The BEST Potato Salad
My beloved potato salad recipe ranks right up there with other picnic favorites like macaroni salad and broccoli salad. It’s a simple staple recipe that’s easy to make and it’s always, always a hit! My version is dressed up with a sprinkle of sugar and sweet pickle juice, a dash of smoked paprika, and even the option to add bacon. It’s creamy and flavorful, and if you make it once, be prepared to be asked to bring it to parties for the rest of your life!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Can be made with any type of potato, but your results will vary. I talk more about this below. Perfect for making in advance. Some chilling is recommended to let the flavors develop, so this dish is great for prepping in advance. Full of flavor! We’ll add flavor boosters like (sweet!) pickles, paprika, and just a pinch of sugar. Includes lots of tips for foolproof results. No second-guessing needed, we’ll discuss everything from your best potato choices to how to tell they’re done boiling to other key tips and tricks (like making sure your potatoes aren’t too hot before adding the dressing!).
What You Need
Nothing too fancy here, just some pantry staples. I’ll review a few before we dive in.
Potatoes. The potatoes that you choose can make all the difference in the end result! For this potato salad recipe, I recommend using a waxy potato like gold or fingerling potatoes. Red potatoes are another great choice. This type of potato will stay firm after cooking and hold its shape without falling apart. As a bonus, these potatoes have a thin skin and don’t need to be peeled (though you can if you’d like to!). I talk about using starchier potatoes, like russet potatoes, below. Eggs. Hard boiled eggs add flavor and texture to the end result. Boil a few extra and make yourself a batch of egg salad while you’re at it, too! Smoked paprika. I love sneaking this sweet and smoky spice into recipes (like my chicken and rice soup). Just a pinch adds such a nice depth of flavor and I consider it my secret ingredient. Onion. I like to use red onion, but really any kind will work. Chop it nice and fine for best texture. Pickles. I love to add sweet pickles and their juice to my potato salad recipe (and my deviled eggs too!). If you don’t like sweet pickles, you can swap them for dill pickles and substitute the juice for an equal amount of vinegar. Mayo. Use your favorite; I tend to reach for an olive oil-based mayo (I do this with my chicken salad, too), but any kind will work.
SAM’S TIP: Bacon is another unique and tasty addition that I sometimes include! I include more instructions for adding this below. Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Potato Salad
SAM’S TIP: Keep your potato salad cold! Bacteria can grow after two hours at room temperature. The time frame gets even smaller during hot weather (down to one hour), so keep this in mind if you are serving this recipe at a summer picnic. Serving over ice or putting it right back in the fridge/cooler after enjoying is ideal. Potato salad makes a great side dish for BBQ chicken, pulled pork or smash burgers, if you need a few serving suggestions 😉 Enjoy! This recipe was originally published in May of 2019. I’ve since updated the post to include more details, to make the bacon optional, and to include a new video tutorial (in the recipe card).
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