The Best Homemade Potato Salad
Want to know how to make the best potato salad? This is it! This homemade potato salad recipe is fresh, creamy and full of so much delicious flavor.
This creamy potato salad is my most-requested recipe from friends and family during the summer months, and it is a given that I bring it to every barbecue and potluck all season long.
It’s not your typical classic potato salad recipe, it’s better!
What makes this the best potato salad recipe?
It’s a simple and humble recipe, but the specific flavors in this homemade potato salad is what makes it so darn good!
Yukon gold potatoes provide a delicious buttery base, chopped hard boiled eggs keep it classic, parmesan cheese adds sharp flavor, fresh dill and green onions bring freshness, and a tasty creamy dressing holds it all together.
I promise you’ve never had a potato salad like this, and you’re going to love it!
Potato salad ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this best-ever potato salad (find the full recipe at the bottom of this post):
- Gold/yellow potatoes— These are a must! They have a creamy, buttery flavor and texture, and using russet potatoes or red potatoes will not taste the same. Added bonus, these potatoes do not need to be peeled.
- Hard boiled eggs
- Scallions/Green onions
- Fresh dill— Adding fresh herbs brings so much flavor! If you can’t find it, dried dill will work in a pinch, but it won’t provide the same freshness.
- Shredded Parmesan cheese— Both pre-shredded and freshly shredded work fine.
- Mayonnaise— Can you use low-fat mayo, sour cream, miracle whip, plain greek yogurt, etc.? Maybe, but results won’t be the same.
- Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing— It may be unusual to add bottle ranch dressing, but it adds a “certain something” to this salad that you’ll definitely miss if you leave it out. Other premade dressings don’t have the same flavor, so I highly recommend Hidden Valley. I keep a bottle in the fridge strictly for this salad!
How to make the best potato salad
- Hard-boil eggs. Add eggs to cold water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and set a timer for 12 minutes. Then drain hot water and replace with cold ice water. Let eggs cool completely before peeling and dicing.
- Boil potatoes. Add diced potatoes to a large pot of cold water and salt generously. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. (Potatoes can be slightly warm when you mix the potato salad, but shouldn’t be hot.)
- Mix potato salad dressing. Stir together mayonnaise, ranch dressing, salt and pepper, and dill.
- Combine everything. In a large bowl toss the hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, dressing, parmesan cheese and green onions together until everything is well coated in the dressing.
- Chill. Let the potato salad rest in the fridge at least for a few hours before serving so the potatoes can absorb the dressing and the flavors blend well.
Then, enjoy!
How to make potato salad ahead of time
This potato salad actually benefits from a good chill in the fridge before serving. I usually make it anywhere from 4-8 hours before I plan to serve it. Giving the salad a chance to rest let’s the potatoes absorb some of the dressing, and all of the flavors get a chance to blend together.
How long will this potato salad keep?
Potato salads should last in the fridge for about 5 days. Keep in mind that it requires refrigeration and if it sits too long on the buffet table (4 hours max), you might want to discard the leftovers (if there are any!).
More delicious summer salads
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This recipe was originally published July 2014. The recipe remains the same but post details and tips have been improved.
The Best Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs gold potatoes cubed
- 4 large eggs
- 4 scallions chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise preferably Best Foods brand
- 3 tablespoons ranch dressing preferably Hidden Valley Ranch Brand
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place chopped potatoes in a pot of cold water and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes and let cool for about 30 minutes, until room temperature.
- Place eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 12 minutes exactly.
- Drain hot water and fill pot with cold water. Let eggs cool to room temperature. Peel shells and cut into large chunks.
- Combine the potatoes, eggs, scallions, and parmesan cheese in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl combine the mayo, ranch dressing, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over the potato mixture and mix until combined.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
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Notes
This potato salad recipe looks absolutely delicious! I love the addition of parmesan cheese and fresh dill – those flavors must make it so much more interesting than the traditional version. Your tip about using Yukon gold potatoes is spot on, they really do have the best buttery texture. Can’t wait to try this at our next summer barbecue!
I love that this potato salad is a twist on the classic—the fact that it’s your most-requested recipe says a lot. The mention of bringing it to every barbecue makes me want to try it for my next gathering.
I love that this recipe is the most-requested from your friends and family—that says a lot about how good it is. The creamy, not-too-mayo texture sounds perfect for summer barbecues.
This is hands down the best potato salad recipe I’ve come across! The balance of creamy and tangy is spot on. I love that you use both mustard types — it really elevates the flavor. Making this for our next family gathering for sure!
I love how your recipe balances creamy and tangy flavors! Have you considered adding some diced pickles for an extra crunch? It could elevate the texture and add a fun twist!