Classic Creamy Potato Salad

If you’re searching for the single best classic creamy potato salad recipe – the only one you’ll ever need – then you’ve come to the right place. Today, I’m sharing an old family recipe with you. It has the perfect ratios, and I’ve nailed the method down over time. Let me show you how it’s done.

This creamy potato salad is the kind of recipe that quietly steals the show at every barbecue. It’s classic, nostalgic, creamy, tangy, and exactly what you hope for when you scoop potato salad onto your plate next to something hot off the grill. No trendy twists or unexpected ingredients — just a really good potato salad made properly.

The little details are what make this version special. Tossing the potatoes with vinegar while they’re still warm lets them soak up extra flavor right from the start, and a splash of pickle juice gives the dressing the perfect tangy punch. I also like to gently smash some of the potatoes so the creamy dressing clings to every bite instead of sliding off smooth potato chunks.

Everything here is familiar in the best possible way: tender potatoes, crunchy celery, pickles, fresh dill, creamy mayo, mustard, eggs, and green onions all coming together into the kind of potato salad people go back for seconds of. It’s reliable, crowd-pleasing, and exactly the recipe I want beside grilled burgers, ribs, or barbecue chicken all summer long.

Make-ahead and storage tips

This creamy potato salad tastes even better the next day after chilling in the fridge! Be sure to keep it in a covered container and enjoy it within 4-5 days. I like to serve it at room temperature, so I take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating (but it tastes good cold, too)!

Tap stars to rate!

Classic Creamy Potato Salad

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Rest Time: 1 hour hr

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Rate Recipe Print

• Pin

Remove Ads

Is there anything better than a potato salad? If you're asking me, I'd say, "Yes, this one is better!" I've tweaked a family recipe to be the right amount of creamy with plenty of crunchy bites of celery, red onion, and dill pickles to keep things interesting. A couple of chopped, hard-boiled eggs are a must for me, but if you're not a fan of them in potato salad, go ahead and leave them out.

8

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lb Russet potatoes (diced)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sea salt (see notes)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ▢ ½ cup diced dill pickles
• ▢ ¼ cup finely minced red onion
• ▢ ¼ cup minced fresh dill
• ▢ 2 stalks celery (diced small)
• ▢ 2 green onions (sliced)
• ▢ 2 hard-boiled eggs (chopped – optional)

Potato Salad Dressing

• ▢ ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice (from a jar of pickles)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon EACH: sugar, white wine vinegar, yellow mustard
• ▢ 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, salt, and pepper

Instructions 

• To a medium-sized pot, add 6 cups of cold water, the salt, and the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for a few minutes in the colander.
  2 lb Russet potatoes, 1 tablespoon sea salt
  
• Return the potatoes to the cooking pot, sprinkle them with the vinegar, and toss gently.
  1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  
• While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Add all the dressing ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and mix well. If you're making this ahead of time, you can transfer it to a jar.
  ¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon EACH: sugar, white wine vinegar, yellow mustard, 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice, 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, salt, and pepper
  
• When the potatoes have cooled to room temperature, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the pickles, red onion, dill, celery, green onion, and, if using, the hard-boiled eggs.
  ½ cup diced dill pickles, ¼ cup finely minced red onion, 2 stalks celery, 2 green onions, 2 hard-boiled eggs, ¼ cup minced fresh dill
  
• Pour the dressing over the top. Mix the potato salad well, making sure that the potatoes are a little bit mashed so they are nice and soft with a creamy exterior. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
  

Notes

Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the best for absorbing the flavors of the dressing, which is why I use them to make potato salad. Other types of potatoes will work, but I think Russet potatoes are the best for this recipe. 

Salt: Adding salt to the potato cooking water allows some of the salt to absorb into the potatoes, flavoring them well. 

Pickles: Instead of dill pickles, you can use cornichons, sweet pickles, or even sweet pickle relish. 

Resting: Letting the potato salad rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour helps the flavor develop. 

Mustard: Using Dijon instead of yellow mustard adds a nice kick!

Making hard-boiled eggs: Put two eggs in a small pot and cover them with water. Bring the pot to a boil, then remove it from the heat, cover, and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Then, drain the pot, let the eggs cool, and peel them. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 171kcal (9%), Carbohydrates: 25g (8%), Protein: 4g (8%), Fat: 6g (9%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 50mg (17%), Sodium: 1495mg (65%), Potassium: 552mg (16%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 263IU (5%), Vitamin C: 9mg (11%), Calcium: 37mg (4%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

More potato salad recipes to check out!

If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out all of my potato salad recipes!

45 minutes mins

Grilled Potato Salad with Scallion Pesto

30 minutes mins

Incredible Smashed Potato Salad

40 minutes mins

Italian Potato Salad with Olives, Salami, and Basil

25 minutes mins

Loaded Baked Potato Salad with Bacon, Cheddar, and Chives