Potato Salad with Egg
This Potato Salad with Egg has been a Midwestern family favorite for generations. Potatoes, eggs, celery and onion, dressed with a mayonnaise-Thousand Island-mustard dressing. So classic and so good!
Potato Salad Recipe with Egg
Here it is: the potato salad that has been in my family for generations. And if you’re from the Midwest like us, I’m going to guess that your family’s recipe is very similar. Honestly, this was probably published in the newspapers at some point, and that’s where all of our grandmothers got it.
My grandma made (and my mom still makes) this on pure vibes. No measurements, just making it up as they go along and eyeballing all of the ingredients.
I prefer to have some guidelines, at least as reference (which means I can share it with you, too). I might not measure everything precisely, but at least I know I need about a cup of mayo, about 1/3rd cup of Thousand Island dressing and about 2 teaspoons of yellow mustard.
The recipe card below does have exact measurements, and is the result of making my mom make her potato salad while I jumped in and measured everything she was adding. It’s perfectly creamy, tangy and hearty in the way only Midwestern potato salad can be.
Why You’ll Love This Potato Egg Salad
- This classic comfort dish will bring back nostalgic memories of family gatherings and picnics for Midwesterners.
- Not only CAN this be made ahead, but it SHOULD be. It gets much better as it sits in the fridge overnight.
- It’s an ideal side dish for a variety of meals, from hamburgers and hot dogs to grilled meats to sandwiches.
Egg Potato Salad ingredients
- potatoes – classic Russet potatoes are what we’re using. More on this below.
- celery – adds a fresh, crunchy texture that is so welcome in potato salad.
- onion – regular old white onion is what we want, and we’re using 1/2 of a medium white onion, or a whole very small onion.
- hard-boiled eggs – we’re chopping some up and mixing them into the salad, then my mom wants you to slice one up and put it on top of the salad in the serving bowl for decoration.
- mayonnaise – we’re talking Hellman’s or Duke’s but definitely not Miracle Whip, which isn’t mayonnaise and I’m not sorry.
- Thousand Island dressing – I know I’m always preaching the virtues of homemade salad dressings, but no, I don’t make my own Thousand Island. Buy a bottle of Wish-Bone or Kraft because that’s what my mom says to do.
- mustard – classic prepared yellow mustard. We’re French’s people.
- salt and pepper – to enhance the flavor of all of the ingredients.
- paprika – this is only used as an optional garnish for a little pop of color.
What potatoes are best for potato salad?
While Yukon Golds or redskin potatoes are welcome in other dishes we make, we always go with classic Russet potatoes for egg potato salad.
Russets have a starchy texture that makes them ideal for absorbing the flavors of the dressing, and they also break down slightly to create a creamy consistency.
They’re also widely available and affordable!
How to make Potato Salad with Egg
1. BOIL. Place the potatoes (skin on and all) in a large pot and cover with cold water. Heat to boiling and cook until the potatoes are just tender when you pierce them with a knife.
2. COOL. Drain the potatoes, place them on a plate and transfer them to fridge until they are completely cool. My mom will do this step a day in advance sometimes.
3. DRESSING. Whisk together the mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing, mustard, salt and pepper.
4. CHOP. When the potatoes are fully cool, peel them and discard the skins. Chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes.
5. TOSS. Add the celery, onion and chopped eggs to the potatoes and toss until combined.
6. DRESS. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the potato mixture and fold gently with a spatula until all potatoes are coated in dressing. Cover the salad and transfer it to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
7. SERVE. Serve the potato salad garnished with the sliced hard boiled egg and a sprinkle of paprika, if desired.
Potato Egg Salad Home Chef Tips
- Be careful not to overcook the potatoes, as they will crumble apart too much when you stir up the salad. You’re looking for potatoes that are just tender when you pierce them with a paring knife.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving, as flavors can mellow in the refrigerator. Also, certain brands of mayo and Thousand Island have more sodium than others, so the amount of extra salt you need to add may vary.
How to serve this Potato Salad with Egg Recipe
This potato salad with egg should be served chilled. It’s one of my very favorite sides for ribs, and I love it with hot dogs, too. Some other great entree pairings for it include:
Storing Potato and Egg Salad
This potato salad recipe with egg should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Avoid leaving it out at room temperature for extended periods of time to prevent spoilage.
Potato Salad with Egg FAQs
Potato salad should not sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. In hot weather, reduce this time to 1 hour to prevent bacterial groth.
We do! We boil them with their skins on for the most flavor, THEN peel them after boiling for a smoother texture in the final salad. However, if you prefer to leave the skins on, you’re welcome to!
Boiling potatoes whole helps them retain flavor and nutrients, so we prefer to do it this way for potato salad.
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Potato Salad with Egg Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup Thousand Island dressing
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- ½ medium white onion chopped
- 3 hard boiled eggs chopped, plus 1 hard boiled egg, sliced, for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon ground paprika for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Place potatoes in large pot and cover with cold water by two inches. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a paring knife. Cooking time will vary based on size of potatoes, but for medium potatoes, start checking after 18 to 20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes. Place potatoes on plate and transfer to refrigerator until completely cool (this step can be done up to 1 day in advance).
- Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, Thousand Island dressing, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.
- When potatoes are cool, peel and discard potato skins. Chop potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes and place in large bowl.
- Add celery, onion and chopped eggs to bowl with potatoes; toss until well combined.
- Add mayonnaise mixture to potato mixture and fold gently with a spatula until all potatoes are coated in dressing. Cover and transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days.
- Serve potato salad garnished with sliced hard boiled egg and a sprinkle of paprika, if desired.
This is a spectacular potato salad that feels both like home and an elevated dish. I could eat this along side a number of grilled meats for a quick summertime meal – hot dogs, BBQ chicken, pork chops, and even steak.
I’m giving you five stars even before I make your recipe because, this is almost the exact same way that my mom made her potato salad and that I’ve made ever since helping her make it since I was about 5 years old. The only difference is where you use Thousand Island, we/I use a dollop of Miracle Whip and we add bell pepper and relish. But we also garnish the top the exact same way. I’m going to try it with the Thousand Island. Then I can see if you’re invited to the cookout.. LOL
Please invite me to the cookout, Kirstia! Hahaha. I am certain my mom has made it with Miracle Whip a time or two, honestly. And I kind of like potato salads I try that have a bit of relish in them, although my mom won’t allow that. Every potato salad maker has very strict rules, it seems. LOL.
Looks amazing! I’ve never heard of using Thousand Island in potato salad before but can’t wait to try it out. 🙂
Thanks Rae! I know, the Thousand Island is not at all traditional in potato salad, but it’s so good!