How To Make The Best Potato Salad Recipe

I call this my Best Potato Salad Recipe because a little-known technique with hard-cooked egg and a carefully measured dressing produces a reliably firm, non-mushy potato salad.

I’ve made potato salad a million times and still this one surprises me, it somehow just hits different. The Yukon Gold potatoes keep their texture so you get chunky bites and the hard boiled eggs give that creamy, pillowy pop you expect.

I call it Best Potato Salad Recipe With Egg cause it’s the one folks always ask for seconds of. There are a few small tricks I always do, little tweaks that make people suspicious it’s store bought, but not fancy.

If you like classic, loaded picnic flavor, this’ll make you curious.

Ingredients

• yukon gold potatoes: creamy, starchy, give body and fiber, mild buttery flavor, holds shape.
• Add eggs: protein and richness, creamy yolks help bind salad, a bit of fat.
• mayonnaise: main creamy binder, adds fat and tang, choose good mayo for better flavor.
• Dijon mustard: bright sharp acid, cuts richness, small amount boosts depth and tang.
• Pickles or relish: sweet or dill adds crunch, salty vinegary bite, lifts overall flavor.
• celery: crunchy fiber, fresh herbal notes, helps keep salad from feeling mushy.
• red onion: sharp slightly sweet bite, gives color and zip, use less if you want.
• fresh herbs: dill parsley chives add bright freshness, aromatic lift and gardeny flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 4 large eggs, hard boiled
• 1 cup mayonnaise (use good quality mayo)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish or 1/3 cup finely chopped dill pickles
• 2 tablespoons pickle juice (optional but recommended)
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika for garnish

How to Make this

1. Put the 3 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks, in a pot and cover with cold water, add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, bring to a boil and simmer until fork tender about 12 to 15 minutes; start the 4 eggs in a small pot of cold water at the same time, bring to a boil then turn off heat and let sit covered 10 to 12 minutes for hard boiled eggs.

2. Drain eggs into an ice bath to stop cooking, peel and roughly chop or chop to your liking. Drain potatoes, reserve about 1/2 cup of the hot cooking water, then let potatoes cool until just warm so the dressing wont melt but they’ll still soak up flavor.

3. In a large bowl whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until smooth.

4. Stir in 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish or 1/3 cup finely chopped dill pickles, plus the 2 tablespoons pickle juice (optional but recommended) for extra tang. Don’t be shy with the pickle juice, it brightens everything.

5. Fold in the diced 3 celery stalks and the 1/2 small red onion (finely diced). Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives but keep a bit of chives for garnish.

6. Gently fold the warm potatoes and the chopped hard boiled eggs into the dressing, being careful not to mash the potatoes; if the mix seems too thick add a splash of the reserved potato cooking water to loosen to your preferred consistency.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning with more kosher salt and pepper if needed. This is the time to balance acidity, sweetness and salt so tweak it till it sings.

8. Cover and chill at least one hour, but 4 hours or overnight is better so the flavors meld. If chilling overnight flavors get even better, true fact.

9. Before serving give it a final stir, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle 1 teaspoon paprika on top plus the reserved chives and a few extra chopped pickles or dill for garnish. Serve cold or slightly chilled.

Equipment Needed

1. Large stockpot big enough for 3 pounds of potatoes (and water)
2. Small saucepan for boiling the eggs
3. Colander for draining potatoes and eggs
4. Large mixing bowl to toss the salad in
5. Measuring cups and spoons for mayo, sour cream, vinegars, sugar, salt etc.
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping potatoes, eggs, celery, onion and herbs
7. Whisk for making the dressing smooth
8. Rubber spatula or large spoon for gentle folding (don’t mash the potatoes)
9. Medium bowl for an ice bath to cool the eggs quickly

FAQ

How To Make The Best Potato Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Yukon Gold potatoes: swap with red potatoes or fingerlings, same weight. Theyre waxier so they hold their shape better; if you use russets expect a creamier, slightly falling-apart salad so shorten cook time.
• Mayonnaise: use 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 1:1 for tang and fewer calories, or 1 cup avocado-oil mayo for a dairy free option. If yogurt feels too thin stir in 1–2 tbsp mayo or a splash of olive oil.
• Hard boiled eggs: omit for an egg-free salad or replace with 8 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed and crumbled, toss with 1 tsp turmeric for color and 1 tbsp pickle juice for tang. Or just add an extra potato and 1/4 cup chopped pickles for missing texture.
• Sweet pickle relish or dill pickles: swap relish with 1/3 cup chopped cornichons for crispness, or use 2 tbsp capers (rinsed) plus 1 tsp sugar to mimic sweet-briny flavor. Fresh dill plus a little lemon zest also brightens if you skip pickles.

Pro Tips

1. Cut the potatoes all about the same size so they cook evenly, and save some of the starchy cooking water to loosen the salad later if it gets gummy. Let the potatoes cool until just warm before tossing with the dressing so they soak up flavor but dont fall apart.

2. For easier peeling and neater chunks use eggs that are a few days old, peel them in an ice bath or under running water, and chop to the size you actually like instead of what the recipe says.

3. Add pickle juice and vinegar slowly and taste as you go, you can always add more but cant take it out. Balance acid, salt and sugar in stages, then chill and taste again before serving because flavors change after sitting.

4. Make it a day ahead when you can, but hold back some chives and a little relish for garnish so it still looks fresh. If the salad firms up too much in the fridge stir in a splash of the reserved potato water or a little extra mayo to get the texture you want.