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bowl of classic potato salad.
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4.84 from 6 votes

Classic Potato Salad

This is the last classic potato salad recipe you'll ever need. It's easy, made with potatoes you don't have to peel, and is super creamy.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 22
Author: Christie Vanover

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs mini gold potatoes
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup pickle juice
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup celery chopped
  • 3/4 cup pickles chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion minced
  • 3 hard boiled eggs chopped

GARNISH

  • 1 hard boiled eggs sliced
  • 1/4 cup celery sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh celery leaves chopped
  • dash smoked paprika optional

Instructions

  • Cook the Potatoes: Rinse the potatoes and cut them into half-inch pieces. Place them in a large stock pot with enough water to cover them and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Then cook for 15 minutes, until fork tender. Rinse with cold water and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Make the Sauce: In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, pickle juice, salt, pepper and celery seeds.
  • Assemble the Salad: Add the cooked potatoes to the bowl and gently mix. Fold in 3 chopped hard boiled eggs, 3/4 cups chopped celery, the pickles and onions. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  • Garnish: Just before serving, top with sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced celery, freshly chopped celery leaves and a dash of smoked paprika.

Notes

Servings: This recipe makes 11 cups. Most people will eat 1/2 to 3/4 cup, depending on how much other food is being served.
Pickles: You can use dill, sweet or bread and butter pickles in this recipe based on your preference. Whichever pickle you choose, use the pickle juice from the same jar.
Potatoes: If you like your potatoes to be creamier like mashed potatoes with a little bit of bite, boil them for about 15 minutes. If you prefer more firm potatoes, boil them for about 10 minutes.
Mayonnaise: You can substitute some of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt, sour cream or Miracle Whip.
Mustard: This recipe doesn't call for any mustard, but if you prefer a mustard-based potato salad, just add a couple of tablespoons of Dijon.

Nutrition

Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg