This Classic Easy Potato Salad recipe is exactly what you need for your next potluck, picnic, barbecue, or any outdoor gathering! It's a simple, creamy, and incredibly satisfying potato salad featuring tender red or yellow potatoes, a luscious dressing made with heavy cream and mayonnaise, and fresh pops of flavor from chives, red onion, and parsley. I absolutely love a good Easy Potato Salad, especially as the weather gets warmer here in mid-April. It's a nostalgic favorite, comes together quickly after the potatoes are cooked, and is always a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Why You'll Love This Easy Potato Salad
- Classic Comfort Food: The familiar, creamy, and comforting taste of traditional potato salad.
- Simple and Easy: Uses basic ingredients and straightforward steps.
- Creamy Dressing: The combination of heavy cream and mayonnaise creates a rich, luscious dressing.
- Perfect for Gatherings: Ideal for potlucks, picnics, BBQs, and parties as it serves a crowd and travels well (keep chilled!).
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Flavors meld beautifully when made ahead of time.
Ingredients for Easy Potato Salad
Here's what you'll need to make this classic creamy potato salad. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Salad Base
- Red potatoes (or yellow potatoes), cut into pieces or quartered (Vegetable)
- Thinly sliced chives (Herb)
- Chopped red onion (Vegetable)
- Chopped fresh parsley (Herb)
Creamy Dressing
- Heavy whipping cream (Dairy)
- Mayonnaise (optional, enhances creaminess) (Condiment)
- Mustard (Dijon or yellow) (Condiment)
- Kosher salt (Seasoning)
- Freshly ground black pepper (Spice)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the classic flavor profile of this Easy Potato Salad, but feel free to customize it:
- Add Eggs: Stir in 2-3 chopped hard-boiled eggs for a classic addition.
- Add Pickles: Mix in some sweet pickle relish or chopped dill pickles for extra tang and crunch.
- Include Celery: Add ½ cup of finely chopped celery for more crunch.
- Make it Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the dressing.
- Different Herbs: Use fresh dill instead of or in addition to parsley and chives.
- Add Bacon: Sprinkle crispy crumbled bacon over the top before serving.
How to Make Easy Potato Salad
Let me show you how simple it is to make this delicious Easy Potato Salad:
Cook the Potatoes
- I place the quartered (or 1-inch chunked) potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. I add a generous pinch of salt to the water.
- I bring the water to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- I simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, which usually takes about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. Fork-tender means a fork slides in easily but the potato doesn't completely fall apart.
- Once tender, I drain the potatoes well in a colander and rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool them down quickly. I let them drain thoroughly again.
Make the Creamy Dressing
- While the potatoes drain and cool slightly, I mix the dressing. In a large bowl (large enough to eventually hold the potatoes), I combine the heavy whipping cream, mayonnaise (if using), and mustard.
- I add a little salt and pepper to the dressing base and mix well.
Combine the Salad
- I transfer the cooled, drained potatoes to the large salad bowl with the dressing.
- I add the chopped fresh chives, chopped red onion, and chopped fresh parsley to the bowl.
- Using a large spoon or spatula, I gently pour the creamy dressing over the potatoes and herbs.
- I combine everything gently, using a spatula, trying not to break up the potatoes too much. I want everything evenly coated.
Chill and Serve
- I taste the Easy Potato Salad and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- I cover the bowl and refrigerate the potato salad until ready to serve. Chilling for at least 30 minutes (or longer) allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Serve!
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Potato Salad
Here are my secrets for making this Easy Potato Salad truly exceptional:
- Use Waxy Potatoes: Red potatoes or Yukon Golds hold their shape better after boiling compared to starchy Russets, which can become mushy.
- Salt the Cooking Water: Salting the water seasons the potatoes from the inside out as they cook.
- Don't Overcook Potatoes: Boil just until fork-tender. Mushy potatoes lead to mushy potato salad.
- Cool Potatoes Before Dressing: Allow potatoes to cool significantly before adding the creamy dressing to prevent it from becoming oily or separating. Rinsing helps cool them quickly.
- Gentle Mixing: Fold the ingredients together gently to keep the potatoes intact.
- Chill for Flavor: Potato salad always tastes better after the flavors have had time to meld in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
How to Serve
This Easy Potato Salad is the quintessential side dish for gatherings! Serve it chilled:
- At BBQs and Picnics: A must-have alongside grilled burgers, hot dogs, chicken, ribs, etc.
- For Potlucks: Always a popular and welcome contribution.
- As a Side Dish: Perfect with fried chicken, sandwiches, or any casual meal.
- Holiday Gatherings: Great for Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day.
Make Ahead and Storage
Potato salad is perfect for making ahead!
- Make Ahead: Prepare the salad completely up to 1-2 days in advance. The flavors will deepen beautifully.
- Storage: Store leftover Easy Potato Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
FAQs about Easy Potato Salad
- Do I have to peel the potatoes?
- It's personal preference! Red potatoes and Yukon Golds have thin, tender skins that are perfectly fine (and nutritious) left on. Just be sure to scrub them well before cooking.
- Can I use Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise?
- Miracle Whip has a much sweeter and tangier flavor profile than mayonnaise and will significantly change the taste of the dressing. If you enjoy its flavor, you can try it, but it won't taste like classic potato salad. Note mayonnaise is listed as optional in this recipe.
- My potato salad seems bland. What can I add?
- Ensure you've seasoned adequately with salt and pepper! You can also increase the mustard, add a splash of pickle juice or vinegar for more tang, or incorporate more fresh herbs like dill.
Enjoy this creamy, comforting, and Easy Potato Salad Recipe! It's a classic for a reason.
Print
Easy Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Description
This is the potato salad recipe you want to make for a potluck, picnic, or any outdoor gathering! A simple, creamy dressing coats tender potatoes, red onion, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 2 pounds (1kg) red potatoes (or Yukon Gold potatoes), cut into 1-inch pieces or quartered
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Creamy Dressing:
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (or yellow mustard)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt (or to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Cut the potatoes into uniform 1-inch pieces or quarter them (depending on initial size). Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold, salted water.
- Cook Potatoes: Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart, about 10-15 minutes.
- Drain and Cool Potatoes: Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly in a colander. Rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking process and cool them down quickly. Let drain well again.
- Make Dressing: While the potatoes are cooling, prepare the dressing. In a large serving bowl (or a separate mixing bowl), whisk together the heavy whipping cream, mayonnaise, mustard, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the cooled, drained potatoes, chopped red onion, chopped chives, and chopped parsley to the large serving bowl (if you made the dressing in a separate bowl, combine potatoes and herbs in the large bowl now).
- Dress Salad: Pour the creamy dressing over the potatoes and herbs. Gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula or large spoon until the potatoes are evenly coated. Be gentle to avoid mashing the potatoes.
- Season and Chill: Taste the potato salad and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if needed. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve (at least 30 minutes chilling is recommended to allow flavors to meld). Serve cold.
Notes
- Potatoes: Red potatoes or Yukon Golds hold their shape well in potato salad. Avoid starchy Russets which can fall apart easily. Ensure potatoes are fork-tender but not mushy.
- Cooling Potatoes: Rinsing the potatoes with cold water cools them quickly and stops the cooking. Ensure they are well-drained before adding dressing.
- Onion: For a milder onion flavor, soak the chopped red onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well before adding.
- Dressing: Adjust the amount of mustard, salt, and pepper to your taste. A splash of pickle juice or vinegar can add extra tang.
- Chilling: Chilling the salad allows the flavors to blend together for a tastier result.
- Storage: Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
