Red Potato Salad
This Red Potato Salad recipe is the perfect potluck side, or lunch side for work or a picnic. It’s an easy recipe to make and has lots of fresh flavor and texture.
What makes or breaks a potato salad is whether there’s lots of flavor incorporated into the dish. Otherwise, potatoes can be quite bland and boring.
That won’t be a problem for us today! We’ll use minimal dressing ingredients but have a great balance of flavor and freshness.
When I go to parties in the summer or on a picnic, I’ll almost always bring some sort of sturdy salad like this. It’s the perfect side dish for a summer cookout.
Salmon Salad, Cranberry Chicken Salad, Caprese Pasta Salad, and Egg Salad are some of my other go-tos. It’s truly one of my favorite recipe categories. This is also a great side for dishes like Buttermilk Fried Chicken or Oven BBQ Pork Spare Ribs.
What Makes This Recipe The Best
Seasoning the water – By seasoning the boiling water heavily with salt, just like when you make pasta, that allows the salt to penetrate the potato. This is great because the salted water seasons the flesh on the inside and makes for tender red potatoes.
A knockout dressing – We’ll make a quick homemade dressing that has a great balance of creaminess and tang. It’s delicious! This is creamy potato salad that isn’t drowning in mayo.
Fresh herbs and vegetables to add crunch and texture – Because potatoes are so neutral, it’s important to add other ingredients for flavor, and to ensure a delicious recipe. The bits of crunchy celery, scallions, chives, and more add both texture and flavor that is absolutely heavenly.
Step by Step Overview:
Start with the dressing so it’s ready to go for when the potatoes are hot. That way they absorb the tangy dressing and flavor really nicely.
Combine mayonnaise, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, red or white wine vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl:
I love the combination of fats here, with the fruity flavor and aroma of the olive oil, and the creamy classic flavor of the mayonnaise. It’s so much better than a mayonnaise-only dressing.
Also, if you have 10 minutes to spare, I recommend making some homemade mayonnaise for optimal flavor.
I think red or white wine vinegars are by far the best acids here, but champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar, and apple cider vinegar work too.
Whisk that together until creamy and smooth:
What variety of potatoes should you use?
The best kind of potato to use for potato salad is any of the “waxy potatoes,” like red bliss potatoes or yukon gold, over the starchy ones like russet. They hold up better, whereas russets can fall apart into mush.
Slice (or chunk) some red skin potatoes and put them in a large pot. How I cut them totally depends on my mood, and both work great.
Cover the potatoes completely with cold water:
Next add a couple tablespoons of salt to the water:
I know it seems like a lot of salt, but the potatoes will only absorb a small amount of this water, and it will help season the potatoes “on the inside.”
Bring the potatoes to a rolling boil over high heat.
How long do you cook red potatoes for potato salad? It depends on how you cut them up, but about 5 minutes of cooking time after the water is boiling, or until fork tender.
Then drain them in a colander, and let them sit for a few minutes at room temperature to let the steam escape a bit.
While the potatoes are still warm, toss them with the dressing, then add chopped celery, scallions (aka green onions), and chives:
You can either serve this warm (which I love) or you can chill it for a few hours before enjoying.
Potato Croquettes, Steak Fries, and Potato Gratin are some of my other favorite potato dishes.
I have a whole section of potato recipes in my recipe index if you want more ideas. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
A great potato salad is one that caters to your preferred tastes and ingredients. Here are some ideas for variations you can try.
Herbs – You may use other herbs that you enjoy here, such as fresh dill.
Sour cream – For a more heavily dressed and creamy red potato salad, add 1/4 cup of full fat sour cream to the dressing.
Hard boiled eggs – Combine the greatness of an Egg Salad with potato salad by adding hard-boiled eggs to the mix. Double the dressing and add up to 12 hard boiled eggs.
Onion – Instead of green onions, you can thinly sliced or chopped red onion instead. Or try pickled red onion or shallots to reduce the bite.
Lemon – Swap the white or red wine vinegar out for fresh lemon juice in the creamy dressing for extra fresh flavor.
Bacon – Add crispy bacon bits to the dressing, and extra on top for garnish.
FAQ and Tips
You can absolute scale the recipe as needed, you are really only limited by the size of pot you have. You may need to boil the potatoes for longer since it may take longer for the pot of water to reach a boil.
That means different things to everyone, but it is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and paleo.
Yes, but I recommend only making it up to 1 day ahead though, so the flavor is still fresh and at its peak.
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 4 days. After that the flavor starts to deteriorate too much.
Tried this recipe? Leave a rating and comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out! Or, follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest!
Red Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2.5 lbs red potatoes, sliced or chunked
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/3 cup sliced scallions
- 1/3 cup sliced chives
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk to combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
- Place the cut up red potatoes into a large pot, and fill with enough cold water to cover the potatoes, plus an inch.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, and season with enough salt that it tastes like ocean water, about a couple tablespoons. Then cook the potatoes until fork tender. The time will really vary depending on if you sliced the potatoes or cut them into chunks, and how large, but for me it usually only takes about 5 minutes once the water is boiling, about 10-15 minutes total.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain them in a colander and let them sit for a few minutes for the excess steam to come off.
- While the potatoes are still warm, toss them well with the dressing.
- Stir in the celery, scallions, and chives, then serve warm or chill for several hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with new pictures, writing, and more tips in August 2018. Originally published July 2014.
128 Comments on “Red Potato Salad”
I don’t have a go-to potato salad recipe (I leave that to my mom!), and I had some red potatoes to use up, and this was the perfect recipe. I used a grainy dijon and it was so good! Thanks!
That’s so great to hear, Kelly!
I made your potato salad and thought it s very good. I added a couple hard boiled eggs and feel it was a good addition. We enjoyed it warm, but I always feel potato salad is better the next day after all the flavor have time to blend. Good recipe.En
Thank you! I love this recipe. The best kind, simple and delicious. Also kudos to the production of your show. Good production, editing and I could watch you cook all day. Except for the fact that I now have a strong need to go make some more potato salad. Thanks again! Oh and congrats on your recovery!
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! I love this recipe!
I’m the designated potato salad maker at our family gatherings because I “nailed” our grandmother’s potato salad. It’s the only version I make, until last night. Your red potato salad is delicious. I even had a little warm and I liked the burst of flavors. I still chilled it for the family. They noticed it didn’t have any dill (no one commented on no eggs) but I still brought home an empty bowl. Thanks for helping me break my routine.
Hi Craig! I’m so glad everyone liked the potato salad. Funny enough I never had dill in my potato salad growing up! No eggs either, but I do make egg salad often and love it. It sounds great to combine the two, and I LOVE fresh dill. Now you’ve given me something to try next time =)
I actually made a big pot of red potatoes today because I was craving some potato salad. I ended up asking my mother-in-law for her recipe but she could only remember some of the ingredients she uses. I went ahead and used her recipe. It was alright. Not spectacular, but not bad. Missing something, though. Then I logged on and low and behold what pops up… Figures. At least I know for next time! Will probably have to add paprika, though, because I’m a crazed loon who craves paprika in potato salad!
Thanks!
Sarah
Awesome! Paprika sounds great here =)
Hello Joanne! My basics for my dressing are mayonnaise, vinegar, yellow mustard and a squirt or two of honey. Aside from the potatoes, I must add chopped or sliced radishes, hard boiled eggs, green onions and chopped pickles. I’ve never made a warm potato salad but I think I might try it – maybe even tonight! Thanks for the recipe!
Wow, honey?! Very interesting. I will try that next time! And I love the idea of the radishes. So crunchy!
This looks fabulous! Perfect for our next barbecue!
Your potato salad looks deliciously full of flavor! No way anyone could consider these potatoes “boring” ! 🙂 I always use a combo of sour cream and mayo for salads (like potato or chicken) but haven’t tried adding olive oil! It sounds great.
Cool, Wendy. Love hearing what you use!
Love this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing! I added just a pinch of dill to the sauce, but otherwise followed it to a T. The big news is that my boyfriend, who normally HATES any salad without greens (I.e. egg salad, chicken salad, potatoe salad) even liked it! I will convert him yet!!
Mmmm sounds so good!! I make it pretty much the same except for the olive oil. I like it about room temperature so not really warm and not cold. Actually, I like it any way…especially with cold fried chicken!! Have a great weekend Joanne!!
Joanne, potatoes have the most subtle, intriguing range of natural flavors. I was raised on Russian potato salad and I always appreciate a good latke but before you smother these veggies in stuff that doesn’t enhance anything but rather drowns the natural taste, try tasting an organic Yukon Gold mashed lightly with a drop of milk – superb. For more info on this maligned veggie go to http://www.thekitchn.com/potato-varieties-64061 and that’s just a small sample of the varieties available on the market.
Hi Trish, thanks for your comment. I found it really interesting! I have found that some of the smaller heirloom type potatoes have different flavors but the mainstream russets and such I have to jazz up quite a bit. Thanks for the link to that kitchn article!
My grandmother always dissolved sugar in the apple cider vinegar and the poured that over the hot potatoes. Pennsylvania Dutch thing. Love the tang of the vinegar and the sweetness that calms the bite!
I also add eggs and celery – Love the crunch.
My recipe is very similar to yours but I prefer yellow mustard and I add a few boiled eggs, garlic powder, dill weed and I double the sauce. 🙂 Combine carefully or it will turn to mush. I usually under cook the reds by about a minute because they continue cooking even after draining them.
It’s really the sour cream and warm potatoes that make this extra good! Like you, I LOVE it warm!
Great idea to add the boiled eggs! And dill is great too. Warm potato salad is the best =)
I like my potato salad warm too. I add bacon, hard boiled eggs, dill pickles and some pickle juice. Grained mustard sounds like a nice addition!
Three cheers for warm potato salad! Bacon is always a great addition, and the salty dill pickles sound great too!
I love adding dijon or whole grain mustard into my potato salad too! love this!! have a great 4th, Joanne! 🙂
You too Alice!