Best Potato Salad

Learn how to make potato salad with this easy recipe! The perfect BBQ side dish, it's creamy and flavorful, made with tangy pickles, celery, and mustard.

Potato salad

This potato salad recipe is hands down the BEST I’ve tried. It’s creamy, it’s tangy, and it’s flecked with savory herbs, crunchy celery, and (optional, but delicious) hard-boiled eggs. I’ll be bringing it to every cookout and BBQ we attend this summer. This potato salad recipe is so tasty that I can’t get enough!

It’s essentially the classic potato salad that appeared at every picnic and potluck throughout my childhood, but it has a few key twists. First, I add diced dill pickles for crunch, and I also mix a splash of pickle brine into the creamy mayo and mustard dressing. The extra burst of acidity really makes the potatoes pop. Fresh herbs liven up this recipe too. Dill brings out the tartness of the pickles, and chives add an oniony kick. Try it once, and you’ll never need another homemade potato salad recipe.

Potato salad recipe ingredients

What’s In This Potato Salad Recipe

To make this potato salad recipe, you’ll need these simple ingredients:

  • Potatoes, of course! You’ll need two pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes. Read more about why I love using them in potato salad below!
  • Celery – It adds fresh, savory flavor and crunch.
  • Dill pickles – For more crunch and sour flavor. You’ll use some of the pickle brine in the dressing too!
  • Mayonnaise – It makes the dressing rich and creamy.
  • Apple cider vinegar and yellow mustard – They add sharp, tangy flavor to the potato salad dressing.
  • Garlic – For savory bite.
  • Chives and dill – These fresh herbs balance the rich dressing and starchy potatoes. No chives handy? Thinly sliced green onions would work here too.
  • Hard-boiled eggs – A classic potato salad recipe ingredient! They make it extra-creamy. We love them here, but I list them as optional. Feel free to skip them if you’d like.
  • And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

What kind of potatoes are best for potato salad?

Good question! I recommend Yukon Golds.

These yellow waxy potatoes have the perfect texture for potato salad. They hold their shape well after boiling, but they still break down enough to make the salad creamy. They also do a great job soaking up the flavors from the dressing. Plus, their skins are so thin that there’s no need to peel them!

Avoid russet potatoes and starchy red potatoes here. Their high starch content means that they can easily turn to mush as you mix the salad together. I like creamy potato salads, but mushy ones? No thanks.

Whisking creamy dressing in glass bowl

How to Make the Best Potato Salad

Ready to cook? Here’s how to make this potato salad recipe:

First, boil the potatoes. Wash them well and cut them into 1/2-inch pieces. Then, place them in a large pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, make the creamy dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pickle juice, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. The dressing will taste sharp on its own, but its flavor will balance once it’s on the potatoes.

Pouring creamy dressing over boiled potatoes

Next, dress the potatoes. Place them in a large bowl and pour on the dressing. Mix well, mashing the potatoes slightly, until the salad becomes creamy.

Potato salad recipe ingredients in mixing bowl with wooden spoon

Then, fold in the other ingredients. Add the pickles, celery, and hard-boiled eggs…

Adding herbs, celery, pickles, and hard boiled eggs to bowl of potato salad

…along with the chives and dill.

Stirring best potato salad in large bowl

Mix well to combine.

Chill the salad for at least 1 hour—and up to 1 day—to allow the flavors to meld.

Finally, season to taste and serve. If you like, garnish it with more dill just before digging in. A little fresh parsley would be a great topping too.

Creamy potato salad with herbs

Recipe Tips

  • Mash it. I like this recipe best when the potatoes are mashed slightly. The salad should be really creamy with some larger potato chunks still remaining. The Yukon Gold potatoes won’t fall apart on their own, so make sure to mash them up a bit as you stir the salad together.
  • Chill it. The secret to the best potato salad is giving the flavors a chance to meld. Chill this salad for at least an hour—and up to a day—in the refrigerator before serving. The potatoes need time to soak up that delicious dressing!
  • Make it vegan. Do you have plant-based guests coming to your cookout? Make this recipe vegan by skipping the eggs and using vegan mayo in the dressing. Alternatively, make this non-traditional vegan potato salad recipe!

What to Serve with Potato Salad

This potato salad recipe is a must-have at a BBQ! Serve it with any of these classic cookout mains:

Round out the meal with other summer side dishes like grilled vegetables or grilled corn, vinegar coleslaw, and fruit salad. Enjoy!

Best potato salad recipe

More Favorite Summer Side Dishes

If you love this creamy potato salad recipe, try one of these summer side dishes next:

Want even more summer side dish ideas? Check out these 33 Best BBQ Sides!

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Potato Salad

rate this recipe:
4.92 from 62 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 6
The BEST potato salad recipe! Perfect for picnics and BBQs, it's creamy, tangy, and flavorful. Bonus: it tastes even better if you make it ahead.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, pickle brine, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper.
  • Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the dressing and stir to coat, mashing the potatoes slightly so that the salad becomes creamy.
  • Fold in the celery, chopped pickles, chives, dill, and hard-boiled eggs, if using.
  • Cover and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
  • Season to taste and serve. Leftover potato salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

88 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Britton mehew
    07.12.2023

    5 stars
    This was delicious!!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.13.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it!

  2. Elisabeth Welty
    07.11.2023

    5 stars
    I made this recipe today and it was so good! Done if the best potato salad I’ve ever had!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.13.2023

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Christy Bragg
    07.11.2023

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! We made it with new potatoes out of the garden and our homemade dill pickles! My husband told me to keep this recipe! 😊

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.13.2023

      Yum! I’m glad you both enjoyed it!

  4. Megan Lane
    07.11.2023

    5 stars
    This potato salad is SO good! I substituted green onions for chives since that’s what I found at the store and I dressed the potatoes while still warm. My husband said it was the best potato salad he has ever had. We both loved the addition of dill pickles and fresh dill. Will absolutely make again!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.13.2023

      I’m so glad you both loved it!

  5. Brenda Leis
    07.10.2023

    5 stars
    My husband was so happy you picked potato salad for the July cooking club. He is happy for any reason to eat potato salad.

  6. Kiley Gansert
    07.10.2023

    5 stars
    I’m a fan of any recipes that uses leftover ingredients we have laying around and this one was just that! The pickles give the potato salad the best tangy flavor and crunch. We’ll be making this again for our next bbq!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.13.2023

      I’m so glad you loved it with the pickles!

  7. Victoria Petty
    07.09.2023

    5 stars
    I didn’t think anything could beat my grandmother’s potato salad, but this did it for me! I made it with my 12 year old granddaughter, and we followed the recipe exactly. We had so much fun preparing it together and serving it to the family with dinner. They loved it! This is a delicious dish I know will be handed down for generations to come.

  8. Dolores
    07.09.2023

    3 stars
    This recipe if very yummy. My Mom used to put diced pickles in potato salad as well as a little bit of the pickle brine, so I’m really happy with this recipe as it’s reminiscent of my Mom’s cooking.

  9. Elizabeth Young
    07.09.2023

    5 stars
    Yum! Absolutely delicious, and my first attempt at potato salad! I did make a few mods, based on what I had on hand. I used red potatoes instead of Yukon gold — dried dill instead of fresh — Dijon mustard instead of yellow — bread and butter pickles and brine, instead of dill — green onions instead of chives — and half plain yogurt, half mayo. The end result was so good, thank you! I did put dill pickles on my shopping list for next time, as I think you’re right, they would make it even better.

  10. Carina Ziegler
    07.08.2023

    5 stars
    Delicious! Yellow mustard is my summer mascot. Appreciated the abundance of herbs and I loved using pickle juice AND cider vinegar. I took the suggestion of mashing the potatoes a bit while mixing. Will definitely make again!

  11. Lorri Howell
    07.07.2023

    5 stars
    That was a fun recipe to make. The pickles give it a fun kick!

  12. Andrea Wordell
    07.06.2023

    5 stars
    This was delicious. I loved the dilly flavor and the little crunch of the pickles. I had small creamer potatoes on hand, so I used those and left them unpeeled.

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      07.07.2023

      Hi Andrea, I’m so glad you loved the salad!

  13. Susan Collison
    07.06.2023

    5 stars
    We love this recipe for vegan potato salad! I make it a bit chunkier, but it’s a grand slam for picnics or any summer meal! Having it tonight with our Beyond burgers…yum! <3

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      07.07.2023

      Hi Susan, I’m so glad you love the recipe!

  14. Megan
    07.06.2023

    Any suggestions to use instead of celery?

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      07.07.2023

      Hi Megan, you could add some thinly sliced radishes or just leave the celery out. Hope you enjoy!

  15. Mk
    05.30.2023

    5 stars
    delicious! Made per instructions except subbed green onions for chives

  16. Diane Noble
    05.29.2023

    5 stars
    This is the best potato salad, as close to my Mothers I have found and I’m so happy! I made one addition of homemade zucchini relish as I like a tad hint of sweet. It was really really good and everyone raved.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.30.2023

      Hi Diane, I’m so glad you loved it!

  17. Ms. Becky
    05.29.2023

    4 stars
    I’ve made this recipe twice over the holiday weekend. I have a Midwest perspective on potato salad, so bear that in mind. First thing – potatoes must be dressed while still as hot as possible to handle. For the dressing I subbed Dijon mustard for the yellow. More flavor. I also used Garlic Chives rather than plain chives. They add enough garlic flavor so that I might cut back on the cloves (elderly family folks). Other than that, this is a great recipe to build upon. Thanks for sharing.

    • Sharron Biccum
      07.05.2023

      I so agree. Potatoes have to dressed while warm. Sprinkle a bit white vinegar
      on them while very warm and give a stir. Giving hem much more flavour

  18. Janet
    05.25.2023

    5 stars
    Sooo good. Key is in smashing the potatoes a bit so they get a bit creamy. 10++

  19. April
    05.24.2023

    I want to make this to take camping. How long can I store it?

    • Nora
      05.27.2023

      5 stars
      The answer to your question is in her post at the end. Read.
      3 days.

  20. Monica
    05.21.2023

    I would love to try this recipe. Is there a substitute for mayonnaise? I can’t stand its taste. Thank you in advance for your wonderful recipes!

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.