Potato and Egg Salad
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This classic potato and egg salad uses pickles, hard boiled eggs, boiled waxy potatoes, olives, and a tangy mayonnaise based dressing to create a creamy, make-ahead side dish. Serve your potato salad with pickles and eggs at your next BBQ, potluck, or alongside dinner any day of the week.
I knew with Easter approaching that I wanted to share some dishes that used up all those perfect hard cooked eggs we had dyed. Grilling season comes quickly on Easter’s tail here in California, and it hit me. My great grandma’s potato and egg salad is perfect for those eggs and as a side dish for your first grilled meal of the year.
It’s a recipe that’s been in my family forever. With pickles, olives, and the perfect balanced mayonnaise dressing, it’s a delicious make-ahead side that you can use for potlucks, BBQs, or to serve up with dinner alongside your garlic parmesan chicken thighs, slow cooker chicken sandwiches, cheeseburgers, or BLT hot dogs.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Make it Ahead – You can easily make this up to 2 days in advance, in fact, it’s better after it’s chilled!
- Classic Flavor – This is a super classic version of potato salad with pickles and eggs and a mayonnaise based creamy dressing.
- Fan Favorite – You’ll enjoy the rave reviews wherever you bring this to share, just like my family has for years!
- Feed a Crowd – Double or triple it as needed to feed the whole party.
Ingredients & Substitutions
You’ll find only delicious, flavor and texture enhancing ingredients in this classic version. None of that high sugar, raw onion nonsense my grocery store deli fills theirs with.
- Potatoes: While you have some flexibility in choice, be sure to choose a waxy potato. Waxy potatoes, the white, yellow, or red ones, hold their shape better when cooked. Avoid mealy potatoes like russets, or you’ll have a mushy salad.
- Hard Cooked Eggs: These are essential. Cook them how you prefer, or Learn how to steam eggs here.
- Black Olives
- Dill Pickles: We prefer the salty brine of dill pickles, but if you like a touch of sweetness, feel free to swap in sweet pickles or gherkins.
- Pickle Juice
- Lemon Juice: You can use fresh, bottled, or swap in white vinegar if you need to.
- Mayonnaise: Any version, vegan, miracle whip, homemade, or your preferred mayo will work.
- Yellow Mustard
- Salt & Pepper
- Chives, optional – If you REALLY like onion flavor in your potato salad, I recommend chopping a bunch of chives. You get all the flavor without the harshness of chopped raw onion.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1 – Cook your Eggs: Unless you’re using leftover eggs, you’ll need to start by boiling or steaming your eggs. Cook them so the yellow is set, about 17 minutes steamed, 7-8 minutes boiled. Cool in ice water, then peel.
Step 2 – Cook your potatoes: Also boil your potatoes. Chop them and add them to room temperature water with a healthy pinch of salt in a large pot. Then cover the pot set them over high heat for about 15-20 minutes. Once fork tender, but not crumbling, drain and spread on a flat surface like a baking sheet to cool.
Step 3: Finish Prepping and Mix: Dice your olives and pickles, then combine everything, including the dressing ingredients, in a large bowl. Fold until everything is evenly coated in a creamy dressing. Taste it and add more salt, pepper, pickle juice, or lemon juice as desired. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Pro Cooking Tips
- Season the water you cook your potatoes in for a more delicious salad. A few healthy pinches of salt will do.
- Don’t overboil your potatoes. Stick them with a sharp knife. If the knife slides in like butter, but the potato doesn’t break or fall right off, they’re done.
- Spreading the potatoes on a large, flat baking sheet will help them cool much faster.
FAQ’s
I recommend 5 days total for your potato and egg salad. If you make it in advance, subtract those days from the total time you will store the leftovers.
A waxy potato is best for potato salad because they hold their shape better once cooked. Look for red, white, or gold potatoes. Avoid russets, which are a mealy or high starch potato that will get mushy and crumbly once cooked.
Peeling your potatoes is optional. Waxy potatoes often have a thin, delicate skin, so I don’t bother. If you prefer, go ahead and peel before boiling.
Whether it’s this recipe or another (choose this one!), potato and egg salad is always a side dish that your family will love. With warmer weather on the way, I hope you enjoy this heritage family recipe with your loved ones.
Need more make ahead, cool sides for your next BBQ? Check out my green bean and tomato salad, summer squash pasta salad, red pepper corn and avocado salad, or learn how to cook summer squash on the grill.
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5 star rating in the recipe card below, or a comment to share your experience with fellow home cooks. I hope you enjoy and as always, Happy Eating!
Potato Salad with Eggs and Pickles
Ingredients
- 4 yellow, red, OR white waxy potatoes
- 3 hard cooked eggs
- 1/2 Cup dill pickle, diced 1 large
- 1/2 Cup black olives, sliced
- 1/2 Cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbs yellow mustard
- 1 Tbs pickle juice
- 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt Plus extra for boiling
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Steam or hard-boil your eggs if needed. Cool in an ice bath, then peel and dice.3 hard cooked eggs
- Dice potatoes, keeping size uniform. Place in pot and cover in cold water. Add several large pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender. *See notes4 yellow, red, OR white waxy potatoes
- Dice pickles and olives.1/2 Cup black olives, sliced, 1/2 Cup dill pickle, diced
- Drain potatoes, and spread on a baking sheet to cool. When cool, place in a large bowl and add hard-cooked eggs, olives, and pickles.4 yellow, red, OR white waxy potatoes, 3 hard cooked eggs, 1/2 Cup dill pickle, diced, 1/2 Cup black olives, sliced
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and pickle juice to the bowl and gently fold until everything is well coated in a creamy dressing.1/2 Cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbs yellow mustard, 1 Tbs pickle juice, 1/2 Tbs lemon juice, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate.
- Serve cold with fresh chopped chives and/or fresh cracked black pepper
Notes
- Don’t overcook the potatoes or the salad will become mushy. A knife should penetrate them easily, but the potato should not crumble off of it.
- Mix gently so the potatoes and eggs remain in good-sized chunks.
- Lemon juice – 1/2 tablespoon of vinegar or pickle juice.
- Dill pickles – sweet pickles or gherkins (will make the salad sweet)
Nutrition
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Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.
Thanks for this tasty and delicious Salad. Looks too delicious. My weekend Salad for family surely.
I hope you and your family enjoy!
I do find that homemade potato salad is far better than any shop bought. This is a great recipe, particularly as it is a hand me down, they are always the best. Ideal for a buffet lunch or barbeque.
Thank you Helen!
The black olives add such a unique flavour, I love it!
I love black olives, especially here. Thanks for stopping by!
I will only eat homemade potato salad as well. I think it’s the sugar I hate. And maybe the general lack of flavor. I think I’ll try some crunchy onions when I make this though and I have to skip the olives. I think my sentiments about olives are like yours for raw onions!
I’m not a fan of the sugar in the store bought stuff either! I hope you enjoy this recipe, I love that it’s so easy to customize, onions will definitely be great if that’s your thing!