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This is the BEST Potato Salad recipe EVER. It comes straight from Mom’s recipe box. Tender chunks of potatoes and hard boiled eggs covered in creamy dressing is tried and true and a hit at any gathering!
Featured with this recipe
- Ingredients in this Creamy Potato Salad Recipe
- Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
- Which Potatoes Are Best for Potato Salad?
- The Best Mayo
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- How to chop fresh dill weed for Potato Salad
- Reviews and Tips From Our Readers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More BBQ Side Dishes
- How to Make the Best Potato Salad Recipe
- Mom’s Best Potato Salad Recipe Recipe
In our family, we can’t imagine a family barbecue, picnic, or game day buffet without this rich and creamy homemade potato salad as a side dish. Now, I know that everyone says their mom makes the best potato salad, but in this case it’s totally true! From tender cooked potatoes, to the tangy sweetness of a special potato salad dressing, to the crunch of sweet pickles, you’ll love this easy potato salad recipe. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to that store-bought stuff again.
Ingredients in this Creamy Potato Salad Recipe
There are lots of little ingredients in this potato salad, but trust me, each one makes it better and better! Don’t like one of the ingredients? Leave it out! Here’s what we use:
- Potatoes – You can use any potatoes you like! White potatoes, Yukon gold or red, russet potatoes, etc. Anything goes! We use 5 medium sized potatoes. Personally Yukon Gold Potatoes are my favorite.
- Hard boiled eggs – you’ll need eight total. Save two eggs to use for garnish on the salad.
- Kosher salt – to taste. If you don’t have kosher or sea salt, regular table salt will work as well.
- Black pepper – to taste
- Mayonnaise – some people like the tang of Miracle Whip instead, and if that’s what you like, go ahead and use it instead of mayo.
- Sour cream – half a cup or so
- Sugar– a couple of tablespoons add a delicious sweetness.
- Yellow mustard -feel free to substitute Dijon mustard if you like that better.
- Sweet pickle relish – or diced sweet pickles. OR use 5 to 6 diced baby dill pickles, depending on your pickle preference.
- Dill weed – finely chopped. You can find it with the fresh herbs in your grocery store or use dried dill if you have that on hand.
- Paprika – optional but adds a beautiful color and flavor to the salad
- Celery -also optional but adds a delicious crunch to each bite.
- Green onion or red onion – chopped
- You can also add fresh parsley, celery seeds or other herbs to the dish for color and extra flavor.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
The beauty of this classic potato salad recipe is you can add any ingredients you like to create your own homemade potato salad. Here are some ideas for some additional add-ins:
- celery
- onion
- sliced tomato
- cucumbers
- radishes
- chives
- pimentos
- dill or sweet relish
- pickle juice
- apple cider vinegar
- Italian dressing mix
- bacon
- green peas
- olives
- garlic powder
Which Potatoes Are Best for Potato Salad?
The very best potato salad recipe begins and ends with what type of potatoes you use. We love waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes, because they hold their shape as they cook and keep their firm texture in the salad while chopping and tossing with the dressing.
However, if you don’t have any of those kinds on hand, you can use Russets. We’ve used them in this recipe many times and they work fine. They’re just a bit softer and flakier than red potatoes or Yukon Gold, but taste just as delicious.
If you love potatoes as much as we do, be sure to check out our other Potato Recipes!
The Best Mayo
For this recipe Best Food’s/Hellmann’s mayonnaise is the absolute best for the sauce. It has the perfect creamy, tangy flavor that blends deliciously with the potatoes, eggs and spices. Try it and see for yourself!
Instant Pot Potato Salad
Make things even easier on yourself and prepare your potatoes and eggs in the Instant Pot at the SAME TIME! It’s a huge time-saver and you dirty less dishes.
- Simply put the potatoes (whole) in the Instant Pot and add the eggs. Just make sure the eggs don’t touch the sides.
- Add a cup of water and then cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, slow-release for 5 minutes, then quick release.
- The egg yolks are perfectly cooked every time. No green ring around the egg yolk, which makes the extra slices nice for garnishing the top.
- Immediately put the eggs in an ice water bath for 5 minutes and allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature. Peel the skin off the potatoes (optional) and dice to use in the recipe.
We have a few picky eaters in the family (who will remain nameless) who don’t care for anything “crunchy” in their potato salad. Personally, I love adding celery and green onion for extra texture and flavor.
There’s also some debate in the family over pickles vs. dill weed. Again, the crunchy factor comes into play. However, dill weed adds such a delightful dimension to the potato salad flavor. I like to have both, but make it to your own personal preference.
How to chop fresh dill weed for Potato Salad
- First, remove the fern-like leaves and stems from the thick center stem.
- Then, use a large sharp knife to mince the dill leaves to the desired consistency.
- If you don’t have fresh dill, you can use dried, but it’s always best to use dried seasonings within six months of purchase.
- To get the best flavor from the dried dill, crush it between your hands before adding it to the salad.
Reviews and Tips From Our Readers
“This is very similar to my potato salad recipe also! I love all your recipes and the fact that y’all are home cooks that like to cook simple straightforward recipes that don’t require fussy ingredients! Thanks and I look forward to all you post!” – Lynn
“I always a little celery seed gives the celery taste without the crunch.” – Jan
“Just for something different, I tried this recipe, mostly because of the sour cream. My husband and I loved it! So nice to find a good recipe with lots of flavors, not bland at all. The recipe I have used all my life is made with bacon and it is good but this one is going in my cookbook for a nice change from the same old one.
Thanks!” – Kelli
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook the potatoes whole, either simmering on the stove or in the microwave. Then chop them into bite-size pieces.
A good rule of thumb is one teaspoon of seasoning for one cup of fresh veggies. So start with one teaspoon, taste it, and then add more as needed.
Add a little more mayo or sour cream (a little at a time) until you reach your desired consistency.
The mayonnaise. Any generic mayo will not taste as good. Best Foods (or Hellmann’s) is the only way to go!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Yes! This recipe does not contain gluten.
READ NEXT:50+ Picnic Food Ideas
More BBQ Side Dishes
Looking for more sides to round out your next picnic or party buffet? In our opinion, the more sides the better. So try a few of our favorite recipes:
How to Make the Best Potato Salad Recipe
Mom’s Best Potato Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 5 medium potatoes Yukon Gold or Russet Potatoes
- 8 eggs hard boiled (save 2 eggs to use for garnish on salad)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish or 5 to 6 diced baby dill pickles, if you don’t like it sweet
- 1 teaspoon dill weed finely chopped
- paprika optional
- celery chopped (optional)
- green onion or red onion, chopped (optional)
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, boil potatoes with peel on for about 25-30 minutes until potatoes are fork tender, but still firm. After potatoes are cooked, drain the water and allow to cool until cool enough to handle. Peel and dice into small cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Peel and dice 6 of the eggs (save 2 eggs for garnish) and place in the bowl with the potatoes. Add salt and pepper and lightly toss.
- In a small bowl, stir mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, relish, dill and any other mix-ins together. Fold mixture into the eggs and potatoes until well combined.
- Slice remaining 2 eggs and layer on top of salad. Garnish with dill weed or paprika. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6-8 hours).
Notes
- To get the best flavor from the dried dill, crush it between your hands before adding it to the salad.
- Make things even easier on yourself and prepare your potatoes and eggs in the Instant Pot at the SAME TIME! It’s a huge time-saver and you dirty less dishes.
- For this recipe Best Food’s/Hellmann’s mayonnaise is the absolute best for the sauce. It has the perfect creamy, tangy flavor that blends deliciously with the potatoes, eggs and spices. Try it and see for yourself!
I have been using your recipe, as written, for several years and this tastes WAY better than what my family makes for family events. Thank you for updating your recipe to include instant pot instructions. I have been hesitant to try eggs and potatoes in it and I am quite shocked at how perfectly cooked both the eggs and potatoes turned out. The instant pot is a time saver and only having to wash one pot…GENIUS!!
So glad it has become a favorite!! Thanks for sharing!
Love this recipe!
A few changes… I don’t add eggs, so the potato salad will last longer in the refrigerator.
Instead of the sugar I add two more tablespoons of sweet relish.
Just delicious! I use the small Yukon Gold potatoes.
and put them through the riser to make it even creamier.
I don’t add the eggs so the potato salad will last longer.
This is my new go to potato salad recipe.
Wow!!!
I have been looking for my mother-in-law’s recipe for potato salad for 30 years that I just adored. She didn’t ever write anything down because she cooked from taste, texture, and what the food looked like This might be the exact recipe. It is better than my Dad’s. I think he might use too much relish and mustard in his but it is awesome too. the one I wanted was one that has sour cream in it and looks like the, one pictured. You Nailed It! Thanks so much for posting it
This turned out so yummy. I love it. ❤
This recipe is so yummy. We loved the add in suggestions and this time tried peas, pimentos and italian dressing. What a versatile base recipe.
I crave potato salad!! It’s a must all summer long! We make this all the time!
Chunky, creamy, & delicious!! We take this to every picnic, bbq, party, you name it! Everyone always loves it!