Simple Potato Salad Recipe

Name: Simple Potato Salad Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 5 lb Idaho Potatoes; ¾ cup mayonnaise; 3 Tablespoons mustard; ½ cup celery, (finely chopped); ¼ cup red onion, (finely chopped); 4 Tablespoons dill relish; ½ teaspoon salt, (to taste); ½ teaspoon pepper, (to taste)

Yield 15 people

Cook 30

Prep 15

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

This simple potato salad recipe is out of this world! Smooth, velvety, and full of flavor...it's unbelievably delicious! Made with basic ingredients, it's easy to prepare and can be made in advance!

White bowl containing potato salad, wooden spoon and onion on table.

I'm actually not a fan of most potato recipes out there, but this version is beyond amazing! A classic American side dish that pairs well with this juicy burger recipe and this grilled Greek marinated chicken, you'll love the tender chunks of potatoes paired with the creamy texture and flavor of the dill.

This truly is a simple potato salad recipe that anyone can make and all will enjoy. And just like this avocado egg salad recipe, this cauliflower salad and Italian pasta salad, it's the perfect recipe to serve at a picnic, a backyard barbecue, or to bring to a potluck! And it tastes way better than any store bought version.

Jump to:

ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
📋 Variations
🔪 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
🙋 Recipe FAQs
💭 Expert Tips
🥔 More Potato Recipes
Simple Potato Salad Recipe

ℹ️ Why This Recipe Works

1. It only requires 6 simple ingredients to make.

2. You don't need to peel the potatoes before cooking them! By cooking the potatoes with the peelings on, you're saving a ton of time and hassle. And the peelings are way easier to remove after the potato has been cooked.

3. The techniques used to make this simple potato salad recipe provide the most amazing velvety texture you won't find in other recipes!

🛒 Ingredients You'll Need

potatoes, celery, dill relish, red onion, mayo and mustard on a granite counter

Potatoes - The key to obtaining a creamy and velvety texture is using Idaho potatoes and cooking them with the peelings on. These are the best potatoes to use when making potato salad.
Relish - use dill relish. It tastes the best and provides a tangy and slightly sweet flavor that complements the creaminess of the potatoes.
Mayonnaise - provides a creamy texture and helps balance out the flavors of the other ingredients. Use real mayonnaise instead of Miracle Whip.
Mustard - use yellow mustard. The small amount used adds a subtle tangy flavor.
Celery - make sure to finely chop the celery. It's adds a nice crunch and enhances the overall texture of the dish.
Onion - use a red onion. It provides so much flavor, way more than a regular yellow onion.
Salt & Pepper - use table salt and ground black pepper as a flavor enhancer.

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!

📋 Variations

Types of Potatoes - If you are not a fan of Idaho potatoes, try using Yukon Gold or fingerling potatoes in this recipe. As long as the potatoes are starchy, they will work well in this recipe.
Onions - if you don't like the strong flavor of red onions, try using a sweet onion or yellow onion. Vidalia onions have a mild and sweet flavor with very little aftertaste or spiciness. If you're not a fan of onions, leave them out.
Boiled Eggs - adding slices of hard boiled eggs provides extra flavor and is similar to the old fashioned potato salad recipes. And it's really easy to peel hard boiled eggs when you follow my technique and expert tips.
Mustard - try using dijon instead of yellow mustard to change up the flavor.
Add Protein - try adding chopped bacon or ham. I added chopped ham to this potato casserole recipe and it added so much flavor! Ham and potatoes taste amazing together.
Relish - if you're not a fan of dill, try using sweet pickle relish. To add more texture, finely dice either sweet or dill pickles.
Additional Seasonings - paprika and fresh chopped dill tastes is a great add. Celery seed can also be used.

🔪 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

Step 1: Start by finely chopping the red onion and celery.

Cutting board with chopped red onion and celery.

Step 2: In a large pot, boil the potatoes with the peeling on.

👩‍🍳 Chef's Note: Boiling the potatoes with the skin on makes them so much easier to peel and chop. This method of cooking alters the texture and yields a smooth, velvety consistency.

Pot with water containing potatoes ready to boil.

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!

Step 3: After the potatoes are done boiling, drain them in a strainer. The peelings should be starting to fall off. Let them cool before you start to peel them.

Cooked Idaho Potatoes ready to be peeled.

Step 4: Once they are cool enough to touch, peel the potatoes.

👩‍🍳 Chef's Note: When you boil the potatoes with the peelings on, it's so easy to just peel them off. Sometimes, I can just rub the majority of the peeling off with my hands instead of having to use a knife.

Step 5: From there, cut the cooked potatoes into large chunks. It's ok if the potatoes start to fall apart while cutting.

Step 6: Place the cubed potatoes in a large bowl and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.

Step 7: Add the mayonnaise, mustard, dill relish, celery, and red onions. Combine all the potato salad ingredients well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to combine.

White bowl containing diced potatoes, celery, red onion, mustard, mayonnaise, and dill relish.

And that's all it takes to make this simple potato salad recipe!

Bowl of potato salad sitting on a picnic table.

🙋 Recipe FAQs

What potatoes are best for potato salad?

I highly recommend using Idaho potatoes for this recipe. They are more starchy than a lot of other potatoes and become fluffy when cooked. They also help the texture become velvety smooth when mixed with the other ingredients.

How far in advance can I make potato salad?

I always make it at least 1 day before I plan to serve. While I do enjoy a warm potato salad, cold is my favorite. If you don't have time to make this a day in advance, let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours on the day you make it. This recipe is best when it's chilled.

How long will potato salad last?

It will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator if it is stored in an airtight container with a lid.

White bowl of potato salad sitting on a picnic table with a red and white check napkin, red onion ring and serving spoon.

💭 Expert Tips

Measuring Ingredients: This is one of those recipes where you really have to judge the measurements by taste. I taste this recipe about 10 times while making it to ensure it's exactly how I want it to taste. If you feel it needs a little more mayo for your liking, add it! Want more salt or relish, add it!
Allow Potatoes To Cool: After you've cut the potatoes into large cubes, it's important to let them cool before adding the mayonnaise
Freezing: Do not freeze this potato salad. When it thaws, the texture becomes very watery and mushy.
Preventing Potato Salad From Sweating: Sweating occurs when moisture from the potato salad evaporates and then condenses on the inside of the container. Make sure the potato salad has completely cooled before storing it in an airtight container. You can also place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the potato salad before sealing the container to create a barrier that will prevent moisture from accumulating.

Fork in a bowl of potato salad sitting on a picnic table.

🥔 More Potato Recipes

If you tried this simple potato salad recipe or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And, please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!

📧 Don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter, so that you don’t miss out on any of my delicious recipes!