North American

Serving

Potato Salad

Name: Potato Salad
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: North American
Ingredients: 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes); 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 tbsp yellow mustard; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 4 hard-boiled eggs (chopped); 1/2 cup celery (finely diced); 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish; 1/2 tsp celery seed; salt and pepper

A dish made from boiled potatoes and a variety of other ingredients.

40 minutes

Serves 12

Side

14 min prep

22 min cook

Contains common allergens

celery Egg mustard

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Instructions

6 steps

1
Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add a generous handful of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2
Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are just fork-tender. Do not overcook. Drain well and let them cool completely.
3
In a large serving bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, celery seed, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
4
Gently fold the cooled potatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery, and sweet pickle relish into the dressing until evenly coated.
5
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
6
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled.

Potato Salad — plated and served — Serving moment. How Potato Salad looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

71/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 64

Budget-friendly 86

Great leftovers 71

Pantry-friendly 37

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

245

Calories

5 g

Protein

20 g

Carbs

16 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Potato salad arrived in North America through German immigrant communities in the mid-1800s, originally served warm with vinegar and bacon. The creamy mayo-dressed version that became the standard American picnic staple emerged later, once commercially produced mayonnaise made the ingredient widely accessible after the 1910s. Regional variations still divide cooks today: yellow mustard and relish in the Midwest, heavier on the eggs in the South, minimal garnish in New England.

Listahan note

This version uses Yukon Gold potatoes for a buttery baseline and builds a dressing with both mustard and cider vinegar to keep the richness balanced. Cooling the potatoes completely before dressing is treated as a non-negotiable step.

Technique cues

Start potatoes in cold salted water and bring them to a boil together; adding them to already-boiling water causes the outsides to overcook before the centers catch up.
Yukon Golds hold their shape better than Russets when dressed, because their lower starch content means they absorb the mayo dressing without turning gluey.
Dress the potatoes while they are still slightly warm, not stone cold, so they absorb a little of the vinegar and seasoning before the mayo goes on.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Hard-boil the eggs while the potatoes cook; both can cool simultaneously.
Make-ahead: Best made at least 2 hours ahead and refrigerated; the flavors meld and the dressing soaks into the potatoes.
Leftover move: Mash leftovers roughly and serve as a spread on toast with a few pickled peppers.
Cleanup rhythm: One large pot for potatoes, one small pot for eggs; the mixing bowl is the serving vessel so there is minimal extra wash-up.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Yukon Gold potatoes

Main body

Purpose: Their naturally buttery flavor and waxy texture hold up under dressing without becoming starchy or falling apart.

Handling: Cut into uniform 1-inch cubes so they cook at the same rate; do not overcook or they will crumble when folded.

Adaptation: Red potatoes are a good substitute with an even firmer texture; avoid Russets as they turn mealy and absorb too much dressing.

mayonnaise

Creamy binder

Purpose: Full-fat mayo creates the classic rich, clinging texture that holds the salad together.

Handling: Mix with the mustard and vinegar first before folding into the potatoes so the dressing emulsifies fully.

Adaptation: Duke's or Hellmann's are standard choices; Greek yogurt can replace half the mayo for a tangier, lighter result.

yellow mustard

Sharpness and color

Purpose: Gives the dressing its familiar tang and adds just enough acidity to cut through the richness of the mayonnaise.

Handling: Whisk with the mayo and vinegar before adding to potatoes so it integrates smoothly rather than streaking.

Adaptation: Dijon adds a sharper, more complex flavor; whole grain mustard gives visible texture and mild heat.

hard-boiled eggs

Richness and texture

Purpose: Chopped egg adds a creamy, slightly sulfurous richness that is a defining characteristic of classic American potato salad.

Handling: Chop roughly rather than mincing so there are visible pieces in the final salad.

Adaptation: Omit for a vegan version; the salad still holds together well without them.

sweet pickle relish

Sweet acid contrast

Purpose: Provides bursts of sweetness and acidity that punctuate the creamy dressing and keep the overall flavor from being flat.

Handling: Drain excess liquid before adding so the dressing does not become watery.

Adaptation: Dill relish or finely chopped dill pickles for a less sweet, more savory profile.

Technique notes

Salt the cooking water generously, as potatoes absorb seasoning while they boil and bland potatoes cannot be fully corrected by the dressing alone.
Let the dressed salad rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving; the starch in the potatoes will drink up the dressing and the flavors will tighten.
Taste and adjust salt and vinegar right before serving, since chilling dulls both brightness and salt perception.

Ingredient swaps

Dairy-free direction: Standard potato salad is already dairy-free; verify that your mayonnaise brand does not contain any milk derivatives.
Lighter direction: Replace half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt for added protein and a tangier dressing with about half the fat.

Serve alongside

Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs
BBQ pulled pork
Watermelon wedges
Corn on the cob with butter
Iced lemonade
Light beer
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days; do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Serve cold straight from the refrigerator; do not reheat as the mayo dressing will break.
Do not freeze; the mayo and potatoes will separate and become grainy when thawed.

Equipment

Large pot for boiling potatoes
Colander for draining
Large mixing bowl that doubles as a serving bowl
Egg slicer or chef knife for chopping eggs cleanly

Make this household-aware

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