This All-American potato salad is the ultimate recipe that will have everyone coming back for another serving! When you think about summertime side dishes, potato salad is one essential item that always makes it on the table.
There are so many recipes and types of varieties of this comforting dish. For me, I like the classic potato salad, especially when serving barbecued food. The creaminess of the russet potatoes combined with traditional ingredients and seasonings found in your pantry makes this dish easy to prepare.
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This potato salad recipe is so tasty that I used it as a base to make a healthier creamy potato salad with yogurt. No matter what variation you try, using this basic potato cooking technique will give you delicious results every time!
When researching cooking techniques for making a creamy potato salad, there was an abundance of options. I found a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated that seemed approachable with just the right combination of ingredients for an All-American potato salad. I decided to give it a try with some minor tweaks.
How to make potato salad
A guideline for the key steps to ensure the most tender potatoes and flavorful potato salad!
- Potato Selection: Russet potatoes are the root vegetable of choice because they have a more “mealy” texture. So when the potatoes cook, you can sense a more crumbly and starchy texture that adds to the creaminess of the potato salad.
- Cooking the Potatoes: Start cooking in cold salted water, brought to a boil then simmered, not added to boiling water! This process allows the flavor of the salt to be absorbed into the potatoes and an evenly cooked texture. Don’t overcook otherwise they may fall apart completely when mixed. I always check a few times to make sure the chunks of potato are fork-tender for doneness.
- Add Vinegar: When the potatoes are warm is the best time to infuse flavors into the spuds. Toss in two tablespoons of vinegar right after cooking, stir and allow to sit for 20 minutes. The vinegar slowly absorbs into each piece, giving some tartness with each bite to compliment the creaminess of the dressing. With layers of flavors built into the salad, there will be no bland spoonfuls!
- Potato Salad Ingredients: To make an All-American potato salad you want to select elements that are a balance of creaminess, tangy, sweet and crunchy. I used eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, dill pickle relish, red onion and celery in the salad. To enhance the flavors, salt, pepper and onion powder is used for seasoning.
This All-American potato salad recipe incorporates additional ingredients to provide extra texture, flavor, and lusciousness. A bit of mayonnaise goes a long way, plus mustard, chopped celery, relish for sweetness and chopped red onion for a bite and crunch.
This recipe also calls for chopped hard boiled eggs, which adds some extra creaminess. It’s the perfect base recipe for potato salad that everyone will love. Feel free to add any additional ingredients you like!
When I was growing up my uncle, Brian made the yummiest Hawaiian inspired potato salad for our summer barbecues. He would use a very similar potato salad recipe, but he added some chopped ham, pineapple, and Fuji apples.
Don’t be afraid to play around to find what your favorite combination is! I have been serving this All-American potato salad this summer with some of my favorite barbecue recipes. What do you like to add to your potato salad? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments section!
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If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #jessicagavin on Instagram. I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Always start cooking your potatoes in cold water!
My Chef Instructor in culinary school always made sure that when we prepared any potatoes, the water was cold and salted. This process helps provide flavor absorption into the bland spuds and a better consistency of texture. Potatoes should be started in cold water then gradually brought to a boil, then simmer to finish cooking. This helps to prevent the outside from cooking too fast and the interior taking longer to cook. This is important for when you want to retain the chunks of potato. Although for mashed potatoes this step becomes less necessary.
All-American Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for cooking potatoes
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1/2 cup celery, 1/8-inch dice
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup dill pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons red onions, 1/8-inch dice
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 hard boiled eggs, diced into 1/4"cubes
Instructions
- Dice potatoes and immediately place them in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch.
- Boil water over medium-high heat.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer. Stir a few times, until potatoes are fork tender, about 8 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and transfer back to the pot.
- Add vinegar. Using a rubber spatula, toss gently to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes, the potatoes will still be warm.
- In a medium-sized bowl, gently stir together potatoes, celery, mayonnaise, relish, onion, parsley, mustard, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, onion powder and chopped eggs. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour before serving. Garnish with more parsley, celery, and onion if desired.
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This recipe was easy and super delicious. I had a couple of unused baked potatoes and used these (cheated) instead of cooking potatoes as per the recipe. The salad still came out tasting great. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe my family and I enjoyed!!!
Great idea Nancy! Any shortcuts you can use, the better 🙂 So happy to hear that everyone enjoyed the recipe!
This was a really good and simple recipe. I wasn’t sure whether the recipe called for sweet relish or dill relish, but dill sounded better. So I chopped up some good kosher dills, and it was great. I also think that some crumbled thick-sliced bacon would be a nice addition – but I was too lazy. In sum, I really liked this and will make it again.
Thank you Adam! I have used sweet relish in the past but I LOVE the idea of fresh chopped dill pickles. I’m sure the flavor and texture was even better! Bacon would definitely be a good add if you have time 🙂
Hi Jessica,
I printed this out. It is very similar to the recipe I have used for years for my moms which is our family favorite. I never knew how much mayo or mustard she put in though and always felt I overdid the mayo so I am excited to have your recipe. I’m making this today.
Have a wonderful day and thank you for another great recipe. If you have a good German potato salad recipe I’d appreciate that too. I have never had it but my husband had it years ago and still talks about how good it was.
Judy
I’m so glad that you found a recipe similar to what your mom would make for your family! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe, please let me know how it turns out. I’ll have to do some research on the flavor profiles of German potato salad, fun!
This reminds me of my mom’s famous potato salad. At least we thought it was! She added finely chopped green olives (w pimentos) and it just gives it a different delicious taste.
I’m American and was curious to see what American potato salad looked like in Australia. This is almost exactly what I make but I use chopped dill pickles instead of relish and the dill pickling liquid instead of vinegar. I really enjoy your blog and am trying lots of new (to me) Japanese recipes–thanks!
I love the idea of using dill pickles and the juice for the potato salad Kimberley! Thank you so much for following my blog and trying new recipes 🙂 If you ever have any questions, please let me know!
Hi Jessica,
This is a follow-up to my earlier post and your response. This is now my go to recipe for Potato Salad. It tastes exactly like my moms which has always been my favorite and my husband loves it too. Your recipe gave me exact measurements on the mayo and relish which is an area I always over added or under added. Following your recipe it has been perfect each time and I have made it. I’m sharing it with all my kids as well.
Thank you,
Judy
Big hit! I had Wickles Pickles on hand so I used the juice and chopped up some pickles. Trying it again today with red potatoes. Hope it’s just as good.
Great recipe. I also add red and green bell peppers for color and crispiness!
Wow Had to try this Potato Salad I usually do the one in my cook book but had to change it as I’m using it all the time, I loved it a little different to what I use to and taste great. Everyone who came to the BBQ commented on the Salad, yes I took the credit for it sorry. Will be doing this at the next BBQ,
Take all the credit friend, you deserve it!
I made this and your slaw with Greek yogurt dressing on July 4, served with hotdogs. Delicious!
Happy to hear it was a hit Alison!
Hi! How far in advance can I make this potato’s salad? I have a barbecue on Sunday but would like to make it either the Friday night or Saturday morning before. Is this too early? Thanks in advance!
You can make the potato salad up to a day in advance and store in an airtight container.
I never cut up my potato’s before cooking. I am told i make the best. When asked I always tell tell them they can’t believe I cook potatoes while and skin still on cool a little block them when cool enough to handle and go from there never mushy or over cooked. Always use russets or baking potato. Normal American recipe
This was super easy to follow. I didn’t have an onion or celery, so I swapped those out for black olives and crunchy dill pickles. Yum! Thank you!
This is my absolute favorite potato salad!! The ingredients are great, tastes amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing. My husband isn’t much of a hard boiled egg fan so I put extra in so he won’t eat any of it and I can have it all to myself! Bravo!!!!
Haha you crack me up! Maybe someday you will share with your husband 🙂