🥔🥚 Creamy Potato & Egg Salad
This Creamy Potato & Egg Salad is a classic, comforting side dish with the perfect balance of creamy, tangy, savory, and crunchy textures. Tender Yukon Gold potatoes and rich hard-boiled eggs are tossed with crisp celery, red onion, dill pickles, and a delicious mayonnaise-mustard dressing.
It’s an ideal side for barbecues, picnics, potlucks, family dinners, sandwiches, and holiday gatherings. Make it ahead and let it chill so all those flavors have time to come together.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15–20 minutes
- Chilling Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: About 1 hour 40 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Difficulty: Easy
- Method: Stovetop + no-bake
Ingredients
For the Potato Salad
- 2 lbs (900 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
- 5 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
- ½ cup (about 75 g) finely chopped celery
- ¼ cup (about 40 g) finely chopped red onion
- ⅓ cup (about 55 g) finely chopped dill pickles
For the Creamy Dressing
- ¾ cup (180 g) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) sour cream
- 1½ tablespoons (22 g) yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- ½ teaspoon onion powder, optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped, optional
Instructions
1. Prepare the Potatoes
Place the peeled and cubed potatoes in a large saucepan.
Cover them with cold water by about 1 inch (2–3 cm).
Add a generous pinch of salt.
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle boil.
Cook for approximately 10–15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender but still hold their shape.
Avoid overcooking them, as mushy potatoes can make the salad heavy and watery.
2. Drain and Cool the Potatoes
Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander.
Allow them to steam-dry for about 5 minutes.
For faster cooling, spread them in a single layer on a large baking sheet or tray.
Let them cool until warm rather than hot.
3. Make the Dressing
In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, yellow mustard, dill pickle juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and fresh dill if using.
Whisk until smooth and creamy.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
For a tangier salad, add another splash of pickle juice or vinegar.
4. Prepare the Vegetables
Place the chopped celery, red onion, and dill pickles in a large mixing bowl.
Stir gently to combine.
5. Add the Potatoes
Add the cooled potatoes to the bowl with the vegetables.
Pour approximately three-quarters of the dressing over the potato mixture.
Using a large spatula, gently fold until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Avoid vigorous stirring so the potato pieces remain intact.
6. Add the Eggs
Gently fold in the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
Add the remaining dressing as needed.
The salad should be creamy and well coated without becoming overly wet.
7. Taste and Adjust
Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning.
Add more salt, pepper, mustard, pickle juice, or fresh dill according to your preference.
For a sweeter classic potato salad, you can add 1–2 teaspoons of sugar to the dressing.
8. Chill
Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For the best flavor, chill for 2–4 hours or overnight.
The potatoes absorb some of the dressing as they chill, allowing the flavors to meld.
9. Garnish and Serve
Before serving, gently stir the salad.
If it has become too thick, fold in 1–2 tablespoons mayonnaise or sour cream.
Garnish with chopped fresh dill, sliced boiled egg, paprika, or a few pickle slices.
Serve chilled.
Chef’s Tips
- Don’t overcook the potatoes: They should be tender but firm enough to hold their shape.
- Start potatoes in cold water: This helps them cook evenly from the center outward.
- Let the potatoes cool: Adding dressing to very hot potatoes can make it oily or cause the salad to become overly soft.
- Use Yukon Gold potatoes: Their creamy texture and natural buttery flavor are perfect for potato salad.
- Chop everything evenly: Small, uniform pieces distribute flavor throughout every bite.
- Chill before serving: The salad tastes noticeably better after the flavors have had time to blend.
- Add dressing gradually: You can always add more, but it’s difficult to correct an overly wet salad.
Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
For easy-to-peel eggs, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
Bring to a boil, then cover, remove from the heat, and let stand for 10–12 minutes.
Transfer immediately to an ice bath for at least 5 minutes.
Peel and chop once completely cool.
Delicious Variations
Bacon Potato & Egg Salad
Fold in ½ cup crispy cooked bacon, crumbled.
Extra Dill Pickle Salad
Increase the chopped dill pickles to ½ cup and add another tablespoon of pickle juice for an extra tangy version.
Spicy Potato Salad
Add a pinch of cayenne, hot sauce, or finely chopped jalapeño to the dressing.
Herb Potato Salad
Add fresh parsley, chives, and dill for a bright herb-forward version.
Loaded Potato Salad
Add shredded cheddar cheese and crispy bacon for a loaded baked-potato-inspired salad.
Greek Yogurt Version
Replace half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier dressing.
Make-Ahead Instructions
This potato salad is ideal for making ahead.
Prepare it up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate.
For the freshest appearance, reserve a little chopped egg, fresh dill, and pickle for garnishing shortly before serving.
Storage
Store the potato salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Keep it chilled and avoid leaving it at room temperature for extended periods, particularly outdoors or in warm weather.
Always use a clean serving utensil.
Final Result
A bowl of ultra-creamy Potato & Egg Salad loaded with tender Yukon Gold potatoes, rich chopped eggs, crunchy celery, tangy dill pickles, and crisp red onion, all coated in a zesty mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle dressing. It’s classic comfort food that’s perfect alongside grilled meats, burgers, sandwiches, or a summer picnic spread.