- Food
- Cooking
Plus, we're sharing six delicious potato salad recipes that are easy to make ahead.
By
Betty Gold
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/pancake-secret-ingredient-gluten-stco-1-e8e03be656eb4611afa15b017f4ed715.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (1)")
Betty Gold
Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple.
Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on February 28, 2023
Trending Videos
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/potato-salad-2000-b35513f55c6e48c29d2fc38d8e5600a5.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (2)")
It's a summer staple for a reason: Potato salad is one of the best barbecue side dishes. And forgetting to serve it—or worse, screwing up the recipe—is punishable by law (we wish). Creamy, fork-tender potatoes plus a tangy mayo- or vinaigrette-based dressing and some crunchy veggies is nothing less than peak summer-meal perfection.
Use these five simple tips to learn how to make a perfect potato salad and nail this classic dish once and for all. Then try any of our six favorite potato salad recipes to upgrade your current go-to option.
The 9 Commandments for Cooking Perfectly Crispy Oven-Roasted Potatoes
01of 05
Choose the Right Potato
Confused about which type of potato to use? It depends on your personal preference.
If you like a salad with contrasting textures—think firm potatoes and creamy dressing—go for waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes, which hold their shape better after they're boiled.
If you prefer creamier, starchier potatoes that absorb more dressing (and you don't mind if they fall apart in your final product), russets are where it's at.
02of 05
Season the Water
Heavily salting the water you're boiling in helps infuse your potatoes with seasoning from the inside out. Skip this step and your spuds will be bland, as they'll only be salted on their outsides.
03of 05
Don't Overcook or Undercook
The only thing worse than a mashed potato salad is a crunchy one. To avoid undercooking your potatoes, make sure you start boiling them in cold water. Why? Dropping raw spuds in boiling water allows their outsides to get mushy before the insides are cooked through. (More often than not, the insides will still be raw.)
On the flip side, to make sure you don't overcook them, remove your potatoes from the boiling water when they're al dente, meaning just fork tender.
04of 05
Cut Potatoes Evenly
Cutting potatoes the same size is key to maintaining a consistent texture throughout. If your spuds vary in size, the small chunks will be overcooked while the large ones are still raw. Take your time when slicing and dicing—the final results are worth it.
05of 05
Dress at the Right Time
If you're making a mayonnaise-based dressing, allow cooked potatoes to cool completely before you add them to avoid melting the mayo. (This results in an overly oily dish.) For a vinegar-based dressing, mix potato chunks with the vinaigrette while they're still warm to fully infuse the flavors.
Potato Salad Recipes to Try
Once you've perfected your grandmother's—or your own—potato salad recipe, change things up with one of our takes on the classic summer side dish.
BBQ Potato Salad
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/bbq-potato-salad-0820sta-286b74f0f67d4255842eaf588431181b.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (3)")
This recipe uses your favorite BBQ sauce and cooked bacon bits to kick a traditional potato salad up a notch, and pairs well with just about anything off the grill. Feeling ambitious? Make your own BBQ sauce.
Get the Recipe: BBQ Potato Salad
Garlic-and-Herb Potato Salad
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/simple-potato-salad-recipes-f201aad0050f4eb2bd42d0c10bd6e8d1.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (4)")
This mayo-free recipe calls for multicolored baby potatoes: No peeling required! Their thin skin adds color to this garlicky dish, as well as fiber and iron.
Get the Recipe: Garlic-and-Herb Potato Salad
Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/creamy-potato-salad-025d94e69cd947abbd9c168621965dfb.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (5)")
New red potatoes are key for keeping the spuds in this dish firm and colorful. Red potatoes have thin, colorful skin and characteristically retain their shape after cooking. Celery and bacon bring the crunch.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Potato Salad With Bacon
Sesame-Ginger Potato Salad
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sesame-ginger-potato-salad-recipe-0722FOO-2000-ac1dc8520ab44f3bb022d2cb3b423a1e.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (6)")
You usually don't think "umami" in reference to potato salad, but with this recipe you do. The addition of ginger, sesame, fish oil, and cabbage gives this American dish an Asian twist (and leaves the mayo in the fridge).
Get the Recipe: Sesame-Ginger Potato Salad
Herb Potato Salad
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sides-for-kebabs-kabobs-herb-potato-salad-2643e278641a4c3b8aeec9384ce87e25.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (7)")
What sets this potato salad recipe apart is a ton of fresh herbs—parsley, tarragon, chives, or whatever you have on hand (or in your garden). Its olive oil-and-red vinegar dressing features mustard for tang and scallions for crunch.
Get the Recipe: Herb Potato Salad
German Beet-and-Potato Salad
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/german-beet-potato-salad-c47b7e957be84c1984577b883357032e.jpg "5 Tips for Perfecting Your Potato Salad Recipe Plus 5 New Ones (8)")
This is not your traditional vinegar-based German potato salad recipe. Obviously, it calls for beets (preferably gold or Chioggia variety, if you can get them) along with potatoes. The second deviation is that these veggies are oven-roasted (instead of boiled), giving them a creamy, tender texture.
Get the Recipe: German Beet-and-Potato Salad
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!
