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This is my go-to recipe for potato salad. It delivers all the familiar, comforting flavors of a classic picnic or cookout. Tender potatoes, crisp celery, sweet pickle, and chopped hard-boiled eggs are folded into a creamy mayonnaise-mustard dressing that’s simple, balanced, and nostalgic. It’s the kind of salad that fits right in alongside grilled meats, sandwiches, or potluck spreads.
The dressing is easy to adjust so you can make it just the way you like it—extra mustardy, creamier, or with a touch more sweetness from the pickle. The salad chills beautifully, making it ideal for preparing earlier in the day or even the night before your gathering.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Classic flavor. A familiar mayo-and-mustard dressing gives this salad timeless appeal.
Easy to customize. Adjust the mayo, mustard, and pickle to match your taste.
Great make-ahead option. Chills well and tastes even better after the flavors blend.
Perfect for gatherings. Ideal with cookout favorites like burgers, ribs, or grilled chicken.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes – Yukon Gold or Russet work well; cube evenly for consistent cooking.
- Celery – Adds a fresh, crisp texture.
- Red onion – Provides sharpness and color.
- Hard-boiled eggs – Give the salad richness and classic flavor.
- Sweet pickle + juice – Adds sweetness and tang to balance the dressing.
- Mayonnaise – Use as much as needed to reach your preferred creaminess.
- Mustard – Yellow mustard gives that classic potato salad taste.
- Salt and pepper – Adjust to taste after mixing.
Steps to Make Weekend Potato Salad
- Cook the cubed potatoes until tender and let them cool.
- Combine the cooled potatoes with celery, onion, and chopped eggs.
- Mix the pickle, pickle juice, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Fold the dressing gently into the potato mixture.
- Adjust seasonings and add more mayo or mustard if needed.
- Chill the salad until cold and the flavors have blended.
Tips
- Let the potatoes cool before mixing to prevent the salad from becoming gummy.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning after chilling since flavors mellow in the fridge.
- Add more pickle juice if you prefer a tangier salad.
- Stir gently to keep the potato cubes intact.
Recipe Variations
- Dill pickle version. Swap sweet pickle for dill pickle and add a spoonful of fresh dill.
- Mustard-forward. Add additional mustard or a bit of Dijon for a sharper flavor.
- Bacon version. Fold in crisp cooked bacon for smoky richness.
- Herb blend. Add parsley, chives, or green onions for freshness.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve alongside grilled burgers, chicken, ribs, or hot dogs.
- Pair with sandwiches for an easy lunch.
- Add it to a potluck table with other cold salads.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Keep the potato salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving to refresh the texture.
Freeze: Not recommended for this recipe; potatoes and mayonnaise lose texture when frozen.
Safety Note
Ensure the potato salad is not left out of the fridge for over 2 hours. If the temperature exceeds 90 F, return it to the refrigerator within 1 hour. For serving outdoors, try to keep it on ice in a cooler or nestle the bowl in a larger bowl of ice.
Weekend Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the potato cooking water
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped sweet pickles
- 1 tbsp sweet pickle juice
- ½ to ¾ cup mayonnaise, or to taste
- 2 to 3 tsp prepared mustard, or to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water and add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside to cool.1 tbsp kosher salt | 2 1/2 pounds potatoes
- When the potatoes have cooled, put them in a large bowl. Add the celery, red onion, and hard-boiled eggs.1/2 cup chopped celery | 1/2 cup chopped red onion | 4 hard boiled eggs
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped pickles, pickle juice, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, and 2 teaspoons of mustard. Blend well.2 tbsp chopped sweet pickles | 1 tbsp sweet pickle juice | 1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise | 2 to 3 tsp prepared mustard
- Gently stir the dressing mixture into the potato mixture. Add more mayonnaise or mustard, as needed, and add salt and pepper, as needed to taste.salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Refrigerate the salad until thoroughly chilled.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
