best potato salad

There’s nothing like a classic American potato salad. Something about the creamy potatoes, eggs and mayo just make it perfect for a backyard barbecue. Or with fried chicken. This is the best potato salad I know how to make. And I know a few…

This is my kind of comfort food. Probably because I love BBQ. And I love fried chicken. And I love potatoes. So not a big surprise.

But I don’t like just any potato salad. I’m actually pretty picky. Don’t like it pre-fab from the grocery store. Not crazy about it at most casual restaurants.

Usually don’t want anything to do with what they serve at fast food joints. But I love this stuff for a reason. It’s just really, really good.

This is my best potato salad

Best. That’s a very big claim. Too big really. And it’s very subjective. I love a good French potato salad. Potatoes with grainy mustard and bacon can be fantastic.

So maybe it’s not the best there is but it’s up there. There’s just something about it that works. Works very well.

I can’t take much credit for it. This is America’s Test Kitchen all-American potato salad with a couple small glebekitchen touches. More eggs. Lots more. And leave out the celery seed. That’s it. But it makes a difference.

If you want to make really good potato salad, it’s going to be a bit more work than tossing potatoes with some mayo and chopped onion. Sorry. It’s not hard but there are a few extra steps.

Pickle juice is why this works

Pickle juice is the secret ingredient. Pickle juice and ball park mustard. It’s different. Crazy even. But it’s critical. Drizzle warm potatoes with pickle juice and mustard. Let it sit to allow the potatoes to absorb the flavours.

Sour cream is the other twist. Full fat sour cream. Don’t wimp out. Cook to impress. Nobody needs to know.

Just serve it up and take the compliments. Nobody is going to die because they had a few extra calories at a party. I’m pretty sure anyway. At least I hope not.

This could be the best potato salad you ever make.

Best potato salad? I think so.

Old school? Maybe.

Tasty? Definitely.

Try it and let me know what you think.

This may be the best potato salad you've ever tasted. Heavy on the eggs with pickle juice as the secret ingredient this potato salad is sure to please.

This may be the best potato salad you've ever tasted. Heavy on the eggs with pickle juice as the secret ingredient this potato salad is sure to please.
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4.70 from 13 votes

best potato salad

Nothing beats a good potato salad to round out a picnic or a backyard barbecue. Good friends. Good food. Good times. Let me know if you think it's the best potato salad ever.
Course side
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8
Author romain | glebekitchen

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 Tbsp pickle juice total
  • 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 dill pickles finely minced
  • 1/2 red onion finely minced
  • 1 stalk celery finely minced
  • 1/2 - 1 Tsp kosher salt
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs chopped
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise - Hellmans and preferably not light
  • 1/4 cup full fat 14% sour cream
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Peel and dice the potatoes into roughly 3/4 inch pieces.
  • Boil until tender in well salted water. Drain.
  • Mix 2 Tbsp pickle juice with the yellow mustard. While the potatoes are still warm, spread the potatoes on a cookie sheet and drizzle the pickle juice/mustard mixture overtop. Stir gently to coat all the potatoes.
  • Refrigerate around 30 minutes.
  • Combine all other ingredients except the eggs in a bowl large enough to contain the potato salad. Don't forget the third Tbsp of pickle juice.
  • Fold in the potatoes and then the eggs gently and chill for around one hour. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

The pickles you use are important. This recipe works best with plain old every day Bick's dill pickles.

22 thoughts on “best potato salad”

  1. 4 stars
    I’ve thought of adding pickle juice in the past but thought it might not mingle well with bacon (which I love in potato salad). I decided to skip the bacon and try this and am glad I did! It’s really good! Mine turned out a little runnier than what is pictured, but I may have used a bit too much pickle juice…and only had Klausen’s kosher dill pickles on hand. I’ll buy regular dills the next time I make this salad…and there will be a next time! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    • I’m glad you made the leap. I do measure everything carefully when I post recipes and take pictures so hopefully next time it works perfectly for you. And yes, regular dills are best. I love kosher dills but they aren’t quite right for this one.

  2. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe. This is similar to my sisters. I love the addition of sour cream. Great taste. I just made it and taking it to a BBQ dinner concert. Yummy.

    Reply
  3. thanks for the recipe! I will be trying it this weekend but one question – is yellow american mustard the same as english mustard? If not , is using english mustard ok?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • No. It’s completely different. By English I think you mean Coleman’s or Keens. American mustard is the bright yellow hot dog mustard. If you google it you’ll see what I mean. This recipe will not work with English mustard.

  4. Hi Romain, this potato salad sounds great, going to have a go on my next BBQ. just a few queries , what do you meand by pickle juice? Im assuming its from the dill pickles. Yellow mustard? Is that English hot mustard ie Colmans or the American type. ?
    Many thanks

    Reply
    • Pickle juice is the juice in which the pickles are stored. Note that this recipe really works well with cheaper supermarket type pickles like Bicks brand. I’ve tried it with higher end genuine kosher dills and it isn’t as good.

      The mustard is the mustard I see when I google the term “American mustard”. The really yellow hotdog and hamburger style mustard.

  5. Biggest irritation as a lay person trying to cook great food for her/his family- bloggers who give a recipe 5 stars but haven’t actually cooked the recipe. It happens every day. I read a recipe and the reviews- 90% from other ‘bloggers’ willing to give 5 stars for a recipe they’ve never made in a hopeful return for ‘5 stars’ on their site. This is super frustrating for normal people. I don’t care what any blogger thinks about a website’s recipes- especially if the blogger hasn’t made it. I do care about what people who have actually made the recipe think. Soooo- this review is for them. This potato salad is great! The texture from the soft, yet toothsome potatoes, dill pickles, celery, red onion, mustard, pickle juice, sour cream (Daisy), mayo (Hellman’s ALWAYS) is on point. Follow it to a tee! You won’t regret it. It did take awhile to dice the onion/pickle/celery- I thought about just putting it my food processor, but I’m glad I diced it by hand- less juice and uniform pieces. Embrace the 3 TBSPs of pickle juice. Delicious.We have been grazing on it all day- everyone has asked for more, from age 10-65. I’ve not had a bad recipe from Romain. Glebe Kitchen has become my ‘go-to’ site for amazing meals.

    Reply
    • What an awesome comment. Thank you. I really love and value reviews from people who are actually in the kitchen cooking! That’s why this blog is here. To get people in the kitchen!

    • 4 stars
      My God, what a rant…
      This is a wonderful potato salad recipe. Have made it several times now with the addition of some pancetta and some mixed herbs (chives, parsley and a hint of tarragon).
      Hellman’s mayonnaise: never!!! It’s the worst mayonnaise: cheap, bland and tasteless. If you can’t find a better version; make your own..

    • Glad you liked it. I like Hellmans though. Always have. I can make my own mayo. I can do a pretty good job at it too. But I do like Hellmans…

  6. 5 stars
    Potato salad is one of my all-time favs. I’ve been making my grandma’s recipe for as long as I can remember and it doesn’t sound too different from this one! Your potato salad looks and sounds amazing, I’m going to give it a try. Just don’t tell my grandma lol

    Reply
  7. 5 stars
    Sour cream in potato salad is a great idea! I never thought of that. This does sound like the best potato salad just from the looks of the recipe. I’ll have to try it!

    Reply
  8. Pickle juice (and pickles) in potato salad is the best! I remember the first time I had a really great potato salad and it had pickles in it! My life was changed! lol… okay, maybe not, but this is such a wonderful summer dish!

    Reply
  9. I can’t wait to make this for my next barbecue. The ingredients are all perfectly balanced here and YES! Pickle Juice!! I also love all the little bites of crunch and flavor you’ve included.

    Reply

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