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how to make mom’s classic potato salad with eggs

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This classic potato salad is made with tender russet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and onion tossed in a creamy mayo and vinegar dressing. Perfect for BBQs, cookouts, and potlucks.

For as long as I can remember, my mom’s classic potato salad has been the most requested side dish at summer get-togethers. It doesn’t matter if it’s a work potluck, family cookout, or simple picnic – her potato salad is always a hit. I honestly thought everyone had a mom who made potato salad like this. I was about twenty when I realized that wasn’t the case.

My mom’s secret ingredient? Almost an entire jar of Hellmann’s mayonnaise. And love, obviously. But also… a whole lot of mayonnaise. To be fair, she makes her potato salad with a 5-pound bag of russet potatoes, so I get it. My version is based on her recipe, just scaled down to serve a smaller crowd (as in, not 20 people).

I love to garnish it with extra hard-boiled eggs made in the instant pot, and a sprinkle of paprika. This potato salad is the classic summer side to my St. Louis-style Ribs, bbq chicken drums, or beef burgers with a side of classic coleslaw for some extra veg!

ingredients for classic homemade potato salad

My mom’s batch of potato salad is legendary. She makes enough to feed our immediate family of ten, plus leftovers for a day or two, so her recipe calls for a 5-pound bag of russet potatoes and an entire 32-ounce jar of mayo. It cracks me up every time I think about it, but it’s always the first side dish to disappear, and the leftovers somehow taste even better the next day.

One more family quirk: my brother and I have never been big fans of raw onions. Lucky for us, our mom spoils her oldest (me) and youngest (my brother) by making a small onion-free batch just for us. The recipe card below includes onion, but feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan either.

  • Russet potatoes: my family has always used russet potatoes for potato salad. They cook up tender and soak up all of the creamy dressing.
  • Celery: adds a fresh crunch and texture that balances the soft potatoes and eggs.
  • Onion: yellow onion for a little bite.
  • Hard-boiled eggs: a must for classic potato salad. They add richness and make the salad extra hearty.
  • Mayonnaise: the base of the dressing. My mom swears by Hellmann’s, and honestly, so do I. Duke’s is a very close second.
  • White vinegar: adds the tangy flavor that keeps the dressing from feeling too heavy.
  • Yellow mustard: gives the dressing a little zip and classic deli-style flavor.
  • Turmeric: not part of my mom’s original recipe, but I like adding a little for color and that classic golden potato salad look.
  • Paprika: optional, but a sprinkle on top adds color and that nostalgic finishing touch.
  • Sliced hard-boiled egg: 1-2. Optional for garnish.
potato salad dressing

Potato Salad Dressing Recipe

The dressing for this classic potato salad is a simple combination of mayonnaise, white vinegar, yellow mustard, and turmeric. My mom’s original recipe also included a little sugar, but I’ve always left it out. Feel free to add a teaspoon or two if that’s how you grew up eating potato salad. Either way, you’ll end up with a creamy, tangy dressing that perfectly coats every bite.

Tips for the Best Classic Potato Salad

Remember That “Classic” Is Relative

If you’ve ever searched for “classic potato salad,” you’ve probably noticed there are countless versions. Some recipes use Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, pickle relish, or different vinegars. Others use red potatoes or Yukon Golds instead of russets.

My version of classic potato salad is the one I grew up eating. When my mom was first learning to cook in the 1980s, she adapted her recipe from the iconic red-checkered cookbook that seemed to live in everyone’s kitchen. Over the years, she made it her own, and now I’ve made a few tweaks of my own, too.

Make It Ahead of Time

If there’s one tip I can give you, it’s this: make this potato salad ahead of time.Giving the potatoes time to chill allows the dressing to soak into every bite, and the flavors come together beautifully. Whenever we’ve rushed this potato salad in the past, it’s still been delicious, but never quite as good as the batch that’s had time to rest overnight.

Taste Before Serving

Potato salad has a way of mellowing out as it chills. Before serving, give it a quick stir and taste for seasoning. Sometimes an extra pinch of salt, a little more mustard, or a splash of vinegar is all it needs to bring the flavors back to life.

how to make mom’s classic potato salad with eggs

This classic potato salad is made with tender russet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and onion tossed in a creamy mayo and vinegar dressing. Perfect for BBQs, cookouts, and potlucks.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
chill time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 -10
Calories: 340kcal
Author: Nichole Crews

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs. russet potatoes - no need to peel or chop up front
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced - or red onion
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, diced
  • 1 hard boiled egg, sliced - for garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise - homemade or store bought
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • paprika, for garnish

Instructions

  • Add quartered Russet potatoes to a stock or soup pot and cover with water. Boil on stovetop until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and allow potatoes to cool for another 10 minutes. Peel skins with a butter knife, and dice into bite-sized pieces. Add potato bites to a large mixing bowl.
  • At the same time you're boiling the potatoes, make 5 hard-boiled eggs in a separate pot (or make a batch in the Instant Pot).
  • Once hard boiled eggs are cooled, peel and roughly chop 4 of the 5 eggs. Add to the mixing bowl with diced potatoes. Add diced celery and onion (if using).
  • To a separate mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and turmeric. Whisk well, and season to taste with any extra salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed. Add dressing to potato bowl. Gently fold to combine everything together. Refrigerate 2 hours, up to overnight for best flavor.
  • Before serving, garnish with one sliced, hard boiled egg and paprika.

Notes

  • one batch of potato salad will serve 8-10 as a generous side, or 10-12 for a smaller portion. 
  • I like to refrigerate overnight for the best flavor. Can be made up to 3-days in advance and stored for 2 days after preparing in the refrigerator.
  • If making days in advance: gently combine everything together and give it one quick taste test and season with extra vinegar, dollop of mayo, etc as needed/if needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Fiber: 5g
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Comments

  2. Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says

    My mom also makes the best potato salad in the world, and it is VERY similar to yours! In fact, I think every single ingredient might be the same (well, she doesn’t use homemade mayo). But seriously, this type of classic potato salad is the best there is. My mom puts some extra slices of hard-boiled eggs on top, too. Even more decadence đŸ™‚

    Reply

    • Nichole says

      My sister is pregnant and normally loves onions…but she can’t handle them right now. So sad for her but happy for me! đŸ™‚

      Reply

    • Nichole says

      Even though I make my own mayo versus a jar of store-bought, I feel like you can never go wrong with the a classic, right?

      Reply

  14. Ana says

    I love egg mayonnaise AND potato salad so this combination that includes both those dishes in one is right up my street!

    Reply

  19. Betsy @ Desserts Required says

    Mom was definitely on to something delicious when she came up with this potato salad! I love the tang and crunchiness that onions offer and think it’s great that you give celery as an alternative.

    Reply

  20. Katie says

    You know, I’ve never tried a potato salad with eggs in it before! I can only imagine it would be awesome, since I absolutely love eggs in all forms!

    Reply
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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