Classic Potato Salad with Egg
Classic creamy potato salad with tender Yukon Golds, hard-boiled eggs, celery and dill pickles in a tangy mayo-mustard dressing.
25% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 25 min
- Cooking
- 15 min
- Resting
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 10
- Calories
- 290
- Protein
- 6 g
- Per serving
- $0.86
Why this recipe works
Potato salad is a picnic and cookout essential, and bland potatoes are the most common complaint. Seasoning the potatoes while they're still warm is the step most recipes skip.
- Tossing the warm potatoes with vinegar seasons them all the way through, so the salad never tastes bland.
- Yukon Golds hold their shape when boiled but are creamy inside, so the salad doesn't turn to mush.
- Cutting the potatoes before boiling cooks them evenly and quickly, with no peeling hot potatoes.
Ingredients
For the dressing
To serve
You will need
- Large pot
- Medium saucepan
- Colander
- Large mixing bowl
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Boil the potatoes
Cover the potatoes with cold water in the pot, add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until a knife slides in easily but they hold their shape, 8 to 12 minutes.
Season while warm
Drain well, spread in the large bowl and sprinkle with the vinegar, tossing gently. Cool for 20 minutes.
Cook the eggs
Meanwhile, cover the eggs with water, bring to a boil, cover, take off the heat and let stand 11 minutes. Chill in ice water, peel and chop.
Dress
Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and dill. Add to the potatoes with the eggs, celery, onion and pickles and fold gently.
Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Taste for salt before serving and sprinkle with paprika.
Cook's notes
- Start the potatoes in cold water. Dropping them into boiling water cooks the outsides to mush before the centers are done.
- Cold potatoes need more salt than you think. Always taste after chilling.
- Keep potato salad cold and don't leave it out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Nutrition per serving
290 calories
$0.86 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 8% of calories | 6 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 34% of calories | 25 g |
| Fat | 58% of calories | 19 g |
| Fiber | 3 g | |
| Sodium | 360 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
What is the secret to a good potato salad?
Season the potatoes while they're warm. A splash of vinegar and the salted cooking water flavor the potatoes themselves, not just the dressing.
What are the best potatoes for potato salad?
Waxy or all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold or red potatoes, which hold their shape. Russets fall apart and turn mushy.
Can you make potato salad the day before?
Yes, and it tastes better after a night in the fridge. Stir and taste for salt before serving; it keeps for up to 4 days.
