Mom's Traditional Potato Salad

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.  It is the perfect side dish for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and parties!

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.  It is the perfect side dish for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and parties! #potatosalad #sidedish

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Some foods just taste like childhood, know what I mean?  There are a handful of foods that when I eat them, I immediately feel like I am a kid again sitting around the kitchen table in New Jersey with my mom, dad, and sisters.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese is one of those memory-triggering foods.  There's nothing like it.  Meem's Spaghetti Sauce is a big one, too.

This Potato Salad is right there with them!  Mom has been making her no-frills, classic, perfect potato salad forever.  It is always good and has the perfect potato salad taste!

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.  It is the perfect side dish for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and parties! #potatosalad #sidedish

I love it when warmer weather arrives so I can make this potato salad all summer long.  Try it at your next potluck or family gathering and it will be perfect alongside your beans and Miracle Whip Coleslaw!

HOW TO PREPARE POTATO SALAD

Potato salad is made by combining boiled, chopped potatoes with mayonnaise, mustard, hard-boiled eggs, onions, celery, salt, and pepper.  Traditional potato salad is a side dish that is served cold.

WHAT KIND OF POTATOES SHOULD I USE FOR POTATO SALAD?

To make potato salad, you can use russet potatoes, red potatoes, white potatoes, or gold potatoes.  Each one will slightly change the look and texture of the potato salad.  If you use russet potatoes, you should peel them before boiling.  If you use red, white or gold thin-skinned potatoes, you can peel them or leave the skin on, whichever you prefer.  For this recipe, I used skin-on gold potatoes.

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.  It is the perfect side dish for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and parties! #potatosalad #sidedish

HOW LONG WILL POTATO SALAD LAST  IN THE REFRIGERATOR

Potato salad stored in the refrigerator should last around three days.

WHAT TO SERVE POTATO SALAD WITH

Potato salad makes an excellent side dish served with burgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, sub sandwiches, fried chicken, and many other main dishes.  It is a great dish to bring to barbecues, picnics, potlucks, and parties! My perfect menu? Finger-licking ribs, cowboy beans, this potato salad, and a couple of homemade Texas Roadhouse Rolls. Yum!

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.  It is the perfect side dish for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and parties! #potatosalad #sidedish

CAN POTATO SALAD BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes!  You can make potato salad in advance.  Making potato salad the day before it will be served allows the flavors to blend.  If you make potato salad in advance, stir before serving.

CAN YOU FREEZE POTATO SALAD?

You can freeze potato salad, but you really shouldn't.  Once thawed, the texture and taste will be off.  Mayonnaise separates after being frozen, so it's best to serve potato salad fresh.


Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.  It is the perfect side dish for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and parties! #potatosalad #sidedish

MORE SIDE SALAD RECIPES

Looking for more side dish recipes? Here are a few more popular salad recipes from the archives:

Red Potato Salad with Bacon Bacon Ranch Tortellini Salad Greek Zoodle Salad Broccoli Pasta Salad





If you try my Mom's Traditional Potato Salad, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below! Enjoy!


10 servings

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad


Mom's Traditional Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that is creamy and delicious, made with mayo, mustard, onion, celery, and hard-boiled eggs.

  prep time: cook time: total time: 30 MIN 

INGREDIENTS


3 lbs potatoes
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped


INSTRUCTIONS


1. In salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside to slightly cool. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

2. In a large bowl, combine the mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the celery, onion, egg, and potatoes to the bowl and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill for at least half an hour before serving.

NOTES


If you're using russet potatoes, peel, dice, then boil. If you're using red or white potatoes, leave the peel on and boil whole, dicing after boiling (no need to peel, unless you want to).

My Mom is not a measure your ingredients kind of lady. She cooks very organically adding a little of this and a little of that. This is my best re-creation of her potato salad.

Author:



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Recipe photos updated 10/5/19. Original photo here:

Mom's Traditional Potato Salad

3 comments

  1. I think we had the same Mama. Thisisvexactly how she made her potato salad and she never measureanything.
    Thanksfor sharing the recipe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure. Thanks for commenting!

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    2. Made the salad this morning and it too reminded me so much of the salad my mother made... She added a little celery seed to hers, and sprinkled with a little paprika before serving. It is delicious and i will make again! Thanks for the memory!

      Delete