Old-Fashioned Potato Salad (Classic & Creamy!)

Introduction & Inspiration

There are few dishes as universally loved and essential to American gatherings as a good Old-Fashioned Potato Salad. This recipe is exactly that – a timeless classic, bringing together tender boiled potatoes, perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs, crisp celery and onion for crunch, a touch of sweet pickle relish for that signature tang, all enveloped in a creamy, savory mayonnaise and mustard dressing seasoned with garlic and celery salt. It’s the taste of countless picnics, barbecues, and family reunions!

My inspiration for sharing this particular recipe is its straightforward, classic approach. It’s the kind of potato salad that everyone recognizes and enjoys, the one that often disappears first at any potluck. It doesn’t try to be overly fancy; it just aims for that perfect, comforting, traditional flavor and texture.

This Old-Fashioned Potato Salad is perfect for any casual meal, holiday side dish, or summer cookout. It’s a beloved staple for a reason – it’s simply delicious, satisfying, and relatively easy to make from scratch. It is a perfect side dish recipe.

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Factor

Potato salad is pure, unadulterated nostalgic comfort food. It evokes warm memories of summer days, family picnics in the park, church suppers, and Fourth of July barbecues. The creamy texture, the familiar blend of potatoes and eggs, the slight crunch of celery and onion – it’s a taste of childhood and simple, happy times for so many.

This “Old-Fashioned” version, with its classic inclusion of sweet pickle relish and simple seasonings like celery salt, truly harks back to those treasured family recipes. As many of the reviews for similar recipes attest, it’s often the version “Mom used to make,” the one that becomes a family tradition passed down through generations. It’s not trying to be unique; it’s trying to be that potato salad.

Making this salad feels like connecting with a comforting culinary heritage, creating a dish that’s all about shared meals and simple satisfaction. A perfect comfort food salad.

Homemade Focus

This recipe is all about creating that authentic, old-fashioned potato salad taste entirely from scratch using basic, wholesome ingredients. You’re starting by perfectly boiling your potatoes and eggs, then chopping fresh celery and onion for essential crunch and flavor. The creamy dressing is also a simple homemade blend of mayonnaise, mustard, relish, and seasonings.

The homemade focus lies in carefully preparing each component – cooking the potatoes until tender but still firm, ensuring the eggs are perfectly hard-boiled, and mixing the dressing to achieve that classic balance. While the ingredients are simple, the process of making it yourself ensures the freshest taste and the perfect texture that store-bought deli versions can rarely match.

It celebrates the delicious results of straightforward, traditional homemade cooking. The homemade taste is incredible.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal is a harmonious blend of tender, slightly starchy potatoes, creamy and tangy mayonnaise-mustard dressing, savory hard-boiled eggs, sweet and tangy pickle relish, and crisp, fresh celery and onion, all perfectly seasoned.

The potatoes should be cooked until tender but still hold their shape when chopped and mixed. The dressing needs to be creamy, with a balanced tang from the mustard and relish, and savory notes from the garlic salt and celery salt. The eggs should provide a soft, rich counterpoint, while the celery and onion add crucial crunch and fresh flavor.

The overall experience should be a classic, comforting, creamy potato salad with a perfect balance of textures and familiar, satisfying flavors – not too dry, not too wet, just right. A perfect balance between flavour and texture.

Ingredient Insights

• Medium Potatoes: The star! About 5 medium potatoes. Classic choices include Russets (which can become fluffier/break down more, good if you like a “mushier” Southern style as one review mentioned) or waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes (which hold their shape better when boiled and chopped). Peeling after cooling is traditional.
• Large Eggs: Hard-boiled, cooled, peeled, and chopped. Add richness, protein, and classic potato salad texture.
• Chopped Celery: Provides essential fresh crunch and mild flavor.
• Chopped Onion: Adds a pungent, savory bite. Yellow or white onion is standard; some prefer green onion for a milder flavor (as noted in variations).
• Sweet Pickle Relish: A key ingredient for classic old-fashioned potato salad, providing sweetness, tanginess, and texture. Some variations use dill relish or chopped dill pickles for a less sweet, more tangy profile.
• Mayonnaise: The creamy base of the dressing. Use a good quality mayonnaise.
• Prepared Mustard: Adds tang and color. Standard yellow prepared mustard is classic for this style.
• Garlic Salt & Celery Salt: Specific seasoning salts that contribute to the traditional flavor profile. If using plain salt, you might add a tiny pinch of garlic powder and celery seed, or just rely on celery/onion for those notes.
• Ground Black Pepper: Essential seasoning.

Essential Equipment

• Large Pot: For boiling potatoes.
• Saucepan: For hard-boiling eggs.
• Colander: For draining potatoes.
• Large Mixing Bowl: For combining all the salad ingredients.
• Knife & Cutting Board: For chopping potatoes, eggs, celery, onion.
• Peeler (Optional): If peeling potatoes.
• Measuring Cups & Spoons:

Ingredients

(Original recipe yields 8 servings)

• ▢ 5 medium potatoes (e.g., Russets, Yukon Golds, or red potatoes)
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup chopped celery
• ▢ ½ cup chopped onion
• ▢ ½ cup sweet pickle relish
• ▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise (may need more, see reviews/tips)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon prepared mustard (yellow mustard)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon celery salt
• ▢ Ground black pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare and Cook Potatoes:

• Gather all your ingredients.
• Wash the potatoes well. Place them in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover them by about an inch. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt to the water (this helps season the potatoes as they cook).
• Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat slightly to maintain a steady boil and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork but still hold their firm shape, about 15-20 minutes depending on their size. Be careful not to overcook, or they will become mushy.

2. Cook Eggs:

• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the hard-boiled eggs. Place the 3 large eggs in a separate saucepan and cover them with cold water by at least an inch.
• Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat.
• Once boiling, immediately cover the saucepan, remove it from the heat, and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10 to 12 minutes.
• After 10-12 minutes, carefully drain the hot water and immediately fill the saucepan with cold water and ice to stop the cooking process and make peeling easier. Let the eggs cool in the cold water.

3. Cool, Peel, and Chop Potatoes & Eggs:

• Once the potatoes are tender, drain them well in a colander. Let them cool down significantly until they are comfortable to handle.
• Once cooled, peel the potatoes (if desired; many prefer skins on with waxy potatoes like reds or Yukons) and chop them into bite-sized cubes or chunks (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). Place the chopped potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
• Peel the cooled hard-boiled eggs and chop them into chunks. Add the chopped eggs to the bowl with the potatoes.

4. Add Remaining Salad Ingredients:

• To the large bowl with the potatoes and eggs, add the 1 cup of chopped celery, ½ cup of chopped onion, and ½ cup of sweet pickle relish.

5. Make Dressing and Combine Salad:

• In a small bowl, you can pre-mix the dressing components, or add them directly to the large salad bowl: Add the ¼ cup of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon prepared mustard, ¼ teaspoon garlic salt, and ¼ teaspoon celery salt.
• Season with ground black pepper to your taste.
• Gently mix or fold all the ingredients together until everything is well combined and the potatoes and eggs are evenly coated with the dressing. Be careful not to mash the potatoes too much.

6. Chill Before Serving:

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Chill the potato salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to cool completely. It often tastes even better if made a few hours ahead or the day before.
• Stir gently again just before serving. Enjoy!

Troubleshooting

• Potatoes Mushy: Overcooked. Boil just until fork-tender but still holding shape. Using waxy potatoes helps prevent this.
• Potatoes Undercooked/Hard: Not boiled long enough. Ensure they are fork-tender before draining.
• Salad Too Dry: Not enough mayonnaise for the amount of potatoes, or potatoes absorbed a lot of moisture. As many reviews suggest, you may need to add more mayonnaise (up to ½ cup total or more) to reach desired creaminess. A splash of pickle juice or vinegar can also add moisture and tang.
• Salad Too Wet: Too much relish juice, or potatoes were very wet when chopped. Drain potatoes and relish well.
• Bland Flavor: Needs more salt, pepper, or mustard/relish. Potatoes absorb a lot of seasoning. Taste and adjust seasoning after chilling, as flavors meld. Adding a bit of vinegar or pickle juice to the dressing can also enhance flavor.

Tips and Variations

(Many inspired by user reviews from the original recipe post)

• Potato Choice: Russets will give a fluffier, softer salad that can break down more (preferred by some “Southern style” reviews). Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or white potatoes hold their shape better for distinct chunks. Many prefer leaving skins on waxy potatoes.
• Mayo Quantity: The ¼ cup listed is very conservative. Most classic recipes and user reviews suggest using ½ cup to 1 cup of mayonnaise for 5 medium potatoes for a creamier salad. Adjust to your preference.
• Dressing Acidity: Many love adding a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or sweet/dill pickle juice to the dressing for extra tang and moisture.
• Relish/Pickles: Substitute dill relish or finely chopped dill pickles for sweet relish if you prefer a less sweet, more tangy salad.
• Onion Type: Green onions (scallions) or red onion can be used for a milder or sharper flavor, respectively, compared to yellow/white onion.
• Egg Yolks in Dressing: For an extra creamy dressing, mash the cooked egg yolks separately with the mayonnaise and mustard, then fold in the chopped egg whites with the potatoes (as suggested by one reviewer).
• Add-Ins:
  • Bacon: Crumbled cooked bacon is a popular addition.
  • Bell Pepper: Finely chopped green or red bell pepper adds crunch and color.
  • Fresh Herbs: Chopped fresh dill or parsley are excellent additions.
  • Seasoning Potatoes: Some like to sprinkle warm, just-drained potatoes with vinegar or a bit of dressing to absorb flavor before they cool completely.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

• Serve Chilled: Potato salad is best served cold after flavors have melded.
• Classic Side Dish: Essential for barbecues, picnics, potlucks, and summer holidays.
• Pairs Perfectly With: Grilled burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, barbecue ribs or pulled pork, sandwiches.
• Potluck Staple: Always a welcome and popular dish at any gathering.

Nutritional Information

(Based on recipe’s provided data, per serving, assuming 8 servings and ~1/4 cup mayo)

• Calories: ~206 kcal
• Fat: ~8g
• Carbohydrates: ~31g
• Protein: ~6g (Disclaimer: Provided estimate; actual values vary significantly based on potato size/type, exact amount of mayonnaise, and specific brands used.)

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Summary: This Old-Fashioned Potato Salad involves boiling medium potatoes until tender, hard-boiling eggs, then cooling, peeling, and chopping both. These are combined in a large bowl with chopped celery, onion, and sweet pickle relish. A simple dressing of mayonnaise, prepared mustard, garlic salt, celery salt, and black pepper is mixed in. The salad is chilled for at least an hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Q&A:

• Q: What kind of potatoes are best for potato salad?
  • A: It’s a matter of preference! Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or white round potatoes hold their shape well when boiled and chopped, resulting in distinct chunks. Starchy potatoes like Russets tend to break down more, creating a fluffier, sometimes “mushier” (in a good way for some styles) salad.
• Q: Can I make potato salad the day before?
  • A: Yes! In fact, many people (including reviewers of this recipe) believe potato salad tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to fully meld together in the refrigerator.
• Q: My potato salad always seems bland. How can I fix it?
  • A: Potatoes need a good amount of seasoning! Ensure you salt the water when boiling the potatoes. Taste and adjust the dressing generously with salt, pepper, and mustard. Adding a bit of vinegar or pickle juice to the dressing also boosts flavor. Letting it chill for several hours also helps flavors develop.
• Q: Is ¼ cup of mayonnaise enough for 5 potatoes?
  • A: Many classic recipes and user experiences suggest that ¼ cup of mayonnaise for 5 medium potatoes might result in a drier salad. Most people prefer ½ to 1 cup of mayonnaise for this quantity of potatoes to achieve a creamier consistency. Adjust to your preference.