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How to Make THE

BEST Potato Salad
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This easy, classic Southern potato salad

recipe with eggs, has been handed down
from my grandma to my mom and then to
me, and includes their secret tips that
makes it the very best potato salad recipe
every single time.

It may be a pretty bold to claim, but saying this

potato salad recipe is the best is a statement I’ll
totally stand behind.

I’ve shared several variations of potato salad

recipes here on the blog including my German
potato salad, a creamy dill potato salad, my
no-mayo potato salad with herbs, a bacon and
sour cream loaded baked potato salad, and
even more. But this salad is the one that readers
have made a top recipe here on the blog, and
definitely ranks as my personal childhood
favorite.

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How to Make the Best Potato

Salad
This classic potato salad is the one I grew up on.
It’s the recipe my Grandma Mary Jane originally
made, then passed down my mom, aunts, and
cousins, and me and my sister. It’s accompanied
burgers, grilled ribs, and every other favorite
summer dinner recipes under the sun.

As favorite family recipes do, it’s a food memory

none of us can, or want to, forget. It shows up at
nearly every BBQ, picnic or good old fashioned
supper soirée at my house, and it’s one I’m
proud as punch to share when I go to other’s
homes as well. And it’s extremely popular with
readers who love it all year round, at
Thanksgiving and Christmas too. Who knew?
Looks like this recipe has found it’s Southern
potato salad roots.

So now it’s your turn to give it a try. Here’s how

to make the best potato salad ever. Let’s get
started…

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What’s In Potato Salad

I spent many a summer afternoon making and
taste testing this salad alongside my amazing
mama, just like she did with hers. In fact, I’ve
made it so many times I don’t even need the
recipe. You know a recipe is that good when you
know it by heart.

Here’s the ingredients you’ll need for this

classic potato salad:

Yukon gold potatoes (see below why they’re

the best)
white vinegar
hard boiled eggs
celery
green onion
Miracle Whip—it’s the secret sauce to this
potato salad dressing
yellow mustard
celery seed
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

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What Type of Potato Is Best for

Potato Salad
We use white potatoes, or Yukon Golds, in our
family’s recipe. Because they have a thinner
skin, they’re easy to peel after boiling and taste
creamier, a little sweeter, and hold their shape
well after cooking. Avoid using starchier
potatoes like russets that too easily turn to mush
in salads like this.

Also remember to choose potatoes of the same

size for the most consistent cooking.

How to Keep Potato Salad from

Getting Watery
There are a couple of reasons potato salad can
become runny. Here’s how to troubleshoot the
problem.

1. Use the right potato. Yukon golds are our

go-to and absorb the dressing well.
2. Be sure to add the dressing to cool
potatoes before adding the creamy mayo
dressing. Potatoes will sweat water as they
cool, and that can contribute watery potato
salad.
3. And then, reader Vicki sent in an email with
her suggestion to avoid watery potato salad:
“I asked a renowned chef what I was doing
wrong, and he told me NEVER to salt the
potatoes either during cooking or preparing
the salad. The salt makes the potatoes
seep water. Ever since I took his suggestion,
I have never had a problem with
watery salad. You can season the salad with
salt, pepper, and other seasonings just
before serving and it won’t affect the
potatoes once they have been mixed with
the mayo. Just an FYI.”

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How to Cook Potatoes for

Potato Salad
One of the biggest potato salad controversies is
do you cut potatoes before boiling for potato
salad? My mom says, no.

My mom cooks her potatoes whole with the

skin on. I follow her lead, or will quarter them
before cooking. The other method to cooking
the potatoes is peeling and cutting the potatoes
before cooking as suggested in the comments
below. But, my mom says that method allows the
potatoes to absorb more water, and so I do what
mama says.

To cook the potatoes, add them to cold water

and bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat,
rather than adding the potatoes to hot, boiling
water. Boil the potatoes until fork tender and the
skin just begins to crack, about 20-25 minutes.

Another cooking method a reader suggests is

steaming the potatoes in 1 inch of water for 30
minutes, which works too. Just be sure to watch
you don’t boil your water away and burn the pan.

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My Mom’s Secret Tips

Add vinegar to the warm potatoes. One of the
biggest flavoring secrets to the success of this
recipe is white vinegar. That’s why I add a few
hearty splashes of white vinegar to the cooked
potatoes gives the salad it’s secret and subtle
flavor punch. To do so, add the vinegar while the
potatoes are still warm, and allow them time to
rest and absorb the vinegar’s zing while they
cool.

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My mom’s next key ingredient is Miracle Whip.

As noted in the comments, there is much debate
over using Miracle Whip or traditional
mayonnaise. Even though I’m a mayo fan, I’ve
found that MW adds a sweet creamy flavor mayo
just doesn’t have. That’s why time and again I’ve
returned to my roots and back to Miracle Whip
because that’s what mom uses and it’s the
classic flavor I can’t get otherwise. If you’re a
mayo fan, by all means, make the move. But
maybe, just maybe, give the old Whip a try.

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The Flavorings
Always add eggs. My mom’s original recipe
calls for just three eggs, but since I’m a super
fan of eggs in potato salad, I’ve added two more.
It probably stems from my adoration of egg
salad, so feel free to adapt to your own taste.

Everyone has an opinion on what to add and

what not to add to potato salad. For our family
recipe, chunks of celery and bites of green onion
add the needed crunch to classic potato salads.
I’ve added diced pickles before because
everything tastes better with pickles. Except this
version of potato salad. I’m saving the pickles for
my tuna fish sandwiches.

Let’s talk celery seed. This is probably the only

recipe besides a bloody mary (find my favorite
bloody mary recipe here) that I use celery seed.
It’s an integral part of the flavor profile, so don’t
skip it.

Mustard adds the tang. In the realms of the

mustard world, we don’t even dream about
getting fancy schmancy with German browns,
hearty seeded or Frenchy dijon mustards. I save
that for my German potato salad, because just
like on my hot dogs, plain old yellow mustard is
the best.

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Give this salad time. Allowing the potato salad

flavors to meld is important here, that’s why if
I’m planning on eating the salad on the day I
make it, I’ll prepare it at lunch so it can sit and
build the flavors, or make it a day ahead. Potato
salad will stay good in the refrigerator for up to
3-4 days. If it doesn’t get eaten up before then.

Hail to mom mom’s best potato salad. Enjoy!

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Recipe Variations
Everyone has their favorite ingredients that make
up a pasta salad, just check out the comments
below. Here are a few additions and variations
you may be craving now.

Can you use mayo instead of Miracle Whip?.

If you prefer to, go for it. Personally, the
sweetness in Miracle Whip is what I have the
most fondness for.
Try a half and half situation by subbing in
half sour cream or Greek yogurt for any part
of the mayo/Miracle Whip combo.
Try adding pickles. For more zing, adding
diced sweet pickles, dill pickles or pickle
relish will give this salad another layer of
flavor.
Chopped red onion or radishes will add a bit
more heat.
Add bacon for an earthy bite (or just make
my Baked Potato Salad with bacon, sour
cream and cheddar cheese instead.)
Instead of yukon gold potatos, try red
potatoes instead and leave their jacket skins
on for a more colorful potato look.

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The Best Greek Chicken

If you make this recipe, please let me know!

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4.18 from 1195 votes

My Grandma's BEST