Description
This easy creamy potato salad is a classic family favorite, featuring tender boiled potatoes dressed in a tangy blend of sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, and fresh herbs. Perfectly balanced with crunchy celery, pickles, and optional chopped eggs, this recipe yields a flavorful, creamy salad that's great for picnics, potlucks, or as a hearty side dish. The salad benefits from chilling to let the flavors meld, making it even more delicious when made ahead.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 2 pounds (907g) small yellow, red, or white potatoes
Dressing and Flavorings
- 1 tablespoon apple cider, wine, or rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (113g) sour cream
- 1/4 cup (56g) mayonnaise (preferably homemade)
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard (substitute Dijon or whole grain mustard if desired)
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 medium dill pickle, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup; homemade recommended)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, or cilantro
Optional
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
Seasoning
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the potatoes: Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover them with 1 ½ inches of water. Season the water with 1 teaspoon of salt per quart. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced by a fork.
- De-flame the onions: While potatoes cook, place the chopped onions in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let them soak for 10 minutes to mellow their sharp raw flavor, then drain and rinse.
- Prepare an ice bath: Right before the potatoes finish cooking, fill a medium bowl with ice and cold water to cool the potatoes quickly.
- Chill and peel the potatoes: Drain the cooked potatoes and immediately transfer them to the ice bath. Once cool enough to handle but still slightly warm in the center, peel off the skins by pinching and pulling them away.
- Chop and season the potatoes: Cut the peeled potatoes into bite-sized chunks and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinegar and season lightly with salt.
- Make the dressing: In a separate large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Assemble the potato salad: Add the dressing, de-flamed onions, celery, pickles, chopped eggs if using, and fresh herbs to the bowl with potatoes. Gently stir to combine without mashing the potatoes.
- Finish and serve: Season the potato salad with additional salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and develop further.
Notes
- Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. It tastes better on the second day, making it ideal for making ahead.
- Do not freeze potato salad as the dressing does not thaw well.
- Sour cream can be substituted with 1/2 cup crème fraîche or plain yogurt.
- Dried herbs can be used if fresh are unavailable; add about 1 tablespoon, with dill and chives being particularly good choices.
- Hard boiled egg preparation tips can be found in dedicated tutorials online.
- This salad pairs well with other easy sides like pasta salad, corn salad, bean salad, and cucumber salad.
