to taste)
About 1/4 cup. Mustard
About ½ to 1 cup mayonnaise (see NOTE below)
3-4 boiled eggs, sliced (or more, depending on how many you like)
Paprika
½ pkg. bacon, cooked and crumbled
About 3 pounds potatoes
In a large bowl, mix first 5 ingredients. Set aside. Cut up potatoes and bring to a boil. Boil EXACTLY 10 minutes (set your timer so they don’t overcook or you will have mashed potato salad). Potatoes should be slightly firm. Drain potatoes and replace on burner and cook out remaining water (just a few minutes, don’t let potatoes burn). Mix potatoes with first 5 ingredients. Add mustard and mayonnaise together & mix. Make sure you don’t add too much mustard or your potato salad will be too tart. You may have to adjust mayonnaise. You should be able to easily pour everything into a dish and the mixture should be only slightly yellow (or you have too much mustard in it). Add sliced eggs to the top. Sprinkle paprika on top. Top with real bacon and refrigerate until serving time.
NOTE: Use a good quality mayo not Miracle Whip for this recipe – the pickle relish makes it sweet enough and Miracle Whip completely throws off the flavor.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did not know that about Miraclw Whip, we are not a “mayonnaise” family. That is exactly what I would have used, Thanks!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My dad made wonderful potato salad, his tip was to cook the potatoes the day before, let them cool, then refrigerate till needed, I add a tin of drained sweet corn and a small amount of finely chopped red onion.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes I love potato salad. All potato salads! They just don’t make a bad one. Your recipe is pretty much how I make mine except I use left over potatoes from the previous meal – saves the step of cooking more potatoes. I usually add a few radish slices, they add colour & flavor. One difference is I like to make it a few hours or the day before we need it as I think the flavour just gets better and better. Potato salad is so versatile: you can make any amount and any time of the year (think with cold turkey leftovers); and it’s great for packing in your lunch or a late night snack.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use the same ingredients but use cooked sliced green beans instead of potatoes. My mother made this every summer when we picked green beans from the garden.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This sounds delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I agree with Marilyn. My mom also adds just a dab of pickle relish and celery. I’m not sure about the vinegar.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This sounds delicious! How much does it make?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks!
About 4-6 servings :-)
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