When it comes to potato salad, I don’t like anything fancy–just give me the easy, old-school recipe without any weird stuff thrown in! That’s what this potato salad recipe is. It’s the old fashioned, traditional potato salad it’s high on my list of Best Sides to Bring to a BBQ! It’s the potato salad that goes perfect with a burger, a side baked beans, and a fresh fruit bowl! 🙂
Ingredients for potato salad include: hard boiled eggs, yukon gold potatoes, buttermilk, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, red onions, celery.
How to Make Potato Salad:
1. Boil the potatoes. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel potatoes, if desired, and cut them into 1 inch chunks.
2. Make the dressing. Add egg yolks, mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper, to a bowl and mix together.
3. Mix dressing and potatoes.Â
4. Add egg whites, celery, onion, and pickles.
5. Stir well and refrigerate.Â
About the potatoes:
Should you cut the potatoes before boiling them?
There are mixed feelings in the cooking world as to whether you should boil potatoes whole, or cut them in small chunks first. I don’t honestly think it matters; so choose your preference. For me, I have always felt that it’s easier to cook a whole potato first, and then peel and cut it when it’s soft and the skins comes of easily.
Should you boil the potatoes with or without the skin?
Either method works well. I like to peel the potatoes after they have cooked and cooled because the skin comes off so easily.
Make ahead and storing instructions:
You can make potato salad ahead 2-3 day’s ahead of time and it will taste great. I like to make it a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Looking for more BBQ Side Dishes? Some of my favorites include:
You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!
Recipe
Classic Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 4 hard boiled eggs
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard (or half dijon)
- 2 dill pickles , minced + splash of pickle juice)
- salt and pepper
- 2 ribs celery , chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion , chopped
Instructions
- Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the water completely from the pot and then cover the pot with a lid to allow the potatoes to steam for 5-10 minutes.
- Peel potatoes, if desired, and cut them into ½ inch chunks.
- Separate egg yolks from the whites of the hard boiled eggs and place the yolks in a bowl.
- Mash the yolks with a fork and then stir in the mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes. Chop the egg whites and add them to the potatoes along with the celery, onion, and pickles.
- Stir well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.
Notes
- Peel Potatoes - You can peel the potatoes before boiling, but I prefer to do it after they have cooked and cooled because they come off so easily.
- Cut Potatoes - The potatoes can be cut into cubes before boiling, but I personally think it's much easier to boil the whole potato and peel and slice it after.
- What Potatoes To Use - I love using Yukon Gold potatoes because they hold their shape but still soak in flavor, but red potatoes could also be used.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @TastesBetterFromScratch on Instagram with #TastesBetterFromScratch!
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I first shared this recipe in May 2013. Updated May 2019.
Got rave reviews from my guests!
I would be concerned about food safety. If you take hot potatoes and add all the ingredients then place in a cover bowl to chill it may not be safe. Time and temperature exposure, you have volatile foods like eggs and potatoes. Better to mix the ingredients and place in a pan, with the salad uncovered, to chill.
Some recipes call for sweet pickles but I like this recipe better with dill pickles. Yummy.
Very nice basic potato salad. I would note that I have found that it is better to peel (if peeling)
potatoes and then cooking. Why? Well, unless you like handling hot potatoes, they are cooled
when done whole and peeled. And, if you put some of the dressing on REAL WARM potatoes, it sinks in better and ads flavor. I also ad the onions to the warm potatoes before cooling.
I followed this recipe as written. It’s our favorite…very simple and flavorful. I always get compliments when I make it for family and friends. Thanks!
I’m 74 yrs old and been making potato salad since I was 15yrs old. You might consider using pickle relish to replace the pickles. I use 2 jumbo eggs for every med size potato and I use a 50/50 ratio of red & yukon potato. I never use mustard. Adding the red potato makes it sweeter, and adding more eggs simply makes it much creamer. You might consider using a large cheese shredder for the eggs it makes them a uniform size, and makes the yokes blend better with the mayo. My potato salad has been a hit with our family for years.
Nice flavor & easy to follow instructions. I only added fresh chopped parsley & minced chives; also substituted Vidalia onion for the red onion. I vary the recipe I’ve used for years & this was a tasty change, plus I found your method with the eggs to be time-saving!
Made this recently and it’s great. I taste tested as I went along and once I mixed the sauce in with the potatoes I thought it was good enough then to serve/eat. It was still warm but I don’t mind that as it makes me think of my mom because she’d make potato salad and eat it right after making it, so that brought back god memories. I did add the celery, egg whites, pickles but left out the onions (my wife doesn’t like raw onions) and it was still was tasty.