The Best Potato Salad Ever
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Hands down the best potato salad! A classic cookout side dish that you can make ahead of time. Creamy, tangy, and an absolute crowd-pleaser.
Why you’ll love this potato salad
- So much better than store-bought. Homemade potato salad allows full control over all the ingredients, mastering the perfect texture and customizing all the add-ins (as well as the tang!). It’s also much more economical to make it right at home.
- A crowd-favorite side dish. Who doesn’t love a good classic potato salad? Filled with all sorts of creamy-tangy-potato-y-goodness with the freshest herbs and jammy eggs, this potato salad will knock your socks off (as well as your guests). It’s perfect for summer cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and all the get-togethers this season.
- Make-ahead friendly. Potato salad can be made up to 2 days in advance, tasting even better as it sits, really letting the flavors meld and giving the potatoes a chance to absorb the flavorful dressing.
- Incredibly flexible recipe. This is a flexible, forgiving recipe, swapping out various ingredients and making substitutions as needed. For example, want to skip the soft boiled eggs? Hard boiled eggs is an easy swap!
What are the best potatoes to use?
- Red potatoes (waxy): Red potatoes are a waxy variety, meaning they have less starch and a higher moisture content. They hold their shape up well, staying firm when boiled and tossed with heavy ingredients like mayonnaise.
- Yukon gold (semi-waxy): Yukon golds are another favorited option for potato salad. They maintain their shape very well without falling apart and have a naturally rich, buttery flavor. And because their skin is very thin, they don’t require peeling.
- Russet potatoes (starchy): These potatoes are ideal for a softer, creamier texture. Russets are highly starchy, and although they can absorb dressings, they will break down slightly when mixed.
how to make a potato salad
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water, adding 1-2 tsp of salt. Simmer the potatoes until fork-tender.
- Drain and season. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and stir in a splash of vinegar. Let the potatoes cool before tossing with the dressing.
- Make the dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Combine. Add the celery, capers, parsley, dill, green onions and cooked potatoes, gently folding in until the potatoes are evenly coated.
- Cover and chill. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (up to 2 days) to let the flavors marry.
- Serve. Top with soft-boiled eggs just before serving.
more favorited cookout side dishes
Tools For This Recipe
The Best Potato Salad Ever: Frequently Asked Questions
This depends on the potato (and personal preference). For thin-skinned varieties such as red potatoes and Yukon golds, you can skip peeling to save time and to add texture. But russet potatoes are generally peeled due to their thick, tough skins.
This will ensure that the potatoes will cook evenly from the center out. If the potatoes are added to boiling water, the exterior will cook through too quickly while the inside will stay raw.
Absolutely! Season the potatoes when boiling, generously salting the water, and stir in a splash of apple cider vinegar while the potatoes are still warm.
The potatoes should be fork-tender (not overcooked) and drained thoroughly in a colander before cooling completely on a baking sheet. Never dress the potatoes while they are still warm as the hot potatoes will melt the mayonnaise, yielding an oily, greasy salad.
Yes! Potato salad tastes better as it sits overnight, really letting the flavors come together.
The potatoes will continue to absorb the dressing as it sit, pulling the moisture inside. Re-season if needed and stir in a splash of milk or a little bit of extra mayonnaise to loosen the salad just before serving.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
The Best Potato Salad Ever
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby red potatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 tablespoons capers, chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 soft boiled eggs, quartered
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with cold salted water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes; drain well.
- Place potatoes in a single layer onto a baking sheet and stir in vinegar while the potatoes are still hot; let cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, lemon juice and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Stir in celery, capers, parsley, dill, green onions and potatoes until well combined.
- Cover and chill for at least 4 hours to 2 days.
- Serve, topped with eggs.
Equipment
Notes
- Cut in uniform pieces. Cut the potatoes into similar-sized pieces to ensure that they all cook through at the same time (and for a consistent bite in the final dish). If the potatoes vary in size, the smaller chunks will turn to mush while the larger chunks become tender.
- Start in cold water. Never drop the potatoes in boiling water. Instead, add the potatoes to a pot first, then add cold salted water. This will ensure evenly cooked and seasoned potatoes from the inside out.
- Avoid overcooking the potatoes. The potatoes should be fork-tender but still hold their shape. Overcooked potatoes will turn to mush when mixed with the dressing.
- Add vinegar while warm. Drain the hot potatoes and spread them on a baking sheet, gently tossing with a splash of apple cider vinegar. The warm potatoes will absorb the tangy acid, adding more robust flavors to balance the rich, creamy dressing.
- Let it rest. Potato salad tastes better the longer it sits! Let it sit for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight to really let the flavors meld and intensify.
- Freshen the dressing. Potatoes tend to absorb a lot of liquid the longer it sits. If the potato salad looks a bit dry the next day, stir in a little bit of milk or mayonnaise to bring the creaminess back.
- Add the eggs just before serving. Whether it’s soft boiled or hard boiled eggs, cook and add the eggs to the salad right before serving to maintain their texture and shape.
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