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Homemade potato salad is the ultimate side dish. This traditional recipe makes a Southern-style salad, with eggs, chunky potatoes, creamy sauce, and tons of flavor!
Classic Potato Salad Recipe
I don’t know about you, but for me, nothing says summer like potato salad. I don’t care if we are having barbecue chicken, grilled burgers, or simple sloppy joes. Whether it’s just a family dinner night or a neighborhood potluck. Potato salad completes any summer meal. It’s a dish that everyone simply loves.
I remember my grandma’s traditional potato salad, it was seriously the best. I thought I would never be able to live up to her’s. It can be tricky to make a delicious tasting, homemade potato salad. Because of this, I know lots of people who opt for the store-bought version. But with this recipe, you’ll be whipping up potato salad from scratch and feeling like a pro!
Potato salad is a classic summer side dish that goes great with any meal. This potato salad recipe is easy and delicious, with a creamy sauce, crunchy celery, and the perfectly softened potatoes. It’s a summer side salad that everyone will love at your next potluck or family barbeque.
Why We Love This Southern Potato Salad Recipe
- Classic recipe
- Tons of add in options (or leave out!)
- Southern style recipe
- Great dish when serving a crowd
- Perfect easy side dish for a barbecue or dinner
- Easy to make
Ingredients / Shopping List
- Yukon Gold or red potatoes – we love using Yukon potatoes! They are easy to peel, tend to cook creamier and are a little bit sweeter.
- Kosher salt
- Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- Celery – If you want to keep the crunchy feature of the celery, but your family doesn’t care for celery, then omit the celery and add chopped dill pickles instead. If doing this you will want to add less of the pickle relish or omit it completely.
- Eggs
- Miracle Whip or mayonnaise or a half and half combination – Note, Miracle Whip will give a slightly sweeter taste.
- Pickle relish (Optional to leave out if you prefer)
- Yellow mustard or dijon
- Onion – I love adding red onion to my potato salad. It adds some nice color. Yellow onion was used in this recipe. Soaking the onion in water helps to make the onion slightly milder, which would definitely be helpful for a red onion. However, this step is totally optional, depending on your taste preference.
- Fresh dill
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make the Best Potato Salad Recipe
This potato salad is super easy to make and I promise you won’t want to buy grocery store potato salad ever again!
Place unpeeled potatoes in a pan. Cover with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 20-25 minutes.
Drain potatoes, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and allow to cool for 20 to 25 minutes.
For the dressing, combine Miracle Whip, pickle relish, yellow mustard, onion, fresh dill, salt, and pepper.
PRO-TIP: You can use regular mayo in place of the Miracle Whip, but I honestly think the Miracle Whip is what makes this recipe special! It gives it a unique sweet and creamy flavor! It’s our secret ingredient!
Mix everything together until it’s creamy. Set aside.
Peel potatoes and coarsely chop them. Add celery and eggs.
PRO-TIP: Some people will skip peeling the potatoes – totally up to you.
Add the dressing and stir well, but gently! Refrigerate. It is best to make this well ahead of time, even if it’s a day or two before.
PRO-TIP: Potato salad will stay good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator and it is better the longer it gets to sit in the dressing. So feel free to make this ahead of time and save yourself the hassle of making it right before you need to serve it! I promise it will taste even better!
How to Store Potato Salad
In the fridge: The best way to store your potato salad is to refrigerate it in an airtight container. I recommend doing this with any leftover potato salad, as well as in between servings to keep it nice and fresh. As stated above, it’s best to make ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for a day. Properly stored, homemade potato salad will last for 3 to 5 days.
In the freezer: You could freeze leftover potato salad to extend the shelf life, although I do not recommend this. The ingredients like mayo and celery do not freeze well. The mayonnaise may separate when it thaws out and the celery tends to get mushy.
When preparing for your next barbeque, you have to make this delicious potato salad recipe. This is an easy to make classic summer side dish that will compliment any meal. Potato salad is always a fan favorite with its creamy sauce and perfect crunch. It’s a side dish that’s always sure to hit the spot.
Other Easy Side Dishes
The Best Chicken Salad | KFC Coleslaw (Copycat) | Broccoli Slaw | Caprese Skewers | The Best Air Fryer French Fries | Easy Cucumber Salad | Twice Baked Potato Casserole | Funeral Potatoes
Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Golden or red potatoes (do not peel before boiling)
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 celery stalks chopped (about ¾ cups)
- 6 eggs hard boiled, chopped
- 2 cups Miracle Whip or mayonnaise or a half and half combination
- ½ cup pickle relish
- 1½ tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Paprika optional (sprinkled on top)
Instructions
- Place unpeeled potatoes in a pan. Cover with cold water, add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Drain potatoes, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and allow to cool for 20 to 25 minutes.
- While the potatoes are cooling, chop the celery, prepare the hard boiled eggs, and make the dressing.
- For the dressing, combine Miracle Whip, pickle relish, yellow mustard, onion, fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Mix until creamy. Set aside.
- Peel potatoes and coarsely chop. Add celery, eggs, and dressing. Stir well but gently. Refrigerate. It is best to make this well ahead of time, even if it is the day before.
Notes
- In the fridge: The best way to store your potato salad is to refrigerate it in an airtight container. I recommend doing this with any leftover potato salad, as well as in between servings to keep it nice and fresh. As stated above, it’s best to make ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge for a day. Properly stored, homemade potato salad will last for 3 to 5 days.
- In the freezer: You could freeze leftover potato salad to extend the shelf life, although I do not recommend this. The ingredients like mayo and celery do not freeze well. The mayonnaise may separate when it thaws out and the celery tends to get mushy.
- If using only mayonnaise, add 1 tablespoon vinegar
- If using a half and half combination, add 3/4 teaspoon vinegar
- Before chopping, soak peeled onion in cold water for 10 minutes to take away sharpness, if desired.
- Golden or red potatoes are best because they are less starchy. Boiling them with the skins on makes peeling them easier and also keeps them from becoming mushy.
- My family preferred the Miracle Whip, but others will love using mayonnaise instead. Either way, the salad turned out the same as far as creaminess. Whatever people prefer here!
- Red onion would add some nice color. Yellow onion was used in these photos. Soaking it in water helped make the onion slightly milder, which would definitely be helpful with a red onion. But this step is optional, also depending on the preference of the reader.
- If you want to keep the crunchy feature from the celery but your family does not like celery, then omit the celery and add chopped dill pickles. But then add either less relish or omit it.
- For easier peeling of the potatoes, use a sharp paring knife to gently peel the skin from the warm potatoes. If your potatoes cool completely then the skin doesn’t come off as smoothly and you can end up mushing your potatoes. Additionally, do not use a potato peeler on your warm potatoes because it will break apart your potatoes a lot as you peel them.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition information is an estimate. Please utilize your own brand information to double check against our estimates.
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