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💭 Why you’ll love this recipe
Potato salad is a definitive show-stopper for any social gathering:
Summertime staple. Potato salad is is an essential part of any warm-weather gathering (along with this rainbow summer slaw). This classic potato salad recipe will add a touch of nostalgia (along with lots of flavor!) It’s quick and easy to make. Potato salad requires very little effort - all you have to do is boil, chop, mix, and chill. Plus, it tastes even better when made ahead of time so that all the flavors can mingle together overnight!It’s super budget-friendly. Potatoes are almost always affordable, so you don’t have to break the bank to whip up a tasty side for your next event. It’s also easy to scale to your needs.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this American potato salad recipe, you’ll need: potatoes, eggs, green onions, pickles, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried dill, and salt and pepper. You can also garnish with paprika and parsley (optional).
Notes and Variations
Type of potatoes. You’ll want to use waxy potatoes (e.g., Yukon gold potatoes, Red Bliss and fingerlings). These potatoes are creamier and keep their shape well after being cooked. I avoid Russet potatoes since they don’t hold their shape well and often results in a really mushy potato salad. This is a bit different than the best potatoes for soups and stews!Skin on or off? I prefer to peel the skins off because it makes for a creamier potato salad. However, you can totally leave the skin on if you want (just make sure to wash them thoroughly!) Mayo substitute. Depending on your preference, you can opt for miracle whip or vegan mayonnaise as a substitute for your regular mayo.Extra dash of heat. Give your traditional potato salad a flavorful kick by adding some chopped red onion or radish! Swapping Dijon with yellow mustard can also amplify the heat in the dish. Extra zing or savoriness. Add some of the pickle juice or capers to the potato salad to amp up the flavor profile and add a touch of saltiness! You can also swap the white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar for more vinegary flavor.Make it vegan: This recipe can be easily made vegan by eliminating the eggs and using vegan mayonnaise. The other ingredients are all naturally vegan!
📖 How to make classic American potato salad
Peel potatoes and then chop them into quarters (or even cubes). Add the potatoes and eggs to a pot filled with salted water and turn up the heat. Once at a rolling boil, turn down the heat and cook for 15-18 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender. Mix the rest of the ingredients (i.e., chopped green onion, pickles, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried dill, and salt and pepper) in a large bowl until well combined. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain thoroughly. Then, toss the warm potatoes in a pinch of salt gently, and allow to cool completely. Peel the hard boiled eggs, roughly chop into quarters and allow the eggs to cool as well. Once they are completely cooled, add the diced potatoes and egg to the bowl with remaining ingredients. Gently toss to combine all the ingredients and garnish with paprika and fresh chopped parsley.
👩🏽🍳 Tips To Make The Best Potato Salad!
🍴 Serving and storage suggestions
Store potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day or two (which makes this a perfect dish to make-ahead!)
Choose the right type of potatoes. For a classic potato salad, you’ll want waxy potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes are the best because they hold their shape better than others.Cut them into equal sizes to help cook evenly. Cutting your potatoes into uniform pieces will help them cook evenly and prevent the overcooking of any part of the dish. Start potatoes in cold water, then gradually increase temperature. This helps the potatoes cook evenly (versus the outsides cooking too quickly, which can then lead to the potatoes breaking down). Get creative with your add-ins. Potato salads are a great way to get creative with your ingredients! Try adding crunchy elements such as celery or onions, sweet elements like corn kernels or peas, and salty elements like capers to round out your flavors. Allow it to chill (ideally overnight!) Mix your potato salad and let it chill before serving (but don’t add the garnishes!) This will help ensure that all of the flavors meld together nicely and that none of them overpower each other. This also helps keep the potatoes from getting too mushy if they’re refrigerated after being cooked! Garnish with fresh herbs and a kick of spice. Don’t forget about the presentation! Garnish your potato salad with some fresh parsley or chives before serving for an added pop of color that will impress even the pickiest of eaters!
I don’t recommend freezing this potato salad recipe (as mayonnaise-based recipes don’t hold up super well in the freezer!) If you love potato salad, check out these awesome BBQ sides as well:
Crunchy rainbow summer slaw Tortellini pasta salad with a pesto vinaigrette Tomato confit (to serve on bread, bruschetta anyone?!) Refreshing mango avocado salad
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📖 Recipe
