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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!
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! Our mom really does make the best. 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Celery -is also optional but adds a delicious crunch to each bite.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, a little sugar, and paprika
What 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!
Do it all in the Instant Pot!
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.
Storing Suggestions
Potato salad lasts up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator, which makes it perfect for making ahead of time for BBQs, potlucks, and camping trips. I always make this ahead of time when there is a big event coming up. I can just fix it and refrigerate it and pull it out when it’s time to eat, making the day-of the event stress free!
Tips Reviews 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 by boiling or steaming them for about 25 minutes. Poke the potatoes with a fork at 20 minutes to see how they are coming along. Once there is no “crunch” in the middle, they are ready. Just be careful not to overcook!
Add a little more mayo or sour cream (a little at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. You can also add a splash of milk.
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:
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
- black pepper to taste
- kosher salt to taste
- paprika (optional)
- celery chopped (optional)
- green onion or red onion, chopped (optional)
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 know this is a VERY simplistic question, but I am new at this and need a few more specifics:
Approximately how much salt and how much pepper should be sprinkled on the cooked diced potatoes and eggs?
Is this correct: 5 medium potatoes equals about 1 1/2 lbs of potatoes?
How much celery is recommended if I choose to add celery?
How much onion?
Also, I only have dried dill weed ~ about how much should I sprinkle on the top for garnish? Is it the same amount whether it is fresh or dried dill?
Thank you so much for your site. I thoroughly enjoy reading it and trying new recipes!
Ok let me try to answer these as best I can:
1. start with a quarter teaspoon and then try a potato, add another quarter if you feel like it needs more.
2. Medium potatoes can truly vary in size. I just use the typical size you can find in the large bags at most grocery stores, think about the size of your fist.
3. Depends on how much you like celery. I don’t like a lot so usually just a stalk or two.
4. Again, depends on how much you like onion. I would opt for about 1/3 cup.
5. For dill, maybe about a teaspoon’s worth.
Hope this helps!
Thank you so very much for your reply!
A 10 !!!!
Great potato salad recipe! My Mom’s recipe is the same but without the dill weed. This salad is requested for all events at my house and my friends’ parties. I make another small serving without the green peppers for those who don’t prefer them in their salad. The more I prepare this potato salad the easier and better it gets. The Instant Pot saves time.
I love potato salad and make it frequently. I se mayo, white vinegar and sugar for the dressing and add onions, chopped sweet pickles, garlic salt, lemon pepper, basil, chopped hard-boiled eggs and parsley. I have experimented with adding chopped olives rather than pickles. My rather large family likes my potato salad. I am going to try this recipe, without telling them!
We will gather at one of my daughter’s houses, and will have ham, potato something (to be decided by my daughter), green beans, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and baked, hot rolls, deviled eggs, and desserts. There will be twenty-two to twenty-six family members.
Love this recipe. 5-star.
SO good!
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!
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
I’m always curious to see how others make their potato salad, and I like that yours is very much like mine! I’ve been making potato salad for 40 plus years and always get compliments so must be doing something right. I was told to use 1 egg for every 2 potatoes and then 2 extra to slice for the top as a decoration. I use Best Foods only, there is a difference in the taste of mayos, but do add a Tablespoon of Miracle Whip for flavor, and 1 heaping teaspoon each of Dill and Sweet Pickle relish. Also a genorous squirt of plain old yellow mustard. I then finely grate about 1 Tablespoon or a little more of sweet yellow onion into the salad and stir well. I find that grating the onion gives you a wonderful taste without being way too oniony and harsh. Just has to be the sweet yellow, like a Vidalia or Georgia Gold. 🙂
Thanks so much for the comment and tips! We ONLY use Best Foods as well. They definitely do it right 😉 I like the idea of grating the onion. I am definitely not a fan of big onion chunks in my potato salad 😀
Sounds great, but we like just a little finely chopped celery, carrot, onion and some frozen green peas for good measure.
Can I use dill pickle relish(we don’t like sweet) or just cut up a few regular pickles? I think the baby pickles taste different. Thanks!
Absolutely! I use dill relish all the time
Jamie I copied this many years ago when you had your show. My family just loves the Potato Salad. Thank You so very much
no onions, no mustard, no celery, no green pepper?? ;o( we like a lot more in ours
I agree ,up North we added radrishes (before they became hot) also a little sweet red peppers if I had them. we liked ours crunchy.my mustard was spicy. the rest was the same.
Here’s one I didn’t see in the comments –
I bake my potatoes. No stirring.
I make mine similar to yours, though, in every other way.
Additional message. NO MUSTARD !!
Try your recipe like it is but add Beau Monde seasoning. And use Dukes mayonnaise. Use Dukes and you will never go back.
I have never put eggs in potato salad. Is this something new?
I don’t think I have ever had potato salad WITHOUT them lol.. maybe it is just our family?
also never heard of potato salad without eggs…
sounds odd
Chez nous aussi y a toujours eu des œufs dans la salade de pommes de terre
I use a little chopped celery, a little onion and about 1/2 lb of bacon in mine but everything else is the same … yummmm ^_^
That’s GREEN onion .. oops !
Our family also prefers a plain, non crunchy salad. I make a homemade mayonnaise though instead of the regular mayo etc.
Anxious to try this! What type of mustard do you use (just plain yellow?)
Yes, we use yellow mustard. Thanks for asking!
My family recipe (from PA) uses powdered onion and celery, my moms preference, no sour cream but vinegar. Miracle whip, vinegar and sugar are mixed together to get the flavor wanted, then added to the rest of the salad.
There are so many unique ways to make potato salad and tweak the ingredients and flavors to our preferences, and what the kids will eat, right? Thank you for sharing your family recipe!
I love potato salad with egg, but the sour cream makes it sound even more delicious, thank you for sharing…
The sour cream makes the dressing more creamy. It’s not for everyone, but I love it!
This is wonderful. You can also use canned potatoes as well and it is less work to cook and peel.
I’ve never used canned potatoes before. Thanks for the tip!
sound really nice I’m going to try are are quantitys American.thanx
Yes, the quantities are American. I’ve never had cream of garlic soup. I’ll see what I can do! Thank you for visiting our site!
Similar to my grandmother’s recipe. I don’t put pickles in, just eggs, potatoes, mayo, spices and a small onion, shredded. Shredding the onion prevents the crunch which I also dislike in potato salad but give a good flavor.
Ooh I like the idea of shredding the onion! Thanks for sharing!
Sounds a lot like mine. 5# potatoes boiled with skins on.. 18 eggs, a little chopped onions. I chop the egg white and partly mash most of the yellows with a fork. Wisk the Hellmans, mashed egg yellow and small squirt of spicy brown mustard together for the dressing.
being from VA, home of Dukes Mayonnaise, this is the unique flavor that my family likes in most everything that calls for mayonnaise. – especially on fresh tomato sandwiches. YUM also, all of the salads that are so popular in summer time. Try it, you might just like it.
Could you tell me approximately how many pounds of potatoes you use? I know you say medium, but I’m worried I’m going to get the wrong amount of potatoes.
5 medium potatoes is approximately 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes. If you are worried about getting too many potatoes, don’t mix all of them in at once. Hold out some and then add more to your desired taste. If you feel like the salad is too dry, you can also add more dressing. Thank you for asking!
Your potatoe salad is similar to mine. I have to use Best Foods or Hellmans Mayonaise. These are the same it just depends on which side of the Mississippi River you live. I use less sour cream but I do use green onions chopped very fine using part of the green. I may or may not use celery but always celery salt. Sometimes I add Italian dressing mix. Just the dry package, no oil and I use a little of the pickle juice. My husband hates mustard so I only use to color not taste. For every 5 lbs of boiled red potatoes, i use 12 boiled eggs saving 2 to decorate the top. I mix the seasonings and wet items together then add to the chpped potatoes, eggs, onion and pickles. I have used baby dills but like kosher dills better.
Thank you for sharing your recipe! It’s always interesting to learn how different families have their special ingredients. You’ve given some great tips! I’ll try them out next time I make this salad.
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!