Homemade Potato Salad

5 from 10 votes

This creamy potato salad is tangy, crunchy, and loaded with zesty flavor—think pickles, onions, celery, and just the right kick from mustard and vinegar.

Course Salad, side dishes

Cuisine American

Keyword Homemade Potato Salad, potato salad recipe, potatoes salad with egg

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Chilling Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings

Calories 297

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes cubes
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon celery salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
¼ cup pickles chopped
2 green onions/spring onions sliced
½ red onion small, chopped fine
2 ribs celery chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs peeled and diced
fresh parsley or dill, chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place potatoes in large pot with salted cold water covering the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain potatoes thoroughly, then add them back into the hot pot to dry completely. Drizzle the vinegar over the warm potatoes and toss gently until evenly coated.
Transfer the dressed potatoes to a large bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
Mix the mustard with the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery salt and pepper.
Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator add the mayonnaise mixture and remaining ingredients. Gently mix with the cooled potatoes, taste and add more salt as needed. Cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Tips for the Best Homemade Potato Salad

Start in cold water.
Always add your potatoes to cold salted water before bringing it to a boil. This helps them cook evenly and avoids a mushy outside with an undercooked middle.

Dry those potatoes.
After draining, let the potatoes sit in the hot pot for a minute or two. This steams off excess moisture and keeps the salad from getting watery.

Dress while warm.
Drizzling vinegar over the warm potatoes is a game-changer. It soaks in and gives your salad that delicious tangy kick.

Chill before mixing.
Mixing the dressing into hot potatoes can make everything oily and mushy. Let them cool completely before adding the mayo mixture.

Use a gentle hand.
Once everything is in the bowl, fold gently to keep the potatoes intact and creamy—not smashed.

Salt at the end.
Taste your salad after it chills and adjust the salt if needed. Cold food dulls flavors, so seasoning at the end gives you more control.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

Storing:
Store your homemade potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It actually tastes better after a few hours once the flavors have had time to mingle.

Freezing:
Not recommended. The mayo and sour cream don’t hold up well to freezing and thawing. The texture turns watery and grainy—just not the vibe we’re going for.

Food Safety for Warmer Weather

To prevent rapidly growing bacteria from forming, food shouldn’t be unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours or limit the time to one hour if the outdoor temperature is higher than 90° F.

Nutrition