This creamy russet potato salad is a spin on the traditional picnic potato salad with mustard, pickles, purple onion and Worcestershire sauce, making it a tasty side dish for feeding a crowd.
Easy potato salad recipe with mayo
This russet potato salad is one of my favorite side dishes for summer with its tangy taste and creamy yet crunchy texture. This recipe delivers on both by use of almost mashed potatoes, mayo, and pickles as the secret ingredient. The crunch of baby dill pickles adds a great textural surprise to this otherwise soft and smooth dish.
What makes this the best russet potato salad?
Besides the obvious variety in flavor and texture, it’s the simplicity that makes this recipe the best. I love it when a recipe comes together in one pot or one dish. The ingredients in this potato salad might seem overwhelming, but the beauty of this dish is chop and serve.
Ingredients for russet potato salad
Pin the photo above or take a screenshot of the list below to know exactly what you need next time you’re at the grocery store.
- 2.5 – 3 lbs. of Russet potatoes – I grab a five-pound bag when on sale at the store and make a double batch.
- Purple onion
- Bunch of celery
- Jar of baby dill pickles – I grab the baby size as they are crunchier than the larger ones.
- Mayonnaise – you can use miracle whip if you’re into that kind of thing, or homemade mayonnaise.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Fresh lemon
- Mustard – I use dijon for the subtle smokey flavor but you can substitute yellow.
- Minced garlic
- Fine black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Fresh parsley
How to make potato salad
Potato salad is one of the easier side dishes to make in the summer. Potatoes are naturally high in starch which makes them filling and perfect for feeding a crowd.
Prep the potatoes. Start by peeling the potatoes and cutting them into approximately 1-inch chunks. Some will end up rounded or triangle just due to the nature of the potato. It’s not a big deal. Just get them as close to the same size as possible.
Boil the potatoes and eggs. Fill a pasta pot or deep pot and boil enough water to cover your potatoes. Add in a tablespoon of salt for flavor. Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes carefully and let cook until fork tender. This should take about 8-10 minutes. If you don’t have hard-boiled eggs on hand, now is the time to boil those as well in a separate pot with the same instructions.
Chop the other ingredients. While your potatoes are cooking, take this opportunity to chop your other vegetables and measure out the other ingredients.
Add it all to a bowl. As you chop and measure everything, simply add it all to a large bowl. When the potatoes are done cooking, drain them and allow to rest until cooled to room temperature. Add the potatoes to the rest of the ingredients and stir.
Cover or serve. Once everything is incorporated, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge, or serve for immediate enjoyment.
FAQs about potato salad
I’m a big believer that most things do get better the next day. Your flavors have time to marinate with the ingredients. This potato salad is no different. Make it today and serve it tomorrow. I would just wait until right before serving to add the parsley.
Typically this has to do with the type of potato you use. Thankfully, this recipe calls for Russets which is the highest in starch content among its potato friends. This recipe is the least likely to get watery. That being said, you can always return your pot of potatoes to the turned off stove-top once drained to evaporate any additional liquid.
The short answer – no. While cooked, plain potatoes are okay to freeze in a plastic sleeve, the other ingredients in potato salad such as mayonnaise and celery just don’t freeze well.
Tips for keeping potato salad fresh
How long can potatoes last in the fridge?
When serving, keep your potato salad cooler for longer by setting the serving bowl in a tray of packed ice or in a cooler with ice packs. If your potato salad is kept cool or has been sitting in the fridge since being made, it will keep for up to 3-4 days.
How long can potato salad stay at room temperature?
According to the USDA and State Food Safety, once cooked potatoes and mayonnaise have been combined, the potato salad needs to cool to 41 degrees Fahrenheit. If the potato salad temperature increases above 41 degrees in excess of two hours, it should be thrown out.
Keeping it Fresh and Sustainable with these Tips
As you know I’m all about keeping it fresh, healthy, local, and sustainable here on the blog. So this section is provided in every post to give you ideas on how to make this recipe better for you and your wallet.
What are some ways you can think of to make this recipe in a more sustainable, fresh way? Have some favorite products or brands of ingredients? Tell me about them in the comments!
Other Side Dish recipes we love
- Brussel Sprouts, Cranberries, Garlic and Almonds from Flexitarian Nutrition
- Heirloom Tomato Salad from Beyond the Chicken Coop
- Easy Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole from Wholesome Yum
Russet Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2.5-3 pounds russet potatoes
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1/2 purple onion large
- 3 celery ribs
- 7 pickles baby dills are a favorite
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper fine ground is best
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup parsley fresh and chopped
Instructions
- Peel and dice raw potatoes to 1/2 inch thick in size.
- Boil approximately 1 gallon of water, or enough to cover the diced potatoes, with 1 Tablespoon of salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Gently add in potatoes.
- Boil potatoes for approximately 8-10 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain potatoes and let cool to room temperature.
- While potatoes are cooking or cooling, chop the hard boiled eggs, onion, celery, and pickles into approximately the same size, and gather all other ingredients.
- Chop the parsley if you plan to serve immediately, otherwise wait until just before serving to add to the dish.
- Once potatoes have cooled, add all the ingredients to one large bowl and toss thoroughly.
- At this point you can serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Note the size of the potatoes will vary upon cutting. That’s okay. Just try to keep them uniform as possible for an even cooking time.
- Some potato chunks will loosen up and look almost mashed during the process of boiling. You don’t want to end up with a pot of mashed potatoes, but some here and there will add to the thick, creaminess of the dish.
- Baby dill pickles are a favorite in this potato salad as they don’t overpower the dish with their taste. 7 pickles is a rough number. Feel free to use more or less as you desire.
Oh my goodness now I’m totally drooling for potato salad. Love the edition of pickles, that’s how I roll!!