This potato salad is what I consider to be my greatest summer side dish. It’s always popular at parties, BBQs, and gatherings in the summer and works so well with grilled and smoked meats. Make sure you bring a double batch to a gathering if there’s more than 4 people – people always seem to eat a ton of it.
This dish reminds me of the Costco potato salad they have during the summer months, but without the preservatives and the icky feeling I get after I eat too much.
And if you’re not sold yet – it’s easy to make ahead if you have a complicated or busy afternoon before dinner.
Best Potatoes for Potato Salad
Different potatoes have different starch levels and react differently to cooking.
Red potatoes are more waxy and contain less starch, which means they’re better for maintaining their shape once they’re cooked – keeping your salad from getting mushy. Plus they look nice!
Always boil your potatoes whole for pasta salad and try not to poke them too much during cooking. We don’t want the potatoes to fill up with water and get mushy (in addition to losing nutrients).
Try to use potatoes of a similar size to ensure even cooking. If you have mismatched sizes, you may need to babysit your potatoes and remove the smaller ones as they cook.
Eggs or No Eggs?
It’s funny how eggs are controversial in potato salad. I used to be a strict “no eggs” potato salad person until I got a bit older and made it myself. I was making it as a side for brisket and my husband asked me to put eggs in the potato salad. I did it for him, but I realized I’ve been missing out this entire time!
Eggs add a distinct texture and rich flavour to the salad that I absolutely love. If you’re hesitant, try just 1 or 2 eggs to start!
Additions for Flavour
I use green onions to get a burst of fresh onion flavour without the raw onion taste (and aftertaste) from regular onions. Once I tried pickled onions and that was a huge mistake – it made the potato salad way too sour along with the dill pickle.
For spices, you could try dill instead of parsley, or use a combination of both. I actually prefer dried spices here – they’re easier to incorporate and the flavour is better distributed. You can use fresh if you prefer.
I add a tiny bit of wasabi to my potato salad – yes you heard that right! I love the weird zing and “spiciness” it gives, but it’s best in very small doses.
There is a lot of mayo in this recipe – but it’s necessary! Since we are chopping our vegetables nice and small, there’s a lot more surface area for the mayo to coat. This ensures the salad is creamy and not dry, and each bite is filled with a little bit of everything.
If you want to reduce the mayo I’d recommend chopping your potatoes closer to 1″ pieces so they don’t end up dry.
Creamy Red Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs medium-large red potatoes
- 3 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 2″ dill pickle finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp whole grain or dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp dried parsley or dill
- ¼ tsp wasabi* opt. or horseradish
- ⅛ – ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ – ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt or to taste
Directions
Prep Ahead – Potatoes and Eggs
- Either the day before or in the morning, cook the potatoes and eggs.
- Potatoes: Add washed whole red potatoes to a medium-large pot and cover by at least 1″ with cold water. Salt the water generously. Bring to a boil, then cook until fork tender (30-40 minutes). Drain and set aside to cool completely: either on the counter for an hour or in the fridge up to a day in advance.
- Eggs: Follow your favourite hard boiled egg recipe or:
- Air-Fryer: Cook from cold at 250°F for 15 minutes – remove from heat immediately and immerse in ice water for 10-15 minutes. You may need to add additional ice as it melts.
- Stove-Top: Add eggs to small pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let it sit for 14 minutes. Remove from hot water into ice water for 10-15 minutes. You may need to add additional ice as it melts.
Make the Salad
- Chop your cooled potatoes into ½” pieces and place in a very large bowl.
- Peel and chop your eggs in ¼” pieces and add to the bowl along with the mayonnaise, celery, green onions, dill pickle, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, wasabi, paprika, and pepper.
- Stir well, folding the ingredients over each other until well combined. Taste and add salt as necessary. Stir well again to combine.
- Refrigerate for a few hours before serving so the ingredients have time to mingle. Serve cold.
Notes
Vitamin K 76.4 mg | Calcium: 51.9 mg | Iron: 1.8 mg
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