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.
I love potato salad, but the carbs are now too much for me. I read about substituting chopped cauliflower for the potatoes, tried it, and now that’s the way I always fix it. It’s delicious! I rarely fix it the same way twice, but I’ve never done it this way. Now I have another way — sounds tasty! Thank you!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Brilliant! I am so going to try this recipe with some lightly cooked cauliower. Thanks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is about the same as mine but I never thought of using sour cream…must try it!! I put the cooked egg yolk in a separate bowl, smash it with a fork, and then mix it with my Hellmans and mustard. I also add celery.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I make a similar potato salad except I add bread & butter pickle juice for a little pizazz and a little dill weed for flavor.
Good recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Way to go. I’m sure Jillee is a proud mom-in-law. You did great and I will make that potato salad! Jillee, prayers from the great state of Texas for your quick recovery! That’s alot of prayers…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Btw…Jillee hope your shoulder ordeal is better n your back 100% in no time….your in my thoughts & prayers…….you’re very fortunate to have such sweet helpful daughter in laws. Both are super bloggers too. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ooh my this sounds basically delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m planning to make some for the upcoming weekend. The best way I’ve came up with to make super easy yummy speedy in a flash dressing is simply a bottle of Marzetti coleslaw dressing…or any store brand. Add this to your pot.salad mixture n just alil bit of poppy seeds. Oh sooo creamy and Sooooo super easy!!
Just one more thought— if it is not too late–add a link for Jill’s homemade mayonnaise to the recipe links above.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Nice job Kaitlin, this sounds like a wonderfully versatile recipe base for potato salad. We all have our family “secret” ingredients. Mine must have large chunks of celery and pickle juice.
My absolute favorite side though is Cucumber Salad: thinly sliced cucumbers, thinly sliced Vidalia onion, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, some pickle juice & heavy on the dill. My Polish-Hungarian husband needs to have paprika in it too. As with any other recipe, the more homemade ingredients you can get your hands on, the better.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My potato salad is very similar, but I add a lot of celery for crunch, chopped olives, and red wine vinegar to the mayo and mustard mixture. Lots of pepper. My husband could eat it all day long (and sometimes does!).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mine is very similar except I use Miracle Whip and no sour cream. I also don’t use chopped green onion but I’m going to include that next time. Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the steamed eggs tip link and also the tip of adding the mayonnaise mixture just before serving. Great idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does anyone have a good potatoe salad recipe that does not use mayo (of any type) ? My guy dislikes (will not eat) anything using it but I like it. Help.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just use Classic French Vinaigrette, instead of mayo.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Google “German Potato Salad”. It is a vinegar base with bacon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Using Red potatoes, I cut mine up in chunks and boil until fork tender. (I cook them in chicken broth and water mixed) I bring the eggs to a boil and them cover them and let them sit for 10 minutes, after which I rinse and let the sit in cold water. Once cold, I chop them and add mayo, salt & pepper, mustard & sweet pickle relish and mix it all up. Then I mix it into the warm potatoes. Yum! Excellent for people “like me” that do not care for the dill pickles! Does anyone else like potato salad sandwiches?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I’m in a hurry and need a lot of potato salad, I go to Costco and buy their big can of potato salad.
I think it is reasonable priced.
I pour it to a big bowl and add thinly cut leek, apple, pickle, garlic, sour cream and mustard then mix. Let it stand for an hour.
It tastes like homemade and saves my time a lot.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your recipe is so similar to mine. I use a lot of mustard and put in celery and green olives. Even my mother in-law said it was good and that was something because she thought she was the best cook in the world!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ladies there is something that I discovered through a lot of salads. I found that if I peel the potatoes before cooking them and boil them with briskets in a pressure cooker for ten minutes. The salad tastes a lot better as the salt now penetrate the potatoes properly. The flavour is also a lot better.Try this
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My family’s recipe for the sauce is: mayo, vinegar, a little sugar, sandwich pickle juice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, and more mustard than this recipe calls for. I usually have my husband taste the sauce. He and I like it tangy-sweet. If I use salad dressing or MIracle Whip, I cut down on the sugar and vinegar. This has been in my family since 1948. I’ll also add dill and/or celery seed to the mix when I have it on hand or want to change it up. My husband says this is his favorite potato salad. One of my pet peeves is bland tasting potato salad.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your recipe looks absolutely delicious! I’d love to share my favourite potato salad recipe – it’s a little bit different thanks to sprinkling the hot potatoes with a bit of vinegar, giving the finished product a delightful, subtle tang. I hope you get a chance to try it and see how it stacks up against yours!
http://constantlycooking.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/the-only-potato-salad-recipe-i-need/
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So funny, everyone has their own recipe for this classic and are passionate about it. You get that no matter who you ask! Family, friends, co-workers, etc.
I am NOT a potato salad girl but my Mr loves it so I will make it if I am having a get together. I did a post for it and had to have him taste it to make sure it tasted good because I don’t know good from bad! :-)
Get well Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Haha so many variations! Here’s mine: NEVER use miracle whip , only mayo and add in dill pickles. Yum!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used to put my eggs in my mini-food processor because I detest the texture of egg whites. I was cleaning the kitchen after having potato salad one night years ago and the eggs were still in the processor. Nobody had missed them. I haven’t put eggs in potato salad since.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Looks good. I normally scrub the potatoes well, leave the skins on and cut them up first, add the eggs boil them together. Works great, especially if you’re in a hurry. I also use Miracle Whip and some dill pickles. Always good stuff. Tell Jillee, we hope she’s much better very soon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Get better soon Jillee. I make very similar potato salad using red potatoes, organic Greek yogurt, pickles and dill weed
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes Kola! This recipe is missing dill weed!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I would use 2-4 more eggs (I like a lot of eggs), Miracle Whip & dill pickles. The pickles give it a special zing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Also, get well Jillee!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We like dill pickles too. We also add just a bit of pickle juice. We do this with deviled eggs also!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Several years ago I learned that grating the eggs with the large part of a cheese grater makes potato salad extra yummy. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference. Try it and see if you agree.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m not a potato salad person, but my husbands family loves a good potato salad. Their recipe is very different from the one listed here, but their secret is to grate both the eggs and the cooked potatoes with a cheese grater. It makes a much smoother potato salad. Their family swears by it and won’t make it any other way.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good job Kaitlyn! Thanks for sharing your family recipe! I make one very similar to this only I use Miracle Whip and a little more mustard (it’s a Wisconsin thing). I’m going to have to try the sour cream, it sounds fabulous! Get well soon Jillee!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I think it’s a N.D. thing too. LOL I didn’t know anything but Miracle Whip until I left home. Although Mom used a bit of sweet pickle juice or a bit of sugar in it so I do too. We LOVE it. Never had anyone not exclaim about how good it is when I make it. We have no real recipe so I can never give when someone asks for it. How much dressing you make depends on how many potatoes and eggs you make. It’s easy to judge after you’ve done it a couple times. we put the dressing on right away. Let sit in fridge for a few hours or over night so the flavors meld. DH likes it a bit more mustard-y than I do so always have him taste the dressing before I put it on. I think he could eat it every day :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I always use a little dill pickle juice and diced dill pickles.. it just adds a little zing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.