There are so many different versions of potato salad. Its an easy recipe to make for a crowd and pairs really well with everything from a beautiful piece of fish to a hot dog right off the grill. Potato salad is enjoy world wide too. People add everything from green olives and edamame to jalapeños and even octopus to their own unique versions of this classic side dish.
If you can master this classic potato salad recipe, you will not panic next time someone invites you to a potluck. “Of course I am coming… and I’m bringing my famous potato salad!”
The most important ingredient in this dish is the potato. Now I have been told by so many people that you need to use a certain kind of potato when you are making potato salad, but I just haven’t found that to be true. I usually use whatever potatoes I have on hand and today, I have russet potatoes.
We are going to boil the potatoes whole, so pick out 5 big russet potatoes or about 3 pounds of any other kind of potato and bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil. Once the water is boiling, add a big pinch of salt and add your potatoes. Boil the potatoes for 20-25 minutes.
Once the potatoes are beginning to become tender, transfer them into a strainer. You are looking for the stage where you can poke a knife into them, but it isn’t really easy. Once the potatoes are at this stage, drain them and then cover them (in the strainer) with a towel and allow them to continue steaming a bit as they cool down. This should take another 20-25 minutes. Covering the potatoes as they cool will give them a chance to cook all the way through, but not become so mushy that they fall apart when you cut them later. While the potatoes are resting, we will assemble to dressing.
This dressing consists of a good quality mayonnaise (I love Dukes!), a grainy dijon mustard (I use honey dijon, but any grainy dijon will work fine) and either sour cream or buttermilk. I season the dressing with onion powder, garlic powder and celery salt and then I add in some finely chopped celery, red onions, spring onions, fresh dill and hard boiled eggs.
Begin by whisking together 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of sour cream (or buttermilk) and 1/8 cup of a grainy dijon mustard in a large bowl. Add in 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of celery salt and whisk to combine. Dice or mash 3 peeled hard boiled eggs and add this to the dressing.
Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, carefully peel them and cut them into large cubes. Add the potatoes into the dressing and toss until the dressing is fully incorporated.
Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped red onions, 1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh dill, 2 celery ribs that have been finely chopped and 2 thinly sliced spring onions.
Mix all of the ingredients together and marvel at your magnificent bowl of potato salad. It is so creamy and that fresh dill just takes the flavors to another level. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator overnight. This potato salad should be served cold and the time it spends hanging out in the refrigerator allows the potatoes, dressing and seasonings become real good friends.
I hope you enjoy my classic potato salad recipe and surprise everyone at the next big cook out with your sweet potato salad skills. Happy cookout season everyone! Enjoy!!
Classic Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs russet potatoes
- a pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream or buttermilk
- 1/8 cup grainy dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled, mashed
- 1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil
- Add a large pinch of salt and 3 pounds of potatoes into the boiling water
- Boil potatoes for 20-25 minutes
- Drain potatoes in a strainer and then cover the strainer with a kitchen towel and allow the potatoes to sit covered (in the strainer) for 20-25 minutes
- Combine 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of sour cream (or buttermilk) and 1/8 cup of a grainy dijon mustard in a large bowl
- Add 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of celery salt and whisk to combine
- Add 3 peeled hard boiled eggs (finely chopped or mashed) and mix to combine
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, carefully peel them (optional) and cut them into large cubes
- Add the cubed potatoes into the dressing and toss until fully incorporated
- Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped red onion, 1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh dill, 2 celery ribs that have been finely chopped and 2 spring onions that have been thin sliced
- Gently mix until all of the ingredients are fully incorporated
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator
