Classic potato salad recipe is a Southern must-have at any gathering, especially in the summer. Use only 3 ingredients for an easy potato salad recipe.
I love a good potato salad. It’s not possible to have a good ol’ Southern BBQ without a classic potato salad! And those store-bought potato salads just don’t cut it.
Really, have you ever tried those compared to what someone from the South can make? There are so many ways to make potato salad. So many different ingredients, flavors, and textures. And me? I love a good, plain potato salad.
Seriously, 3 ingredients are all you need for a good potato salad in my opinion. Well, 5 if you count the salt and black pepper. I know a lot of people add other things to their potato salad, such as onions, celery, and all types of other ingredients.
Simple Ingredients for Great Potato Salad
My potato salad, as I said, has 3 simple ingredients: hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, and miracle whip. Then I add a little salt and pepper for flavor, but that’s it!
Potatoes
What type of potatoes works best for potato salad? Almost any potatoes will work, but they all have a slightly different taste. I prefer to use russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. Red potatoes also make a great potato salad. I’ve seen some recipes that instruct you to cut the potatoes before boiling and some that say to boil the potatoes whole. I have tried both ways and don’t find much of a difference in the taste or texture. If you cut the potatoes before you boil them, they don’t take as long as whole potatoes.
Miracle Whip
Most potato salad dressing calls for mayonnaise and a few other spices. Instead of getting multiple ingredients, I find it easiest to use Miracle Whip. It has a slightly sweeter taste, already has spices in it such as mustard, paprika, and garlic, and is usually cheaper than mayo.
Eggs
You can make your potato salad as eggy as you want. I like a lot of eggs in my potato salad, so I tend to use at least 8 eggs for every 5 pounds of potatoes. But you can lower that amount if you don’t want as much egg in your potatoes.
Serving Suggestions and Add-Ins
My grandma always adds celery to hers so I either have to pick it out. Or hope that she made two batches, one without the celery, like she sometimes does for me.
There are so many options for things to add to or on top of your potato salad.
- Mix in some sliced green onions
- Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits for a loaded potato flavor
- Add some chopped dill pickles or sweet pickles
- Stir in some Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- Dice a red onion to add to the potato salad
- Top with sweet pickle relish
- Mix in some fresh herbs such as celery seed, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, rosemary, or thyme
- Use a little bit of Greek yogurt, sour cream, or mayonnaise for a more creamy dressing
Classic Potato Salad Step by Step
Ingredients
- 5 lb potatoes
- 1 small jar Miracle Whip
- 6-8 eggs
Instructions
Decide if you would rather have the potato skins peeled or not because they need to be peeled before boiling. Now and then I take the time to peel, but I like making this quick and easy, so boil unpeeled potatoes.
Cut the potatoes into thirds so they cook quicker and place in a large pot then cover with cold water. Boil the potatoes until they are cooked and slightly soft, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, hard-boil the eggs so they are ready at about the same time as the potatoes.
Let both the potatoes and eggs cool for about 15 minutes then cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Chop the eggs into small pieces as well and add to the potatoes. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper, to taste, into the potato salad.
Gently fold in the miracle whip.
Cover and refrigerate for about 15-30 minutes and serve cold.
Classic Potato Salad Leftovers
Storage: Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The dressing may separate a bit, so give it a quick stir before serving.
Recipe
Originally Published On: September 6, 2016
Last Updated On: June 3, 2024
Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 5 lb potatoes
- 1 small jar miracle whip
- 6-8 eggs
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Peel potatoes and cut into thirds
- Boil potatoes until just done, and let cool completely
- Hard boil eggs
- Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces
- Chop the eggs into small pieces
- Mix potatoes and eggs together with miracle whip
- Cover and refrigerate to cool
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
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Super yummy and easy, perfect for my three-year-old toddler as he loves eggs and potatoes. How about adding a bit of cream cheese to it? will it be good?
I’ve never tried adding cream cheese to potato salad before. I love cream cheese, so I think it would be ok, and make it a bit creamier.
I should surprise my husband with this recipe. I wonder if he would like it. I know he likes this type of thing however, I cannot recall if I have ever actually seen him eat it before LOL!
There are so many different types of potato salad, I’d love to know if he likes this one! Did you ever surprise him with it?
YES to the Miracle Whip! This is a staple in our potato salads, too, though I admit our family’s recipe is a little more dressed than yours (celery, green onions, sometimes radishes, sometimes crumbled bacon) – And vinegar; most people don’t like their potato salad this way, but it’s how I grew up and I love that extra tang!
I know a lot of people add other things to it, but I’ve always liked mine plain and simple. I’ll have to try a bit of vinegar next time, though, because I think I would like the tang!
This looks divine – I love potato salad! Sounds so easy to make too – although I have no clue what miracle whip is…
Miracle Whip has a similar consistency to mayonnaise but has a different flavor. It is technically called a “dressing” but sold near the mayo at our store. Here it is on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2YR84Gk
I always use mustard, mayo and pickle juice when I make my potato salad. I honestly don’t think I’ve had miracle whip since I was 6 years old lol. But I love how easy this recipe sounds and looks!
I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of pickle juice in potato salad before!
I agree that you can’t have a Southern BBQ without potato salad. I like my potato salad on the simple side as well, so I think I will have to try your method for making it.
It’s such a great addition to a BBQ! I hope you like this recipe if you also like it simple like me.
Thank you for sharing this, I LOVE potato salad! Especially the eggs in them. Do you have a German Potato Salad recipe?? I love that too! 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever had German potato salad before. I’ll have to look up a recipe and see what it entails and try it some day!
I also love a good potato salad!! It’s the perfect cozy comfort food for summer! I think I may make this soon before the weather cools down!
I will oftentimes make it just to have as a snack during the summer! Especially when we stay at the beach for a week and need cool foods when we come inside.
Oh my goodness, that looks so good, I just want to go make some! Fully agree, store-bought just isn’t the same! This recipe is so simple, and that’s often the best.
I love simple and easy recipes, they are usually my favorite because it doesn’t feel like you are trying to do too much with the dish.
I LOVE potato salad and this recipe sounds so easy! I can’t wait to make some of my own!
Trust me, this recipe is so easy! I make it quite a few times per year because we love it here.
Potato salad isn’t that popular in the UK, I definitely need to try some! My friend from San Antonio is shocked at how many foods I’ve yet to try.
It’s always interesting to hear what foods are popular in different places. We were in London and Dublin quite a few years ago and when my sister asked for Ice Tea they looked at her like she had three heads and when we asked about getting Root Beer they weren’t sure if it was an alcoholic drink (it’s a soda). So fun to compare popular foods and what’s available.
I love potato salad. I would probably add dill and red onion to mine, because I add dill and red onion to everything! So yummy!
I don’t know if I’ve ever had it with dill, but that sounds like it would be a great flavor. Not sure I would like the red onion, but I definitely want to try dill soon!
Ooo I am at my desk working and you are making me hungry! This looks like really yummy comfort food x
Hah, I know how you feel with working on recipes and food photos all the time!
I love potato salad. I have never found one that I haven’t liked. Yours looks very good. I am going to try it soon.
That’s impressive! There are so many variants on potato salad out there. Mine is a very plain and simple one, but that’s how I like it best.
Potato salad is my go to food whenever I feel low. It’s easy to make and satisfying. Thank you so much. I add chopped mint leaves too in mine.
Oh, mint leaves would be interesting! We have a lot of mint growing in the garden, I’ll have to give it a try next time.
I’ll second what someone else said: YES on the Miracle Whip! Perfect timing on a perfect recipe for Memorial Day Weekend! 🙂
I know, the Miracle Whip gives so much more flavor to the potato salad than regular mayo.
Your recipes always leave me drooling. I have cut down on all starch and carbs so wondering what I can use instead. Would sweet potatoes work? Also what can I substitute for the Miracle Whip?
I’ve never tried it with sweet potatoes, but I don’t care for those as much as regular potatoes. As for the Miracle Whip, I’m not sure what you could sub. It’s similar to mayo, but you may not want that either if you are trying to cut down. Unless you can find a vegan mayo, that may be a bit better.
When we have potatoes for dinner I always end up cooking too many so this is a great way for me to use up the leftovers!
Oh yeah, this would be perfect! Just boil a few eggs to add and stir in the other ingredients and you have potato salad!
Potato dishes are very popular in Lithuania. You definitely should try Lithuanian Cepelinai! 😊
Your simple Classic Potato Salad looks so yummy!
Ooh, I’ll have to look that up and see what I can find. I have always loved potatoes.