This old-fashioned Potato Salad recipe has been in our family for many years. I remember helping my mom make it when I was a girl, and I still enjoy making it every spring for picnics or family gatherings.
Potato Salad is one of my favorite picnic foods. I’m really not picky about it either. Whether it’s heavy on the mustard, or has deviled eggs in them, or even the sour German kind. However, I’m most fond of this recipe, which has eggs, mustard, and is also sweetened with sweet pickles and their juice.
This recipe will serve 6-8, but if you need to feed a larger crowd, simply double or triple the ingredients (as you’ll see I’ve done from some of these prep pictures)!
Ingredients for Potato Salad
(As a Walmart Affiliate, I earn from qualified purchases at no price increase for you. See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
Partially peel and dice red potatoes. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium low heat and continuing to cook until potatoes are just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain in a colander.
Red potatoes work well for this dish as they don’t have as much starch in them. I also like to leave some of the peel on them for color. Cook until they are just slightly fork tender, not mushy. They will break down further as you mix them with the other ingredients.
Using a cutting board and sharp knife, chop the sweet pickles into small chunks. Place in another prep bowl. Mince the red onion.
Boil the Eggs
This method for boiling eggs works for either store bought or fresh eggs. I highly recommend doing it this way. Remove 6 large eggs from refrigerator and allow to set out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Heat over medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmering boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Using a wire strainer, lower eggs into the simmering water. The water should cover the eggs by at least 1-inch. Return water to a gentle boil, then set timer for 12 minutes.
Place ice in a pan of cold water, about 6-8 large cubes. Remove eggs with a wire strainer and place in the ice cold water. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes.
After allotted time, begin tapping one egg shell on the counter multiple times. Then start peeling from the largest end of the egg where there is likelihood of a bubble. Use fingers to get under the membrane and start peeling the shell off. Dip the peeled egg in the ice water to finish cleaning it and place on a plate or bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs. Dice eggs into small pieces and place in a prep bowl.
Assemble the Potato Salad
In a large bowl, combine the boiled potatoes, diced eggs, chopped sweet pickles, sweet relish, and minced onion.
I like to use a combination of chopped sweet pickles and relish for this recipe, along with a splash or two or three of the sweet pickle juice. This really seems to give the salad an extra punch of tang that we really love. I’ve also been known to use the spices from the sweet pickles (Famous Dave’s Signature Spicy Pickle Spears), which adds even more tang and zest to the salad.
In a glass measuring cup, combine the whipped salad dressing, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, celery seed, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well with a wire whisk.
If you don’t have Dijon mustard, you may use golden, honey, or even whole mustard. But I like Dijon the best.
Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and carefully fold in to mix with a long-handled wooden spoon. Add in 3-4 tablespoons of pickle juice for an extra pop of tang.
Taste the salad and add more salad dressing, mustard, seasonings or juice as desired.
My grandma and mom taught me to taste the Potato Salad when you were done mixing the ingredients together. Then depending on your preference, add more salad dressing, mustard, or seasonings, if necessary. This is a good practice for anything you make in the kitchen!
Place the potato salad in a pretty serving bowl or dish. Cover and chill for several hours before serving. Serves 6-8 people.
Refrigeration Caution
To prevent the spread of food borne illness, if you’re serving this salad at a picnic or barbecue, keep it in an icy cooler before and after serving due to the use of mayonnaise and eggs.
Browse Similar Categories
Potato Salad
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 6 medium red potatoes (cubed with partial skin left on)
- 6 large eggs (boiled, peeled, and diced)
- 1/2 cup sweet pickles (chopped)
- 1/2 cup sweet relish
- 1/2 cup red onion (minced )
- 1/2 cup whipped salad dressing (like Miracle Whip)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Partially peel and dice red potatoes. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan, with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce to medium low heat and continuing to cook until potatoes are just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain in a colander.
- Using a cutting board and sharp knife, chop the sweet pickles into small chunks. Place in another prep bowl. Mince the red onion.
Boil the Eggs
- This method works for store bought eggs as well as fresh. Remove 6 large eggs from refrigerator and allow to set out at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Heat over medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmering boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Using a wire strainer, lower eggs into the simmering water. The water should cover the eggs by at least 1-inch. Return water to a gentle boil, then set timer for 12 minutes.
- Place ice in a pan of cold water, about 6-8 large cubes. Remove eggs with a wire strainer and place in the ice cold water. Allow to cool for 8-10 minutes.
- After allotted time, begin tapping one egg shell on the counter multiple times. Then start peeling from the largest end of the egg where there is likelihood of a bubble. Use fingers to get under the membrane and start peeling the shell off. Dip the peeled egg in the ice water to finish cleaning it and place on a plate or bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs. Dice eggs into small pieces and place in a prep bowl.
Assemble the Potato Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the boiled potatoes, diced eggs, chopped sweet pickles, sweet relish, and minced onion.
- In a glass measuring cup, combine the whipped salad dressing, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, celery seed, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well with a wire whisk.
- Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and carefully fold in to mix with a long-handled wooden spoon. Add in 3-4 tablespoons of pickle juice for an extra pop of tang.
- Taste the salad and add more salad dressing, mustard, seasonings, or juice as desired. Cover and chill for several hours before serving. Serves 6-8 people.
I love potato salad! I need to try your recipe as I am looking for a way to jazz up my own. Thank you for sharing! xoxo
Thanks for stopping by CCS. 🙂 Have a great weekend.