Aunt Penny's Classic Potato Salad Recipe - Simply Scratch (2024)

FAQs

Should potatoes be peeled before boiling for potato salad? ›

Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Rinsing washes off some of the starch from the potatoes so that the potato chunks are more defined and easily coated with the dressing. Rinsing the potatoes in cold water also stops the cooking process so you know exactly what texture your potatoes will be and won't risk over-cooking.

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

Using The Wrong Type of Potato

For this dish, avoid using starchy potatoes, like Russets, which have a tendency to fall apart during cooking. → Follow this tip: Stick with waxy potatoes — like Red Bliss, New, or Fingerling potatoes — for potato salad.

Waxy potatoes are generally considered the best for classic potato salad because they retain their shape, you don't have to peel them, and they have a smooth texture. People who prefer a creamy potato salad that soaks up dressing like a sponge, though, opt for a starchy potato.

Years later, during my time at Serious Eats, I made Kenji López-Alt's classic potato salad on a whim. My potatoes turned out perfectly — and they have every time since — due to one ingenious tip he shares: Adding vinegar to the cooking water prevents overcooking.

POTATOES, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT), MUSTARD (WATER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR], XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR), DILL PICKLE CUBES (CUCUMBER VINEGAR, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL ...

Make Potato Salad Dressing: Combine egg yolks, mayonnaise, buttermilk, mustard, a splash of pickle juice, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Combine: Pour dressing over the potatoes. Add chopped egg whites, celery, onion, and pickles. Stir well then cover and refrigerate for a few hours until ready to serve.

Not Getting The Cook Time Right

If you overcook them, the result is a mushy, grainy mess. And if you undercook them, you end up with crunchy (not in a good way) potatoes. It's a delicate balance to achieve soft, tender potatoes for that just-right potato salad texture.

Yes, and PLEASE do, chilling your salad will only make it more flavorful! You can make the Potato salad 1 or 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I often make my potato salad the night before serving for best results.

Do you let potatoes cool before making potato salad? ›

If you are using a mayo- or cream-based dressing for your salad, it's important to wait for the potatoes to cool before you start dressing them.

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, pickle brine, apple cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the dressing and stir to coat, mashing the potatoes slightly so that the salad becomes creamy.

It makes enough sense — mayonnaise is made with eggs, which can make you sick when not stored properly, and mayo itself is a condiment that has to be refrigerated once it's opened. But the truth is, mayonnaise isn't your main concern when it comes to spoilage. The actual culprit is the potatoes. Yes, it's true!