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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!
The sour cream adds so much flavor to this potato salad! This is my new favorite recipe! Making it again next week!
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 flavor, 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 Cotey
This is definitely a favorite potato salad for my family.
Great recipes on your blog, a trick I learned, cook your potatoes in the microwave for potato salad, eliminates mushy potatoes, cook them whole. Try it sometime.
My Mom always sliced some radishes thinly and then added chopped cucumber. Absolutely delicious!
This recipe is the exact one my grandmother and Mother used. I have been making this for fifty years. Everybody wants my potatoe salad. That’s the ultimate compliment. 🥰
If I wanted to use celery salt and onion powder instead how much should i use?
My rule of thumb is one teaspoon of seasoning for one cup of fresh veggies. So I would start with one teaspoon, taste it, and then add more as needed.
good start one, we mash potatoes add green onions dry mustard or a good spicy mustard, ranch drewssing or aa plain greek yogurt if you dont have sour cream at hand, and some of the dill pickle juice too if you like always mix together while potatoes aare warm to soak the flavor up
First time ever making potato salad, it was a hit. Everyone loved it. Making it again right now.
Best ever!!
Excellent potato salad. Got rave reviews. Thank you!
I make my potato salad almost the same way but I do not use sour cream. I prefer dill , so I use some of the dill pickle juice to coat my cooked and cubed potatoes first. Then I add my Mayo, mustard, diced dill pickles, onion, celery, hard boiled eggs, marjoram, tarragon, summer savory, sweet basil and toss lightly to mix but not making the potatoes mushy . I sprinkle paprika and dill weed on top for garnish. ( I prefer to steam my potatoes for my salad, peel, cool, and cube for the salad.) Thank you for your recipe ; it makes me hungry looking at the delicious bowl full :)…
I REALLY don’t like chunky potato salad! Especially when some of the potatoes are not completely cooked through! Being a Texas guy, I like some mustard in the salad, rather than mayo, and even some olives. Not into crunchy. I like mine smooth.
Sounds yummy. I will definitely grate onions, use celery salt and fresh dill. I’m Finnish and dill is used in everything. Thanks for recipe. I also like dukes msyo. I’m from Maryland and dukes is the choice th e re.
Dukes Mayo in NC to.
~~ Whenever I make potato salad ~ I bake my potatoes and then let them cool and the they peel just fine. That way you keep the nutrition in the potatoes. 🙂
Yum, this sounds great! I’ll definitely have to make some- I’ll probably go the dill relish route, although I always have trouble deciding which one to pick when it comes to egg salad!
I save time by putting my potatoes and/or macaroni in my stovetop pressure cooker with the eggs on a rack for eight minutes. Cooked together perfectly! Just take the pressure off immediately and get the eggs in cold water, you don’t want them to continue cooking.
Thank you for sharing, Karen. The pressure cooker does save so much time!
Good flavors,but I thought it was a little dry and could use more dressing.
A little extra mayo never hurt anyone 😉 definitely add more if you think it needs it!
Too many eggs for me and my family but otherwise close to my own. I don’t measure anything. I use dill pickle relish and celery.
Looks good, but I have been using my grandmother’s recipe for years…I steam my potato’s that way they are not mushy I also cut up sweet onion & celery really fine and add my seasoning then put into the refrig overnight that way the potato’s take on the flavor