Homemade Potato Salad with Egg

Learn how to make homemade potato salad with egg, pickles, celery and onions tossed in a tasty dressing – An easy summer side dish all will enjoy.

Potato salad with mayonnaise and red onion,

A summer party or barbecue isn’t complete without a delicious side of homemade potato salad. When it’s as simple and quick to prepare as this it’s a no brainer for entertaining or family lunch.

This flavorful potato salad is made using simple ingredients – potatoes, hard boiled eggs, red onion, celery, green onions and pickles coated in a dressing of sour cream, mayonnaise, and a touch of mustard. It’s a delicious summer side dish you’ll use again and again.

Why This Recipe Works

Using firm textured potatoes that hold their shape after cooking keeps the potato salad from turning mushy.
Pickles add an unexpected sweet and sour element that makes this dish.
Drizzling the potatoes with a mixture of vinegar and mustard while they are still warm helps them to easily absorb the mixture adding a ton a flavor.
Green, celery and red onions, add texture and a pungent spike that’s truly delicious.
Hard boiled eggs, add a rich, creamy, unforgettable flavor.

So many potato salads are mushy and bland. With this recipe, you’ll make perfect American-style potato every time that’s packed full of flavor.

What Potatoes For Potato Salad

The best potatoes for potato salad are firm textured potatoes like Yukon Gold, Russets or red potatoes as they stay firm longer after they’ve been cooked. If you’re using thin-skinned potatoes, you can leave them with skins to save the time of peeling.

A pile of raw, unpeeled potatoes with a white background

When buying potatoes make sure they are firm and free of bruises and blemishes. Avoid buying potatoes that appear damp or slimy.

Ingredient Notes

potatoes, hard boiled eggs, pickles, and onions

Potatoes – I used Yukon gold potatoes, but you can use Russets, red potatoes or baby potatoes with their skins for an easy option
Hard Boiled Eggs – Use peeled, cold hard boiled eggs. Any size will do.
Pickles – You can use what ever pickles you like best. I’ve used dill, garlic, sweet and spicy. There’s no wrong option.
Onions – Red onions are best when served raw as they are sweeter, but white onions work too. That said, if raw onions aren’t your thing, you can always leave them out.
Mayonnaise – Full fat or light mayo will work fine for this recipe. Use whatever you like best. Just be sure to add it after the potatoes have cooled.
Sour Cream – Full fat or light sour cream are both good options.
Vinegar – I use white vinegar, but red, or apple cider vinegar work too.
Herbs – I use fresh parsley and green onions, but have also used dill or even a touch of fresh mint.

How To Make Homemade Potato Salad

Cook the potatoes.
Drain the potatoes thoroughly and allow to dry.
Drizzle the warm potatoes with vinegar and mustard and allow to cool.
Make the dressing in a small bowl.
Add the dressing and remaining ingredients to the cold potatoes and toss to combine.
Chill and serve cold.

Step By Step Instructions

Place potatoes in large pot with salted cold water. Just covering the potatoes by no more than an inch.

Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Test for doneness with a fork.

a fork testing to see if a potato is cooked

Drain potatoes thoroughly, then add them back to the hot pot to dry completely.

Drizzle the vinegar over the warm potatoes and toss gently until evenly coated.

Transfer the dressed potatoes to a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.

cooked potatoes in a bowl dressed with vinegar

Mix the mustard with the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery salt and pepper.

Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator add the mayonnaise mixture and remaining ingredients.

potatos, celery. pickels, eggs, onions and celery in a bowl

Gently mix with the cooled potatoes, taste and add more salt as needed. Cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes before serving.

potato salad in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon next to it and salt and pepper in the background

Tips For Perfect Potato Salad

For an easy option, use halved baby potatoes with their skins on.
Start cooking your potatoes in cold water, then bring them to a boil. This helps potatoes cook evenly.
Salt the cooking water well. The potatoes will absorb the water as they cook. If your water doesn’t have any flavor, neither will your potatoes.
Make sure not to overcook the potatoes or your salad can turn out mushy. When cooking, be sure to keep the water at a gentle simmer and not a rapid boil.
Use a fork (not a knife) to check for doneness. A fork should easily pierce the potato with a hint of resistance. A knife blade is sharp and will slip into the potato even if it is not fully cooked.
Let potatoes, drain well and allow the water to evaporate before drizzling with the vinegar mixture. This will help avoid soggy potatoes. You want them to be warm, but dry for this step. Let them dry completely in a single layer on a baking sheet. The water will escape, giving the dressing a better chance to coat to the warm potatoes.
Be sure not to skip dressing the potatoes with the vinegar and mustard while they are still warm, this will allow the potatoes to absorb all that flavor right through the potato.
Don’t add the mayonnaise or sour cream until the potatoes are cooled.
To avoid watery potatoes during cooling, place a kitchen towel under the lid of the bowl to absorb the condensation as they cool instead of falling into the potatoes.
Don’t have vinegar? Use the pickle juice from your pickles in its place.
Let the potato salad chill – It may be tempting to mix your potato and dig right in, but it is best to give the flavors at least an hour to develop and come together.

Storing and Food Safety for Warmer Weather

The potato salad can be kept in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.
To prevent rapidly growing bacteria from forming, food shouldn’t be unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours or limit the time to one hour if the outdoor temperature is higher than 90° F.

Other Salads You’ll Love

FAQs

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad?

It’s better to use cut potatoes as large, whole potatoes won’t cook evenly. Cut your potatoes into equal sized small pieces for quicker, even cooking.

Why does my potato salad get watery?

Watery potato salad can be a result of not draining the potatoes fully before using them in your salad or from condensation forming while stored. Try storing with a paper towel under the lid to absorb

potato salad in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon next to it.

Let’s Make
Homemade Potato Salad

Creamy potato salad full of zesty flavor made with pickles, celery, red and green onions, and hard boiled eggs.

Prep20 minutes

Cook10 minutes

Total1 hour 30 minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Place potatoes in large pot with salted cold water covering the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain potatoes thoroughly, then add them back into the hot pot to dry completely. Drizzle the vinegar over the warm potatoes and toss gently until evenly coated.
Transfer the dressed potatoes to a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
Mix the mustard with the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery salt and pepper.
Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator add the mayonnaise mixture and remaining ingredients. Gently mix with the cooled potatoes, taste and add more salt as needed. Cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.

Tips + Notes

Start cooking your potatoes in cold water, then bring them to a boil. This helps potatoes cook evenly.
Salt the cooking water well. The potatoes will absorb the water as they cook. If your water doesn’t have any flavor, neither will your potatoes.
Make sure not to overcook the potatoes or your salad can turn out mushy. When cooking, be sure to keep the water at a gentle simmer and not a rapid boil.
Use a fork (not a knife) to check for doneness. A fork should easily pierce the potato with a hint of resistance. A knife blade is sharp and will slip into the potato even if it is not fully cooked.
Let potatoes, drain well and allow the water to evaporate before drizzling with the vinegar mixture. This will help avoid soggy potatoes. You want them to be warm, but dry for this step. Let them dry completely in a single layer on a baking sheet. The water will escape, giving the dressing a better chance to coat to the warm potatoes.
Be sure not to skip dressing the potatoes with the vinegar and mustard while they are still warm, this will allow the potatoes to absorb all that flavor right through the potato.
Don’t add the mayonnaise or sour cream until the potatoes are chilled.
To avoid watery potatoes during cooling, place a kitchen towel under the lid of the bowl to absorb the condensation as they cool instead of falling into the potatoes.

Nutrition Information:

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Course:Salad, side dishes

Cuisine:American

Keyword:Homemade Potato Salad, potato salad recipe, potatoes salad with egg

Homemade Potato Salad with Egg

Why This Recipe Works

What Potatoes For Potato Salad

Ingredient Notes