My Dad’s Classic Potato Salad Is the Recipe Our Family Always Requests

For as long as I can remember, my dad has brought one dish to every gathering that received acclaim from everyone in our family tree. It didn’t matter whether it was a summer day by the pool, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. But before we arrive, he always receives a few phone calls about his signature potato salad. 

The recipe is a classic mayo-mustard style potato salad you’d find in the Midwest or South. The recipe is similar to other potato salads made with tender potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, but with a few ingredients that are more fitting to my dad’s tastebuds. The result is a classic dish with a rich, creamy texture and fresh and tangy flavors.

My Dad’s Famous Potato Salad

There are three ingredients that need cooking: the potatoes, the hard-boiled eggs, and the bacon. The remaining ingredients include vegetables and seasonings that go right into the salad when you combine everything together.

My dad likes to use Yukon Gold potatoes, which give his salad a great creamy, rich texture, but Red Bliss and Yellow Finn potatoes are other varieties he has tried. And you don’t need to peel these potatoes, thanks to their thin skins. 

Where some recipes use red or sweet white onions, my dad prefers green onions, which add a fresh, vegetal flavor. He also prefers savory black olives over tangier green olives and dill relish instead of sweet relish. The remaining ingredients include celery, yellow mustard and mayonnaise for the dressing, salt and pepper to taste, and paprika as a garnish.

The recipe is best served chilled, so it is a great one to make ahead and store in the refrigerator.

If you’re not a mayonnaise fan but want that creamy texture the condiment brings, Greek yogurt or sour cream are good substitutes. Other ingredients to add include pickles for a vinegary punch, bell peppers for extra crunch, or seasonings like fresh dill and garlic powder. 

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 to 2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6–8 medium potatoes)
• 2 large hard-boiled eggs 
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 2 to 3 celery ribs (about 3/4 to 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup green onions, (about 3 to 4 stalks)
• 1/3 cup black olives
• 3 tablespoons dill relish
• 1 to 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Paprika, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2. While the potatoes cook, place eggs in a small pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 10–12 minutes. Cool, peel, and chop.
3. Cook bacon until crispy, then drain and crumble.
4. Chop celery, green onions, and olives, then set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine mustard, dill relish, and mayonnaise.
6. Stir in chopped eggs, celery, green onions, and olives. Mix well.
7. Add cooled potatoes to the dressing and gently fold everything together until well coated.
8. Chill for at least one hour to let the flavors meld. Just before serving, sprinkle with paprika.