About Potato Salad Recipe
I love everything about the humble spud and have dozens of Potato Recipes to prove it. This easy-to-make potato salad has become one of our favorite dishes because it’s so tasty. I always make Salad Recipes to go with my main dishes as they make great sides and add to the overall nutrition and experience of the meal. This creamy potato salad is a bit heartier than others, so I’ll sometimes eat a bowl as a light lunch. Made in just 30 minutes with only 12 simple ingredients, this is a recipe you can make on even the busiest of days. It’s an excellent pairing for sandwiches or rolls/wraps, and is a perfect side to bring to any potluck, cookout, or picnic. My version of this American classic uses homemade eggless Mayonnaise, so it’s actually vegan. Feel free to use any high-quality store-bought mayo that you prefer to cut back on prep time. Along with the smooth texture of the mayo and potatoes, the salad also has a great crunch and freshness coming from the onions, celery and parsley. Word to the wise – do not skip these three ingredients or you’ll risk having a bland salad! That said, you can substitute shallots, scallions or spring onions for the onions and cilantro (coriander leaves) for parsley. Usually in a classic American potato salad, chopped cucumber pickles (gherkins) or pickle relish are added for a tangy, salty and umami flavor. Since cucumber pickles aren’t readily available where I am, I used green olives to get a similar flavor. They work beautifully! I also added some dijon mustard for a bit of pungency.
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Potato Salad
Boil Potatoes
- Pour 4 cups water in a pan or pot.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt.
- Next add 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Next add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Stir and set the pan aside.
- Rinse 500 to 550 grams of potatoes or 3 to 4 large potatoes in running water very well. Brush off any mud from the skins and rinse them thoroughly. Then peel and dice them into 1-inch cubes. In total, you will need 3 cups of diced potatoes.
- As soon as you dice the potatoes add them to the water in the pan.
- Cover the pan with its lid and keep it on a medium heat.
- Simmer and cook potatoes covered with a lid. You can open the lid and check them, but otherwise keep it covered.
- The potatoes will take about 12 to 15 minutes to cook.
- Cook potatoes until they are fork-tender. This means a fork or a knife should pass easily into them without any resistance.
- Strain the potatoes in a colander or strainer.
Make Mayonnaise Dressing
- While the potatoes are cooking, peel, rinse and finely chop 1 small onion, 1 stalk of celery, some parsley leaves and 5 to 6 pitted green or black olives. You will need ¼ cup finely chopped onions, 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Some parsley can be kept to the side for garnishing.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise (vegetarian or vegan) and 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard. I have used homemade mayo and it had a slight pouring consistency. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or ½ to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Next add finely chopped onions, celery, parsley and olives. Tip: One minced garlic clove (small-sized) can also be added.
- Season with ¼ teaspoon sugar. Also, add ¼ teaspoon of sweet paprika. You can add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or red chili powder instead of sweet paprika if you prefer.
- Mix very well. Check the taste of the dressing and add more dijon mustard or lemon juice if needed. Mayo and dijon mustard already have salt in them, so go easy on the salt and add it after you add the potatoes.
Assemble Potato Salad
- Add the cooked potatoes to the dressing. I suggest adding the potatoes while they are still warm as they’ll soak up the dressing better. We also like to eat potato salad while it is still warm, but you can also serve it chilled.
- Mix and gently toss the potatoes with the dressing.
- Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and salt as required. Mix gently again. Check the taste and add salt. After taste testing, you can add more seasoning if required.
- Serve potato salad garnished with some chopped parsley and sprinkled with 1 to 2 pinches of sweet paprika, red chili powder, or crushed black pepper if you prefer. If not serving immediately then refrigerate and serve the potato salad later. You can have potato salad as a meal or serve as a side with your main dish. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Boiling the Potatoes: Typically potatoes are boiled in plain salted water. In this recipe, some vinegar and sugar are added to the water to infuse them with a bit of sweet, tangy flavor. Do not overcook the Potatoes: While boiling potatoes, first make sure you have chopped or diced them evenly. Depending on the size and variety, chopped potatoes take between 12 to 20 minutes on a medium heat to cook until tender. Strain them from the water as soon as they are fork tender. Overcooking potatoes can result in a mushy potato salad, and we don’t want that!Scaling the Recipe: You can easily double or triple the recipe. Use the recipe card below to scale the ingredients.Leftovers: Refrigerate the leftover potato salad for up to 1 day. You can serve the salad chilled or can warm it in an oven or microwave if you prefer.
Variations
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Caesar Salad Recipe Fresh and Creamy Avocado Salad Recipe Pasta Salad Recipe (Italian Style) Vegetable Salad Recipe This Potato Salad recipe from the archives, originally published on September 2019 has been updated and republished on March 2023.
title: “Potato Salad Recipe With Creamy Mayo Dressing” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-25” author: “Melissa Urman”
About Potato Salad Recipe
I love everything about the humble spud and have dozens of Potato Recipes to prove it. This easy-to-make potato salad has become one of our favorite dishes because it’s so tasty. I always make Salad Recipes to go with my main dishes as they make great sides and add to the overall nutrition and experience of the meal. This creamy potato salad is a bit heartier than others, so I’ll sometimes eat a bowl as a light lunch. Made in just 30 minutes with only 12 simple ingredients, this is a recipe you can make on even the busiest of days. It’s an excellent pairing for sandwiches or rolls/wraps, and is a perfect side to bring to any potluck, cookout, or picnic. My version of this American classic uses homemade eggless Mayonnaise, so it’s actually vegan. Feel free to use any high-quality store-bought mayo that you prefer to cut back on prep time. Along with the smooth texture of the mayo and potatoes, the salad also has a great crunch and freshness coming from the onions, celery and parsley. Word to the wise – do not skip these three ingredients or you’ll risk having a bland salad! That said, you can substitute shallots, scallions or spring onions for the onions and cilantro (coriander leaves) for parsley. Usually in a classic American potato salad, chopped cucumber pickles (gherkins) or pickle relish are added for a tangy, salty and umami flavor. Since cucumber pickles aren’t readily available where I am, I used green olives to get a similar flavor. They work beautifully! I also added some dijon mustard for a bit of pungency.
Ingredients & Substitutions
How To Make Potato Salad
Boil Potatoes
- Pour 4 cups water in a pan or pot.
- Add 1 teaspoon salt.
- Next add 1 teaspoon sugar.
- Next add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Stir and set the pan aside.
- Rinse 500 to 550 grams of potatoes or 3 to 4 large potatoes in running water very well. Brush off any mud from the skins and rinse them thoroughly. Then peel and dice them into 1-inch cubes. In total, you will need 3 cups of diced potatoes.
- As soon as you dice the potatoes add them to the water in the pan.
- Cover the pan with its lid and keep it on a medium heat.
- Simmer and cook potatoes covered with a lid. You can open the lid and check them, but otherwise keep it covered.
- The potatoes will take about 12 to 15 minutes to cook.
- Cook potatoes until they are fork-tender. This means a fork or a knife should pass easily into them without any resistance.
- Strain the potatoes in a colander or strainer.
Make Mayonnaise Dressing
- While the potatoes are cooking, peel, rinse and finely chop 1 small onion, 1 stalk of celery, some parsley leaves and 5 to 6 pitted green or black olives. You will need ¼ cup finely chopped onions, 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Some parsley can be kept to the side for garnishing.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise (vegetarian or vegan) and 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard. I have used homemade mayo and it had a slight pouring consistency. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or ½ to 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Next add finely chopped onions, celery, parsley and olives. Tip: One minced garlic clove (small-sized) can also be added.
- Season with ¼ teaspoon sugar. Also, add ¼ teaspoon of sweet paprika. You can add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or red chili powder instead of sweet paprika if you prefer.
- Mix very well. Check the taste of the dressing and add more dijon mustard or lemon juice if needed. Mayo and dijon mustard already have salt in them, so go easy on the salt and add it after you add the potatoes.
Assemble Potato Salad
- Add the cooked potatoes to the dressing. I suggest adding the potatoes while they are still warm as they’ll soak up the dressing better. We also like to eat potato salad while it is still warm, but you can also serve it chilled.
- Mix and gently toss the potatoes with the dressing.
- Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper and salt as required. Mix gently again. Check the taste and add salt. After taste testing, you can add more seasoning if required.
- Serve potato salad garnished with some chopped parsley and sprinkled with 1 to 2 pinches of sweet paprika, red chili powder, or crushed black pepper if you prefer. If not serving immediately then refrigerate and serve the potato salad later. You can have potato salad as a meal or serve as a side with your main dish. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Boiling the Potatoes: Typically potatoes are boiled in plain salted water. In this recipe, some vinegar and sugar are added to the water to infuse them with a bit of sweet, tangy flavor. Do not overcook the Potatoes: While boiling potatoes, first make sure you have chopped or diced them evenly. Depending on the size and variety, chopped potatoes take between 12 to 20 minutes on a medium heat to cook until tender. Strain them from the water as soon as they are fork tender. Overcooking potatoes can result in a mushy potato salad, and we don’t want that!Scaling the Recipe: You can easily double or triple the recipe. Use the recipe card below to scale the ingredients.Leftovers: Refrigerate the leftover potato salad for up to 1 day. You can serve the salad chilled or can warm it in an oven or microwave if you prefer.
Variations
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Caesar Salad Recipe Fresh and Creamy Avocado Salad Recipe Pasta Salad Recipe (Italian Style) Vegetable Salad Recipe This Potato Salad recipe from the archives, originally published on September 2019 has been updated and republished on March 2023.
