It doesn’t get better than these tried and true flavors of starchy potato, chopped egg, and green onion tossed in a dill, celery, mayo, and mustard sauce in myClassic Potato Salad Recipe.

classic potato salad with a yellow tint with chopped eggs and green onions mixed in set in a white bowl with a red rim and a wooden spoon sticking out.

I could truly eat potato salad by the buckets. It somehow takes a bunch of seemingly bland or boring ingredients and mixes them together into amagically flavorful side dishthat families and crowds adore. Long live all the classics that are perfect for a party and get rave reviews!

It’s the perfect party dish to bring to all sorts of gatherings because you can make a large batch at once. You are going to love this simple recipe. Move overgrilled burgersand dogs, it’s all about the sides.

white bowl with red rim filled with yellow-ish potato salad with chopped eggs and green onions mixed in with a wooden spoon sticking out and sitting on a blue and white towel.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Basic ingredients that are probably in your kitchen right now!
Aneasy-to-makerecipe that’s as simple as boiling potatoes and eggs and whipping up a dressing.
Potato salad is always a favorite dish at gatherings, and it can be made inlarger batchesto feed more people.

Recipe Ingredients

Potatoes –russet, red, or yellow potatoes are all options
Eggs –use any size you have on hand
Mayonnaise
Sweet pickle relish –you can also cut up sweet pickles as a substitute for relish
White vinegar
Yellow mustard –basic yellow mustard is a classic potato salad ingredient, but you can also use Dijon mustard
Green onions –any onions can be used as long as they are cut into small pieces
Dried dill weed
Celery seed –this is optional, but it really does give this salad its classic taste!
Salt, pepper & sugar

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

cut up potatoes and eggs in a white bowl with small pickles, eggs, and green onions beside the bowl.

How to Make Classic Potato Salad

Cook the potatoes in a pan with water until tender orcook potatoes in the Instant Pot. Boil the eggs at the same time.
Drain the potatoes and eggs,placing the eggs in cold water. Peel and chop the eggs after they’ve cooled.
Mix the dressing ingredients.
Combine potatoes, eggs, and dressing andmix gently.

Recipe FAQs

When does potato salad go bad?

Potato salad can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If it has been sitting out for more than two hours, you may want to toss it after that. The warmer temperature and open air could allow certain bacteria to come into contact with the salad, and I’d always rather be safe than sorry.

Can potato salad be frozen?

It can, but it might not maintain its same consistency when you thaw it out. Thawing might create a mushy or soggy sensation, so just beware before you freeze it! If you do freeze it, it’ll keep for up to 3 months frozen.

Can you make potato salad without mayo?

This recipe is a super traditional take on potato salad, which calls for mayonnaise, but there are tons of versions out there with varying ingredients. If you’re not a big mayo fan, opt for a bit of olive oil (about a quarter cup to make the mixture seem creamier) and a flavored mustard, like Dijon, to enhance the flavors. You can also mix in some fresh herbs, like basil, to bring in another layer of flavor.

Expert Tips

For an even quicker, hands-off way to make potato salad, check out thisInstant Pot Potato Salad recipe—cook the potatoesandeggs in 5 minutes!
If you know it’s going to be out for a while before serving, consider bringing a second larger bowl of ice and setting your serving bowl on top of it. That’s asimple way to keep mayo-based foods coldon the serving table.
If you’re not a big mayo fan, opt for a bit of olive oil (about a quarter cup to make the mixture seem creamier) and a flavored mustard to enhance the flavors. Orsubstitute sour cream with Dijon for the mayo.