This homemade Creamy Potato Salad Recipe is creamy, rich, and tangy, and the perfect side dish for your upcoming BBQs this summer! It’s easy to make ahead, super tasty, and flavorful!

I’ve been making my mom’s Creamy Potato Salad Recipe for years, and I might be biased. But I do think that it is the best creamy potato salad out there. I guess, everybody says the same about their mom’s recipes, right?!

Mom’s Creamy Potato Salad Recipe

Summer is already here, which means plenty of picnics, BBQs, cookouts, and get-togethers. So, if you are looking for a delicious side dish for your upcoming party, I’ve got your back. My mom’s Creamy Potato Salad Recipe is a family staple and requires only a few simple ingredients. It’s so easy to make, really delicious, and can be enjoyed on its own or as a great side dish. Even better, you can always make it your own, by adjusting some of the ingredients or using whatever you have on hand.

What Potatoes are Best to Use

Both waxy and starchy potatoes, as well as all-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon gold) can be used for a creamy potato salad. However, there are a few things to keep in mind here.

Waxy potatoes, such as new potatoes, fingerling potatoes, red potatoes (Red Bliss), are lower in starch and higher in moisture, and result in a firmer texture when cooked. So they hold their shape very well and don’t become mushy in a salad. According to Martha Stewart, these would be the perfect choice for your potato salads, gratins or galettes. Just make sure you cook them well, all the way through, if you want to have a nice, creamy texture in your salad.

But you can also use starchy potatoes, like Russet or Idaho potatoes. These have a higher starch and lower moisture content, and absorb the dressing flavors very well. With starchy potatoes, your salad will be melt in your mouth creamy and smooth. That’s why I prefer this starchier type of potatoes for my salads. However, you need to be careful not to overcook them. Otherwise, the potatoes will become mushy and easily fall apart when mixed with the dressing and the other ingredients. Therefore, you want these potatoes to be slightly firmer in the center when you poke them with a knife.

How to Store Creamy Potato Salad

You can store the leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Actually, this creamy potato salad tastes even better the next day, since all the flavors have time to blend overnight. Therefore, this is a great make-ahead dish! One thing to keep in mind is that the longer the potato salad is stored, the more its sharpness will fade away, so you might want to add more mustard, vinegar or salt before serving.

What pairs well with Creamy Potato Salad

The creaminess of this easy potato salad is a dream and pairs well with just about anything – from chicken wings, to schnitzels, to grilled, roasted, or fried meats, to hamburgers, hot dogs, seafood, you name it! Moreover, it is perfect for any occasion, whether a posh gathering, such as Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, or just a picnic, potluck, or backyard BBQ. No matter the occasion, you can never go wrong with this delicious potato salad!

Creamy Potato Salad key ingredients:

– boiled potatoes (Yukon gold, red potatoes, russet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, new potatoes)

– hard-boiled eggs

– red onion

– spring onions

– sweet pickles (or dill pickles)

– fresh herbs: parsley, dill

– mayonnaise

– sour cream (or Greek yoghurt)

– yellow mustard

– white vinegar (or cider vinegar)

– zest of one lemon

– garlic cloves

– smoked paprika

– salt

– black pepper

– crispy bacon bits (optional)

– red chili flakes (optional)

Creamy Potato Salad tools you will need:

– large pot

– colander

– large mixing bowl

– small bowl

– rubber spatula

– measuring cups

– measuring spoons

– Chef’s knife

– cutting board

Creamy Potato Salad Recipe at a Glance

How to make this Creamy Potato Salad Recipe

(for the exact measurements, please see the recipe card below)

Step 1 – Boil the potatoes

Place your potatoes in a pot with cold water and a tablespoon of salt. The water should be around 1 1/2 inch above the potatoes.

Step 2 – Prepare the ingredients

While the potatoes are boiling, prepare the rest of the ingredients: finely chop the red onion, finely dice the pickles, finely slice the spring onions, chop the hard-boiled eggs (I prefer bigger chunks), and chop the fresh herbs. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel and chop in large chunks.

Step 3 – Prepare the dressing

In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yoghurt), yellow mustard, white vinegar, zest of one lemon, garlic cloves, smoked paprika.

Step 4 – Mix all the salad ingredients

Before adding the dressing, mix all the ingredients so everything is evenly distributed throughout the salad. Also, the potatoes will get a bit mushy around the edges. And this will make the final salad fluffier, adding that comforting creaminess and smoothness that we all love so much.

Step 5 – Mix the dressing with the potato salad

Finally, add the creamy dressing and gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

Step 6 – Serve and enjoy!

Creamy Potato Salad Recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

What causes potato salad to become watery?

Potatoes are very porous tend to absorb a lot of water, that’s why I recommend boiling the potatoes with the skin on. This will prevent the absorption of too much water. In addition, you should let the potatoes cool before adding the mayonnaise dressing. This way, the steam will escape and the water will evaporate, leaving the potatoes drier and less prone to becoming watery. On the other hand, adding too many liquid ingredients (like vinegar, for example) to the dressing will also make the salad more watery.

Can you freeze creamy potato salad?

I don’t recommend freezing a creamy potato salad. The mayonnaise in this mayonnaise-based dressing is an emulsion (i.e. a mixture of two or more liquids that normally do not mix), and emulsions do not freeze well. The oil will separate after thawing, making the salad very oily and unappealing. Moreover, the potatoes tend to turn grayish if stored in the freezer. So freezing would not be a good option for this creamy potato salad.

What are the most common ingredients in potato salad?

The most common ingredients used in a potato salad are potatoes, onions, spring onions, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, celery, bacon, mayonnaise, sour cream, Greek yoghurt, fresh herbs (parsley, dill), mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Is potato salad better warm or cold?

It depends on your taste. As a rule of thumb, potato salads with a vinaigrette dressing are served warm or at room temperature, while mayonnaise-based potato salads are usually served cold. However, you can break these rules and serve your potato salad as you prefer. Either way, it will be delicious!

What not to do when making a potato salad?

Firstly, never cook the potatoes in hot water. The potatoes will end up being mushy on the outside and undercooked inside.

Secondly, never forget to salt the cooking water, otherwise your potato salad will end up being tasteless, even if you add salt to the dressing afterwards.

Thirdly, don’t let the cooked potatoes sit undressed for more than 15 minutes otherwise they will start turning grayish in color.

And last, if you are preparing a creamy potato salad, never dress your potatoes while still hot or warm, as the mayonnaise-based dressing will become watery or will split.

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MOM'S CREAMY POTATO SALAD RECIPE - RICH AND SAVORY

This homemade Creamy Potato Salad Recipe is creamy, rich, and tangy, and the perfect side dish for your upcoming BBQs this summer! It's easy to make ahead, super tasty, and flavorful!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

7 medium potatoes
3 hard-boiled eggs
⅔ cup red onions (soaked in water)
2 green onions
⅔ cup pickles (finely diced)
2 cloves garlic (pressed)
⅓ cup parsley
⅓ cup dill
1 cup mayonnaise
⅔ cup sour cream (or Greek yoghurt)
1 TB + 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
1 TB vinegar
zest of 1 lemon
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp pepper
bacon bit for serving (optional)

Instructions

Wash the potatoes and place in a large pot with cold water and 2 tablespoons of salt. The water should cover the potatoes by 1 1/2 inches. Once the water comes to a boil, cook until done, for 20-30 minutes, depending on size. Check to see if the potatoes are done by inserting a knife through and lifting the potatoes out of the water. If there is no resistance when poking and the potato slides back to the pot, it means that it is done.
Prepare the rest of the ingredients. While the potatoes are cooking, finely dice the red onion, wash and finely slice the green onion, peel the garlic, finely dice the pickles, boil the eggs and chop them in bigger chunks (or smaller if that's what you prefer), and wash and chop the parsley and the dill. Add everything to a large bowl.
Once the potatoes are cooked, let them cool just a little bit, then peel and cut into larger chunks (around 1 inch / 2.5 cm). Then add them to the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, lemon zest, pressed garlic clove, smoked paprika, salt, pepper. Mix until well combined.
Pour the dressing over the rest of the ingredients in the larger bowl. With a rubber spatula, mix everything gently. If you want your potato salad to be creamier, stir more vigorously and the potatoes will start to crumble.
For a bit of heat, you can add some chili pepper flakes.
Garnish with bacon bits for serving (optional).

Keyword creamy potato salad, potato salad, summer cookout, summer picnic food, summer side dishes

No more excuses for bringing those store-bought potato chips to your next family party! Now you’ve got the recipe and the know-how. So grab those potatoes, and this Creamy Potato Salad Recipe can be ready in no time! Trust me, you’ve got this! And if I were you, I’d make a double batch. Seriously. Thank me later when you’re not scraping the bowl clean at 2 a.m. wondering where it all went.

If you give this recipe a try (or add your own twist to it), drop a comment below. I’d love to hear what magic YOU cooked up in your own kitchen!