The is the old-fashioned classic salad I grew up with, that I tweaked through the years. It uses everyday ingredients, is easy to assemble and can be made in advance. The dressing is what makes it stand out and you can customize it to make it as creamy and tangy as you want to.
A great potato egg salad recipe is a must
And this recipe will not let you down. I take it to potlucks, picnics, cookouts and other casual outdoor gatherings. It's a crowd-pleaser that never goes out of style, me being the it's biggest fan.
The key is cooking the potatoes so they're soft with a good bite but not mushy. I have a few great tips below to help you ensure this as much as possible. In the last years I started using baby potatoes, skin on, as they have a creamy flesh and it's harder to overcook them.
The dressing is more sophisticated than the mayo from my childhood days and it makes all the difference. It's easy to customize and adapt it to your palate.
This recipe is traditional and a nod to my childhood, but you can check out other potato salad recipes we have in the archives.
What potatoes are best for salad?
The best potatoes to use are waxy or all-purpose varieties. They hold their shape well when cooked and are less likely to turn mushy, which is important for maintaining the texture of the salad.
- New or baby potatoes: these are one of my favorites and are eaten with the skin on. They are young potatoes harvested before they reach maturity. They have thin skins and a firm and waxy texture.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: this variety has a creamy texture and a slightly buttery flavor.
- Red potatoes: they have a firm texture and a slightly sweet flavor. Plus, their red skin adds color to the salad. You can use them together with new or baby potatoes for contrast.
- Fingerling potatoes: they come in various colors and have a firm, waxy texture that holds up well in salads. Their unique flavor and longer shape can add interest to your dish.
- Russets: the most popular type, they're a good option. I like to cook them with their skin on and then peel them, as they hold their shape better in my experience.
Steps to make potato egg salad
Potatoes
A tip for baking potatoes that hold their shape is to add vinegar to the salted cooking water. I also like to use small or new potatoes as they're creamy and don't fall apart much.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
After draining the potatoes, transfer them to a shallow dish, cut them in half, drizzle with vinegar and oil and let them cool. Don't touch them until they're at room temperature. If you start mixing and handling them too much while hot, they'll turn mushy. And if you add all the dressing while hot, the final result will not be good.
Dressing
All components are necessary to achieve a good balance between creamy, sharp and salty. That said, you can substitute some of them and increase or decrease quantities depending on your taste.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Make ahead: this salad recipe benefits from being assembled and refrigerated a few hours before serving. The time in the fridge will meld the flavors and make it tastier.
- Serving potato salad: I like it somewhat cold or at room temperature. In my experience, if it's too cold the flavors get a little lost.
- Variations:
To make it spicier, add a dash of Tabasco sauce, chili pepper flakes, ground cayenne pepper or hot smoked paprika.
Gourmet-style, add chopped cucumbers, celery, diced avocado or greens like arugula, spinach or kale.
Add crisp bacon bits on top before serving. It will add saltiness so adjust the salt in the dressing.
As a main dish, besides the eggs, add grilled steak or chicken pieces on top before serving it on a shallow platter.
Related recipes you might like:
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Potato Egg Salad (creamy and easy)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby potatoes
- 2 tablespoons vinegar, I use red or white wine
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives, or finely chopped yellow or red onion
- ⅓ cup chopped pickles, optional
For the creamy dressing:
- 1 ½ cups of mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the potatoes:
- Boil 2 pounds of baby potatoes in their skins in a large pot of salted water adding 1 tablespoon vinegar. This helps the potatoes hold their shape better. Cook for 7-8 minutes when the water boils or until they are fork-tender (can easily be pierced with a knife or fork).
- Drain well. You can also run them under cold water for a few seconds to cut the cooking. If you want to peel them, do so as soon as you can and cut them in pieces. Or leave them with the skin on and into ½-1 inch pieces.
- Transfer the cooked potatoes to a shallow platter or dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon vinegar and stir lightly. Leave them untouched until they’re at room temperature.
For the eggs:
- To hard boil them, place 4 eggs in a single layer in a pot. Avoid stacking them to ensure even cooking. Cover with tap water by about 1-2 inches.
- Sprinkle with a little salt or a drizzle of vinegar; it will prevent the egg whites from spreading much in case an egg shell cracks while cooking.
- Let the water come to a boil, and count exactly 10 minutes from that moment. I use my phone timer.
- After boiling for ten minutes, drain and place them in a bowl with cold water. I place the saucepan in the sink under the running water for a minute or two. Let them cool down in the cold water for about 10 minutes and then at room temperature until you use them. Don't keep them in the water for hours until you need them as that is what contributes to eggs having that greenish circle around the yolk. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water (or run them under cold water) to stop the cooking process.
For the dressing:
- In a medium bowl, mix 1 and ½ cups mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon of honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste.
- If making ahead keep it refrigerated in an airtight container or covered bowl.
To assemble:
- Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl with ½ tablespoon chopped parsley and ½ tablespoon chopped chives and⅓ cup chopped pickles if using.
- Drizzle over some of the salad dressing, stir to mix, taste and adjust for salt, vinegar or other ingredients.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours.
- When ready to serve, stir the potatoes lightly and transfer to the serving platter or bowl. Cut the eggs in four wedges each and place on top. Drizzle with more dressing. Sprinkle the rest of the chives or parsley on top and serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container.
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