If you attend a BBQ at my parent’s house in the summer, there’s a 99% chance you’ll be served Judy’s Baked Beans, The BEST Pasta Salad, and Dirt Cake, or any combo of the three, but always, always, always Mom’s Classic Potato Salad. It’s a summertime staple.
My Mom (she cracks me up. Yes, Mom, I know who you are!) has made this recipe so many times that it’s ingrained in her memory, but recently I had her write it down ingredient by yummy ingredient, step by simple step. I’ve never actually made this recipe myself – after all, Mom always seems to make it best – and was surprised to see there’s not nearly as much mayo as I thought, plus the recipe includes a secret marinating step that gives the salad flavor from the inside out.
My Mom has fine-tuned this recipe over the years to fit our family’s tastes – eliminating add-ins like chopped onions and celery, which we don’t love – so feel free to jazz this recipe up with any mix-ins you like. The base recipe, which I’m sharing here, is a classic, creamy, dare I say, clean, tasting Potato Salad. The only one I’ll eat. It is SO good!!!
What Potatoes to Use for Potato Salad
Russet potatoes make for the best classic potato salad. You heard it here first. We’ve tried many different types of potatoes in this salad over the years, but russets are our very favorite, tried and true potatoes.
Can I Make This Side Dish Ahead of Time?
You can absolutely make this potato salad up to two days ahead of time. The flavor just gets better as it sits in the refrigerator and the flavors meld together.
Onward!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by scrubbing and peeling. 2-1/2lbs russet potatoes, which is about 4 medium-sized potatoes. Make sure they’re all roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Again, we have used various types of potatoes in this recipe over the years, and russets are the best. Trust.
Scrub the potatoes then place in a big pot of cold water, bring to a boil, then cook for 20-30 minutes or until a knife can be easily inserted into the center of each potato.
Remove the potatoes with tongs then let cool slightly. When they’re cool enough to handle but still warm, use a paring knife to help peel (it should be very easy) then chop the potatoes into big chunks and place inside a large bowl.
Meanwhile, mix up the dressing for the potato salad. Part of this dressing will be swirled over the warm potatoes, and part will be stirred in at the very end before serving.
In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil, 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar (same as apple cider vinegar) and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. Then add 1/2 teaspoon sugar, a scant 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a heavy dash of paprika.
Give ‘er a little stir with a fork to combine.
Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the warm potatoes then stir and stash in the fridge for at least an hour or up to overnight. This is the “marinating” step that gives the potato salad so much flavor!
While the potatoes are still cooking, hard-boil 4 large eggs. Just pop them into a saucepan then cover the tops by 1″ with cold water. Bring to a boil, place a lid on top, then let them sit off the heat for exactly 12 minutes.
Plunge the eggs into ice water, or run under cold water for a few minutes, then lightly smash each egg against a cutting board, roll so the shell cracks all the way around the center, and then peel. I find that still-warm eggs peel the easiest. Chop the eggs up then place ’em into the refrigerator.
Before serving, add the remaining dressing, 1/2 cup light mayonnaise, the chopped hard-boiled eggs, and a dash of salt to the marinated potatoes then stir to combine, adding up to 1/4 cup more light mayo to achieve a creamier consistency.
That’s it! Classic, right?! Refrigerate until ready to devour, then dig in. Creamy and SO dreamy, I hope you love this salad as much as we do – enjoy!
Similar Recipes
- Ultimate Red Skinned Potato Salad (Mayo Free!) >
- Cauliflower “Faux-tato” Salad >
- Marinated Vegetable Salad >
- The BEST Pasta Salad >
- Napa Sweet Corn Salad >
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
Classic Potato Salad
Description
Mom's Classic Potato Salad is an old family favorite, and a summer cooking side dish staple. Creamy, mix-in FREE, and just right!
Ingredients
- 2-1/2lbs medium-sized potatoes (about 4-5 potatoes - make sure all are same size)
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup light mayonnaise
- dash salt
- For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- scant 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash of paprika
Directions
- Place potatoes in a very large pot of cold water then bring to a boil. Boil for 20-30 minutes or until a knife can be easily inserted into the centers.
- Meanwhile, place eggs in a saucepan then cover with cold water 1" above the tops. Bring to a boil, place a lid on top, and then remove from heat and let sit for 12 minutes. Drain then plunge into ice water or run under cold water for a few minutes. Peel eggs then chop and place into the refrigerator.
- Mix dressing ingredients together in a small bowl then set aside.
- When potatoes are tender, remove to a colander with tongs. When cool enough to handle, but still warm, use a paring knife to help peel potatoes then chop into large pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle 3/4 of the dressing over the warm potatoes then toss to combine. Cover then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
- When ready to serve, add remaining dressing, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, chopped hard boiled eggs, and salt to potatoes then mix to combine, adding more mayonnaise to reach desired consistency.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Becca 06.29.2014
My new go-to potato salad recipe! I love that this is simple with basic ingredients since I live outside of the US and can’t always get my hands on certain ingredients. Also, as I am 38 weeks pregnant, my stomach is very picky these days so I have been making a bowl of this every week. Thanks!
Food. Beer. Stuff. | Potato Salad… An Experiment. 06.25.2014
[…] everywhere so it took a bit of clicking around but I finally settled on a particular recipe I found here at https://iowagirleats.com. I am very glad that I did, it certainly was the best presented that […]
Ultimate Red Skinned Potato Salad (Mayo Free!) | Iowa Girl Eats 05.21.2014
[…] and had my own pity party that my favorite summertime staples like Judy’s Baked Beans and Classic Potato Salad, which my sweet Mom DID make with gluten-free ingredients, still contained vinegar in the pork and […]
My Mother-in-Law’s Potato Salad | Cooking to be Clever 03.20.2014
[…] Photo Credit […]
Skinny Bacon Potato Salad | FamilyFreshCooking.com — Family Fresh Cooking 07.23.2013
[…] Mom’s Classic Potato Salad Iowa Girl Eats […]
Anna S. 07.13.2013
I have made this twice in the past few weeks, once for the 4th and today for a BBQ. People loved it and so do I! This is now my go-to potato salad. Thanks so much!
Melissa @ My Recent Favorite books 07.08.2013
Happy Birthday! =)
Love your Potato Salad recipe!, it looks so delicious!
Jen 07.07.2013
Thumbs up on the potato salad! I don’t usually like it, either, but this is great. I added a little more vinegar at the end for more zing, and even added hot sauce on my own serving.
Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles 07.02.2013
This salad looks so good, love that marinating step! Happiest birthday to both of you lovely ladies!!
Rachel 07.02.2013
Your blog is my favorite food blog–EVER–so imagine my surprise when I saw someone from my town! I didn’t know Sandy has a blog (I’ve seen her book). Now I just think the two of you are even cooler! Thanks Kristin for all the great recipes. I don’t ever comment, but I read and cook your stuff all the time. xoxo
Tina 07.02.2013
Thanks for sharing mom’s potato salad recipe. You mentioned omitting celery and onions due to family’s taste preference, well my grandmother’s recipe also called for onions and celery and growing up since my mom knew I didn’t like it, she started sauteeing the onion and celery in butter so now you’d never know there were in there. (I’m assuming there is some sort of flavoring but you’d never know)
Your Grandpa’s pasta salad is next on my list to try!
KathrynK FL 07.02.2013
Lots of steps for your ma’s potato salad but I will eventually try it, looks good, thanks for sharing
Kristi 07.02.2013
Yum- this looks so good! Do you think it would be just as flavorful if I substituted Greek yogurt for the mayo?
Iowa Girl Eats 07.02.2013
This is one dish that I wouldn’t recommend swapping the mayo for Greek yogurt. It’s actually the only recipe I can think of off the top of my head that I eat mayo in, and it’s so good!
Afton 07.02.2013
Love that the potato salad doesn’t have onions or celery- I think this will be my new favorite recipe!
Why do you boil the potatoes whole and then peel and cut up, rather than peeling and cutting up before boiling? Thank you!!!
Iowa Girl Eats 07.02.2013
Haha, I had the same question! The original directions said to boil the potatoes in their “jackets” aka skins. She said this keeps the potatoes from getting mushy.
Jan @ Sprouts n Squats 07.02.2013
Yum that looks so delicious! I would never have thought to add vinegar to the dressing.
Angela 07.01.2013
Yummy! My mouth was watering by the end of this post..that potato salad looks delectable!
Trisha 07.01.2013
Mmmm, that potato salad looks super tasty! For years I thought I just couldn’t handle potato salad, but I finally broadened my horizons and discovered that I love it. My favorite is from a burger joint here in Madison and it contains super crunchy radishes, which I normally don’t even like.
What a fun birthday twin menu!
Nessa 07.01.2013
That potato salad looks killer!
Elizabeth 07.01.2013
That potato salad sounds delicious. It’s my weakness, and I love it all different ways!
Autumn 07.01.2013
Happy Early Birthday to you and Sandy.
Sandy and you look like you could be Mother and Daughter!