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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 are 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 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 -is 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 fewer 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 who 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 a quick question. I see you have in your recipe ingredients Mayo OR Miracle Whip? I don’t get this (respectfully – I really don’t). They are two different things totally. To me, it’s like saying salt or pepper. I would not be able to eat it if mayo was put in that salad. It needs to be Miracle Whip IMO. I get – it’s all how you grew up. I’m sure it is. I just know I can’t even stomach potato salad made with mayo. I remember the first time I realized this – I took a big bite thinking it was going to be delicious and it wasn’t. It ended up in my napkin.
It really depends on your personal taste. Some of us in our family prefer MW with it and some prefer Mayo– that is why we list it both ways. It depends on if you like it sweet or not. Personally I can go either way– I PREFER it with Mayo but I can eat it with MW and it still tastes great.
Sometimes the choice of mayo or mw is a diabetic one mw contains more sugar so mayo is that choice I grew up with mw and it was a hard change to mayo and after 14 years I still miss mw
I leave out the sugar as just 2 Tbls of sugar with the sweetness of many of the other ingredients is plenty for diabetics! I never use anything but Hellmans, closest thing to homemade mayo. I am 82 & we had to make the mayo for tomato sandwiches back in the good ole days in the Mississippi Delta!
Great recipe! I like to add onions too.
I always use Miracle Whip whenever Mayonnaise is required in any recipe. It makes a huge and delightful difference. Some cooks argue which is best. Try both and choose the one that works best for you.
I find that peeled, cut and boiled potatoes have a better outcome (texture wise and the ability to absorb ingredients).
Once the water comes to a boil watch carefully to not over cook potatoes. Stir gently now and then to create even cooking. It helps to make all cuts basically the same in size for better cooking result. Twenty minutes boiling time (give or take) is usually enough for me.
After draining potatoes…In a large bowl salt and pepper potatoes (don’t mix) and let cool to room temperature or slightly warmer. Cool time helps potatoes to firm up. Add all ingredients before mixing. With a large mixing spoon mix gently but thorough and evenly. Add more of this and that ingredient if you feel the need. Serve or chill first before serving. I love potato salad!
Mine is very similar but I do use onions. I don’t like raw onions so I dice them up and cook them with my potatoes. Yum!
Cooking them up with the potatoes is a great idea!
You can add diced chives. You can also soak them in ice water for about 10 or 15 minutes to make them milder in taste if you like. If you choose to soak chives dry off on paper towel before adding it to salad. I add them without soaking. Diced chives and chopped pimientos add color and taste to the recipe.
This recipe looks delicious..potato salads are my favourite and I also have to say you are my favourite cooking site, your food is always amazing, thank you…x
Julianne- Thank you so much! We are honored to be called your favorite cooking site 🙂 We will do our best to keep the recipes coming for you!
we also cut up cucumbers & radishes & celery also – yummy!
how many does this recipe typically feed?
thanks!
Probably 6-8 depending on the size of potatoes and how hungry everyone is!
Thank you for sharing a easy wonderful recipe. I’ve been looking for a new potato salad recipe to call my own. My mom and sister have their versions, now this will be mine. Yum!!!
Isn’t it harder to peel the potatoes after they’ve been boiled? Why not peel them prior to boiling? Other than that little technicality, this sounds really delicious! Top with a little paprika for color and slight flavor, and voila!
no, it is usually easier to peel after they are boiled. skin practically falls off. just let them cool a bit before handling. I think boiling first also prevents them from getting too soft and turning into mashed potatoes.
This sounds delicious and very close to my recipe. Boiling the potatoes first before peeling makes all the difference in the world in taste. I use celery and onion in mine. That’s the southern coming out. LOL Thanks for sharing!
Made this! It’s always scary to try a new potato salad. . . LOVED IT!!! Thanks!
This recipe sounds delightful and delicious! Looks easy too which I’m always looking for. Thanks for sharing!
Potato salads can vary that’s for sure. I love seeing the little different touches each family calls their own. Mine, of course is the best ! for my taste buds. No relish, dill or onions or green olives. Mine has black olives, bacon, boiled eyes, mustard and mayo. But I think I will try a little sour cream and see what that does. Thank you for listing your ingredients.
I actully googled “boiled eyes” thinking it was an exotic ingredient I had not heard of–lol-now I know you must have meant boiled eggs;)
i just died laughing from this comment~ It hit my funny bone pretty hard! 🙂
Boiled eyes….. Is this for Halloween?
I also did the same thing. Lol
I was wondering what the boiled eyes were myself
LoL This is the funniest thing I read today thus far. “Boiled Eyes” hehehe I am sharing this with my mother, because we relate <3
Oh man, that was a bad typo! Fixing now. Haha!
eyes or eggs?
I know that it was a typing mistake but the “boiled eyes” made me laugh out loud. Thanks for my daily chuckle.
boiled eyes???
Haha – gotta love autocorrect! 🙂
Boiled eggs? Or Pepe de asini?
I’m not exactly sure what you are asking. There is no pepe de acini in this recipe so I am going to say “hard boiled eggs”. Hope this helps!
This recipe is so much like my Mom’s. I too hate anything crunchy in mine. I use 1/2 and 1/2 with the mayo, instead of sour cream, but I’m sure they end up tasting the same. I love your recipes, and purchased your book.
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 straight forward recipes that dont require fussy ingredients! Thanks and I look forward to all you post!
Looks mighty tasty. MMM good! Perfect for summertime.
Your recipe looks very good…..but potato salad recipes are like opinions…..every one has one.
My mom’s recipe has been a family favorite for eons, but I’m always open to trying a new version just for a change of pace.
Thank you for sharing.
This is very close to the same recipe I use, but I never measure and we also like it better warm and I add onion, it is also better if you have homemade pickle relish!!
I just wanted to say, you are my all time favorite website for recipes. Everything I make is delicious! Keep them coming, have a great day!
Sheran– Thank you so much! That is such a huge compliment to us! We will do our best to keep bringing you our very favorite recipes… you are always welcome here! Thanks again! 🙂
At least you seem to put everything in it or options I say a southern cornbread dressing recipe on another site no seasoning at all
Love this recipe. Very close to y own recipe. Thank you. Have a Great Weekend!
I always a little celery seed, gives the celery taste without the crunch.
That is a great idea – especially if you don’t like celery. Thanks!