The easiest way to cook potatoes for potato salad is to boil them.
Perfect Potato Salad
It's perfect for making ahead!
Recipe Summary Perfect Potato Salad
This is my mother Pauline's recipe. It's pretty much a classic American salad but remember, if you add onions, use sweet onions and chop with a very sharp knife, allow potatoes to cool to room temp before dressing them, and always taste for salt.Ingredients | Potato Salad Recipe
3 pounds large russet potatoes
¼ cup kosher salt
10 cups cold water
½ cup finely diced celery
2 tablespoons finely diced sweet onion (Optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into chunks
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives for garnish
1 pinch paprika for garnish
1 ¼ cups mayonnaise, or more if needed
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cayenne pepper to taste
Directions
Place whole potatoes in a pot with 1/4 cup kosher salt. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until tender, about 40 minutes (depending on size). Transfer cooked potatoes to a plate. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
When potatoes are completely cooled, peel off the skin. Cut into larger than bite-size pieces as the pieces will break down slightly when you toss with the dressing. Transfer potato pieces to a mixing bowl. Add celery, onions, parsley, chopped hard-boiled eggs. Combine ingredients, breaking up larger pieces of potato.
Place mayonnaise in mixing bowl. Add cider vinegar, mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until well combined.
Pour mayonnaise mixture onto potatoes; stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, 2 to 3 hours. Taste for seasonings and texture. Salad may need a bit more salt and another spoonful of mayonnaise.
Choose potatoes of uniform size so cooking time is the same for all.
You can make the dressing while waiting for the boiled potatoes to cool. But remember, they absolutely must be room temperature before you dress them.
Info | Potato Salad Recipe
prep:
15 hrs
cook:
40 mins
total:
15 hrs 40 mins
Servings:
12
Yield:
12 servings
