Dad's Potato Salad

What makes this potato salad recipe special? Pickle juice! It’s studded with celery, bell peppers, hard-boiled eggs, and more in a creamy, tangy Dijon and mayonnaise dressing. Great for cookouts!

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated June 02, 2022
Elise Bauer
Dad's Potato Salad
Elise Bauer

A month ago or so I made some potato salad. I love potato salad and was well pleased with this one.

Key Ingredients to the Best Potato Salad

Then the next week my father made his version of potato salad. It was great too!

The difference? Pickle juice and mustard.

Also he throws in a hard boiled egg once in a while too. Note that getting the recipe out of my parents generated the usual recipe banter.

Dad: "Use Russets." Mom: "I've been making this recipe for years with all kinds of potatoes." Dad: "Use Russets."

We're using Russets in this recipe, which is why it is called “Dad's potato salad”.

How To Store Potato Salad

Your potato salad should stay fresh, refrigerated in a sealed or airtight container, for 3 to 5 days. It shouldn't be left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. To help keep potato salad cold when you're serving it for a party, cookout or other gathering, set your salad bowl inside a larger bowl that's filled with ice.

More Potato Salad Recipes to Try!

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Dad's Potato Salad

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1/4 cup juice from kosher dill pickles

  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles

  • 1/4 cup chopped chopped parsley

  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion

  • 2 ribs celery, chopped

  • 1 to 2 scallions, chopped

  • 1 to 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped, optional

  • 1 medium carrot, finely chopped, optional

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, raw or roasted, chopped, optional

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Boil the peeled, cut potatoes:

    Place peeled, cut potatoes in a large pot. Cover with an inch of salted water. Bring a pot of water to boil.

    Simmer for 10 to 20 minutes until just fork tender. Drain the potatoes and remove them from the pot. The pot is hot and you want the potatoes to cool down enough to handle, but are still warm.

  2. Mix the salad ingredients:

    Put the potatoes in to a large bowl. Add the juice from the Kosher dill pickles.

    Add the finely chopped pickles themselves. Add parsley, onions, celery, scallions and, if using, the hard boiled egg, carrots, and red bell pepper.

  3. Make the dressing, then dress and season the salad:

    In a separate small bowl, mix mayonnaise with mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Mix in the dressing with the potato mixture. Again, salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
265 Calories
14g Fat
31g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 265
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 294mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 31mg 157%
Calcium 48mg 4%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 810mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.