The Best Easy Potato Salad Recipe

This easy potato salad recipe comes together in just 30 minutes with simple ingredients and loads of flavor. It’s creamy, tangy, and packed with crispy bacon, fresh herbs, and tender potatoes for a flavor everyone will love.

Easy Potato Salad Recipe

• Ready in about 30 minutes with minimal prep
• Creamy, tangy, and packed with flavor from bacon, eggs, and fresh herbs

Ingredients for Easy Potato Salad Recipe

• Baby Yellow Potatoes: These hold their shape well after boiling and have a buttery texture. You can use red potatoes or Yukon gold as a substitute.
• Hard-Boiled Eggs: Add a nice variety of texture and delicious flavor. Omit if you prefer an egg-free version.
• Bacon: Adds a salty, smoky crunch. I love to use center-cut or thick-cut bacon.
• Red Onion: Offers a nice bite and beautiful color. Shallots or green onions work as an alternative.
• Chives: Provide a subtle onion flavor and freshness. Use more green onions or parsley if needed.
• Green Onion: Adds mild onion flavor and crunch. Fresh parsley is a nice alternative.
• Fresh Dill: Brightens the dish with herby flavor. Dried dill can be used in a pinch, but use only a tablespoon or so.
• Mayonnaise: Creates a rich, creamy base for the dressing. Substitute with a mix of sour cream and mayo for a tangier version.
• White Wine Vinegar: Adds a sharp tang that balances the richness. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar are good swaps.
• Dijon Mustard: Brings a bit of spice and complexity to the dressing. Yellow mustard can be used instead.
• Garlic: Freshly grated garlic adds depth and bite. A half teaspoon of garlic powder can be used instead.

How to Make Easy Potato Salad

Boil the Potatoes: Dice potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large pot. Cover with 1 inch of water and add a couple pinches of Kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10–12 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and let cool for 20 minutes.

Make the Dressing: While the potatoes cook, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl.

Combine the Ingredients: Add slightly cooled potatoes, diced eggs, crumbled bacon, red onion, chives, green onions, and dill to a bowl.

Add Dressing: Drizzle with the creamy dressing.

Mix and Season: Gently fold everything together with a spatula until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

Garnish and serve: Top with extra egg slices, chives, or a sprinkle of dill if desired. Refrigerate for at least an hour and then serve.

Tips for Making Easy Potato Salad

• Don’t worry about peeling the potatoes. Because baby yellow potatoes have such a thin skin, it will become super tender when it’s boiled so you don’t need to take extra time to peel it off!
• If you use another type of potato – like Russets – you might want to peel them first.
• For extra flavor, boil potatoes in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water.
• Add a kick to the dressing with a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.

Make-Ahead Instructions

• You can make this potato salad 2-3 days in advance and store it in the fridge.
• Add a splash of half and half to loosen up the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
• Add garnishes like extra eggs or herbs just before serving for the best presentation.

Storing Leftovers

• Store any leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• This dish is not recommended for freezing, as the mayo-based dressing can separate.

Serving Suggestions

• easy pulled pork sandwiches
• air fryer hot dogs
• crispy salmon burgers
• Big Mac cheeseburger sliders
• ham and cheese sliders

Try these easy side dishes next!