Classic Potato Salad

Potato Salad is one of those classic side dishes everyone looks for at any cookout or picnic that shouts summer indoor-outdoor "must-have" foods.

The ingredients are different for everyone, from Southern-style, American-style, Greek-style, Italian-style, and German-style; the list goes on and on to choose from.

Our potato salad is a very basic recipe that has numerous possibilities using our additions to change it; there's even a substitution using cauliflower instead of potatoes for all my low-carb readers.

We keep it plain with our favorite mayonnaise, mustard, a little relish, finely minced garlic, peppers, and a few spices.

The family favorite is when it's loaded with cooked crispy bacon, but you can decide what to put in yours.

This potato side dish, either way, comes out perfect every time.

For all my potato lovers, don't miss my roundup of favorite recipes Best Potatoes Recipes, and also check out my Air Fried Home Fries recipe for all my air fryer fans out there.

Check out this simple recipe printable recipe, and don't forget to check out my tips.

Why You Will Love This Version of Potato Salad

• It's easy to customize. Add bacon, different vegetables, cheese, herbs, or your favorite pickles.
• Perfect for gatherings. It's a great side dish for cookouts, holidays, picnics, potlucks, and family dinners. You can make it colorful.
• Red, purple, and white potatoes create a beautiful festive presentation. It's creamy and flavorful. Sweet relish, mustard, garlic, peppers, and parsley give the mayonnaise-based dressing plenty of flavor
•  It's easy to make ahead. The flavors have time to blend together, making it a wonderful make-ahead side dish.
• There is a low-carb option. Cauliflower makes an excellent substitute for the potatoes when you're looking for a lighter alternative.
• Potato salad is an American classic that goes great with chili hotdogs, hamburgers, and any other grilled foods.
• During a Patriotic Holiday, we always use three-color baby potatoes and leave the skins on for a festive look.

Potato Suggestions and Variety Ideas

Choose Your Potatoes:  Almost any potato can work here, so use what you enjoy or already have on hand.

1. Red Potatoes: Red-skinned potatoes are one of my favorites because they hold their shape well and add beautiful color.
2. White Potatoes: White potatoes give you that classic old-fashioned potato salad everyone knows and loves.
3. Purple Potatoes: Purple potatoes make this salad especially fun for holidays and parties. Their deep color looks beautiful mixed with red and white potatoes.
4. A Combination: For a festive potato salad, try using red, purple, and white potatoes together. It's an easy way to turn a simple side dish into something that really stands out on the table.
5. Low-Carb Potato Salad Alternative: Want the creamy potato salad experience without using potatoes? Try cauliflower. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets, boil for about 5 minutes, and drain well. Let it cool before combining it with the other ingredients. The result is a creamy cauliflower salad with many of the same flavors as traditional potato salad.
6. Potato Salad Variations to Try: One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easily you can change it.
7. Here are some combinations worth trying: Bacon and Egg Potato Salad:  Add crispy cooked bacon and extra chopped hard-boiled eggs. The smoky bacon and creamy dressing make this an especially hearty version.
8. Loaded Potato Salad: Turn it into a loaded baked potato-style salad with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and extra black pepper.
9. Dill Pickle Potato Salad: Replace the sweet relish with dill pickle relish and add chopped dill pickles. A little fresh dill makes this version even better.
10. Deviled Egg Potato Salad: Add extra chopped hard-boiled eggs, a little more mustard, and a sprinkle of paprika. It's like combining two classic picnic favorites into one dish.
11. Italian-Style Potato Salad: Use the parsley already called for and add sliced olives, chopped roasted red peppers, Italian seasoning, and a little grated Parmesan cheese.
12. Spicy Potato Salad: Use hot peppers instead of bell pepper, add a little extra mustard, and mix in chopped jalapeños or your favorite pickled peppers.
13. Garden Potato Salad: Add finely chopped celery, carrots, green onions, and bell peppers for extra crunch and color.
14. Ham and Cheese Potato Salad: For a heartier version, fold in diced ham and shredded or cubed cheddar cheese.
15. Southern-Style Potato Salad: Add extra hard-boiled eggs, sweet relish, mustard, and a little paprika for a traditional Southern-inspired potato salad.
16. Olive Lover's Potato Salad: Add plenty of sliced green or black olives for a salty, savory twist.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the best potatoes for potato salad? Red potatoes, white potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, and purple potatoes can all work beautifully. Red potatoes are especially nice because they hold their shape well.
2. Can I make potato salad with cauliflower? Yes. Cauliflower is a great low-carb alternative. Boil bite-sized florets for about 5 minutes, drain thoroughly, and cool before using.
3. Can I add bacon? Absolutely. Crispy bacon is one of my favorite additions and turns this into a delicious Bacon and Egg Potato Salad.
4. Can I use Dijon mustard? Yes. Dijon gives the dressing a sharper, slightly more sophisticated flavor than regular prepared mustard.
5. Can I make potato salad ahead of time? Yes. Potato salad is a wonderful make-ahead side dish. Chilling gives the flavors time to come together.

Additional Substitutions:

• minced onion (1 small)
• sliced bell peppers on top or chopped fine in the salad
• crispy bacon
• celery chopped fine
• sliced radishes
• chopped celery
• for heat, use hot peppers or jalapeños
• black beans or chickpeas
• sliced olives of any kind of all three colors
• creamy Greek yogurt, lemon zest, feta cheese, and mint for a Greek Style
• artichoke hearts, pine nuts, oil, and vinegar, and fresh spinach, which is Tuscan-style 
• just add Italian dressing instead of mayonnaise with deli meats, tomatoes, and peppers
• cooked lobster, crab, deveined shrimp, or scallops
• crispy crumbled bacon and boiled sliced eggs on top (as shown above in the photo)
• no carbs? No problem: substitute potatoes with boiled cauliflower for only 5 minutes and drained

More Recipes We Love:

Twice Baked Potatoes
German Potato Salad
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

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Delicious Salads

Whether you make this as a classic creamy potato salad, turn it into Bacon and Egg Potato Salad, make it spicy with hot peppers, or use cauliflower instead of potatoes, this is one recipe you can keep coming back to.

Start with the basic ingredients, add what your family loves, and don't be afraid to make it your own. That's how some of the best family recipes are created.

Potato Salad

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

The classic American Potato Salad is always a huge hit at every picnic and here you will find suggestions to add and even a low carb substitute like cauliflower for low carb.

Ingredients

• Potatoes, cubed and boiled any kind)
• Boiled, cubed, and drained
• Note: for a festive salad, use all red or a combination of purple-red and white
• Substitution for low carb: boil cut-up cauliflower florets for 5 minutes and drain
• 2 or 3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced for the top
• 1 1/2 cups of your favorite brand of mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sweet relish or more to taste
• 1/2 of a finely chopped and seeded bell pepper or hot peppers
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard or Dijon mustard
• Optional: 6 sliced green or black olives or more to taste

Instructions

1. Either cube and boil the potatoes, or leave the skins on, let them cool slightly, peel, then cube.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the warm potatoes, mayonnaise, and all the ingredients you choose from the list to use, except hard-boiled eggs or meats.
3. Mix in more mayonnaise, any herbs, and more seasoning to taste.
4. Fold in any meats you're using, and garnish the top with sliced eggs and paprika.
5. Place into your serving bowl and cover.
6. Refrigerate until completely cold around 3 hours or overnight.
7. Note: For the cauliflower, clean and chop the head into 1/2 inch pieces, boil the florets for 5 minutes, and drain.
8. Use the same ingredients except substitute low-fat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt.
9. Additional Suggestions:
10. minced onion (1 small)
11. crispy bacon
12. celery chopped fine
13. sliced radishes
14. chopped celery
15. for heat, use hot peppers or jalapeños
16. black beans or chickpeas
17. sliced olives of any kind, all three colors
18. creamy Greek yogurt, lemon zest, feta cheese, and mint for a Greek Style
19. artichoke hearts, pine nuts, oil, and vinegar, fresh spinach, which is Tuscan style
20. just add Italian dressing instead of mayonnaise with deli meats, tomatoes, and peppers
21. clean cooked lobster, crab, deveined shrimp, or scallops
22. no carbs? no problem; substitute potatoes with boiled cauliflower for only 5 minutes and drained

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2016/07/festive-potato-salad-recipe.html

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cauliflower potato salad, classic potato salad, American potato salad, festive potato salad, egg potato salad, bacon potato salad

potato recipes, cauliflower recipes, low carb recipes, salad recipes

American, French, Greek, Italian

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Try Some Of Our Other Favorite Recipes

Best Potato Roundup

Southwest Potato Salad

German Potato Salad

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2016. It was edited and re-published in 2021.