Ingredients
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- Potatoes: 3 pounds (about 6-7 medium) Yukon Gold, Russet, or red potatoes, peeled (optional for red potatoes) and cut into ¾ to 1-inch cubes
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- Large Eggs: 6
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- Mayonnaise: 1 ½ cups, good quality (like Hellmann’s/Best Foods or Duke’s)
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- Celery: 3-4 ribs, finely chopped (about 1 to 1 ½ cups)
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- Red Onion or Sweet Onion: ½ medium, finely chopped (about ½ to ¾ cup)
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- Sweet Pickle Relish: ¼ cup (or finely chopped sweet gherkins)
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- Dijon Mustard: 2 tablespoons
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- Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
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- Granulated Sugar: 1 teaspoon (optional, but helps balance flavors)
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- Salt: 1 ½ teaspoons, plus more for boiling potatoes
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- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon
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- Paprika: For garnish (optional)
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- Fresh Parsley or Chives: Chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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- Cook the Potatoes:
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- Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add cold water to cover the potatoes by about 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water.
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- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork but still hold their shape. Be careful not to overcook them, or they will become mushy.
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- Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander. You can spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer to cool slightly and allow excess moisture to evaporate, about 15-20 minutes. Some prefer to dress them while slightly warm, others prefer them completely cooled. For this classic creamy version, slightly warm to room temperature is good.
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- Cook the Potatoes:
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- Cook the Hard-Boiled Eggs:
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- While the potatoes are cooking, place the 6 eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
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- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, immediately cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10-12 minutes.
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- After 10-12 minutes, drain the hot water and immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and make them easier to peel. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes.
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- Peel the cooled eggs and roughly chop them.
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- Cook the Hard-Boiled Eggs:
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- Prepare Other Vegetables: While potatoes and eggs are cooking/cooling, finely chop the celery and red/sweet onion.
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- Make the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl (large enough to hold all the salad ingredients), whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar), optional sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper until smooth and well combined.
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- Combine the Salad:
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- Add the slightly cooled potatoes to the bowl with the dressing.
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- Add the chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped celery, and chopped red/sweet onion.
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- Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold all the ingredients together until the potatoes and other additions are evenly coated with the dressing. Be careful not to overmix or mash the potatoes.
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- Combine the Salad:
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- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Taste the potato salad and adjust salt, pepper, or other seasonings if necessary. Sometimes a little more relish or mustard is desired.
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- Chill Thoroughly (Crucial Step): Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the salad to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 2-4 hours, or preferably overnight, before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and develop fully. The salad will taste significantly better after chilling.
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- Garnish and Serve: Just before serving, give the potato salad a gentle stir. If desired, garnish the top with a sprinkle of paprika and some freshly chopped parsley or chives. Serve chilled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 300-380