Classic Potato Salad is an easy summer side dish made with Yukon Gold potatoes, hard boiled eggs, dill pickles, celery and a creamy dressing. Because it holds for days in the refrigerator, this simple make ahead recipe suits barbecues, potlucks, picnics or a big Fourth of July cookout.
Pouring the dressing over the potatoes while they are still warm is what decides the flavor, since warm starch absorbs liquid. Wait until they cool and the dressing just coats the outside, so the middles stay bland no matter how long it chills.
The dressing here mashes the hard boiled yolks straight into the mayonnaise, which thickens it and adds a savory depth. Buttermilk and a splash of pickle juice thin it back out, so the salad stays tangy instead of heavy.
Classic Potato Salad
Course: SIde DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy10
servings10
minutes25
minutes298
kcalWhole Yukon Gold potatoes simmer until fork tender, then steam under a lid before being peeled and cut into chunks. A mayonnaise, buttermilk and mashed yolk dressing coats them along with chopped egg whites, celery, red onion and pickles.
Ingredients
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
4 hard boiled eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons yellow mustard (or half dijon)
2 dill pickles, finely chopped, plus a splash of pickle juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 ribs celery, chopped
¼ cup red onion, chopped
Directions
- Boil the potatoes:Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until fork tender.
- Steam and chop:Drain the water completely, then cover the pot with a lid and let the potatoes steam 5 to 10 minutes. Peel if desired and cut into ½-inch chunks.
- Make the dressing:Separate the yolks from the whites of the hard boiled eggs and place the yolks in a bowl. Mash them with a fork, then stir in the mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble:Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes. Chop the egg whites and add them along with the celery, red onion and pickles.
- Chill: Stir well, cover and refrigerate a few hours so the flavors blend before serving.
FAQs
Why boil the potatoes whole and unpeeled?
The skin acts as a jacket that keeps water out, so the flesh steams in its own moisture instead of getting soggy. Cut potatoes soak up boiling water and fall apart at the edges, which turns the finished salad mushy. Skins also slip off easily once the potatoes are hot, so peeling afterward takes less time than peeling raw.
Can you use a different potato than Yukon Gold?
Yukon Golds hold their shape while staying creamy, which is why they suit potato salad better than most. Red potatoes work well too and need no peeling at all, since their skins are thin and tender. Avoid russets, because their high starch content makes them crumble into paste once you start stirring the dressing in.
Why mash the egg yolks into the dressing instead of chopping whole eggs in?
Mashed yolks contain lecithin, the same emulsifier in mayonnaise, so they thicken the dressing rather than sit in it. That gives you a yellow, rich sauce in every single bite instead of occasional chunks of dry yolk. The whites still go in chopped, which keeps some texture and stops the salad from looking like mashed potatoes.
What can you use instead of buttermilk?
Stir a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into a cup of milk and let it sit ten minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with a little water works too, and it brings the same tang the buttermilk provides. Plain milk will thin the dressing without the acidity, so add an extra splash of pickle juice to compensate.
How long can potato salad safely sit out at a barbecue?
Two hours is the limit at normal room temperature, and only one hour once it climbs above 90 degrees. Set the serving bowl inside a larger bowl of ice, which buys you considerably more time outdoors. Putting out smaller batches and refilling them from the refrigerator is the safest approach for a long afternoon
