My Grandma's famous recipe for the BEST Potato Salad handed down and oh it's good!
I don't remember my Grandmother making many things in the kitchen, but those that I do remember are still classic recipes today.

Making Classic Potato Salad with the perfect blend potatoes to creamy sauce is the key and let me tell you, she nailed it!
My earliest memory of this recipe was at my Grandfather's funeral when I was about 5 years old. Being so young, you have no idea what to expect at such an event.
After the funeral everyone who loved and adored my Grandfather came to my grandmother's home for lunch. Among the many items served was her famous Classic Potato Salad.

There were long banquet tables lined up, all filled with food. As young kids, the only place for us was under these tables as there was so many adults around.
My grandmother's recipe was clearly the favorite as the Best Potato Salad. Everyone talked about it and everyone wanted some.
My Grandfather has been gone more than 40 years, and let me tell you. I still remember that day and those moments.
So you can bet that I love this Easy Potato Salad and have made it my own.

Living in Eastern Idaho, we love our spuds! I've made so many potato recipes over the years. Why not try Roasted Garlic Potatoes or Loaded Baked Potato Salad as a side to your meal.
They are all amazing, family friendly recipes.
Of course if you are grilling make sure to try this Marsala Tri Tip Recipe too. Oh it's good and really so easy to make.
Just make sure to have an internal temperature gauge so you get the perfect temp on your Tri tip.
Make sure to serve this recipe All. Summer. Long! Serve this classic recipe at your family BBQ, work Potluck, or just because! There really is never a bad time.
Ingredients for the Best Potato Salad

- 1.5 lbs Potatoes: I prefer the small new potato and use a Yellow or Yukon potato. The skins are so tender it adds extra texture to this recipe, so leave them on.
- 4 Hard Boiled Eggs: Did you know you can cook your eggs with your Potatoes in your Instant Pot? Well you can! So make sure to use your Pressure Cooker and cook everything at once.
- 2 Stalks of Celery: I personally love the crunch that celery adds to recipes, so make sure to dice up 2 stacks of celery for this easy potato salad.
- 1 Bunch of Green Onions: Dice those Green Onions! Green onions have a milder flavor but feel free to substitute a yellow or even a diced red onion if you prefer.
- Mayonnaise AND Miracle Whip: Use both! ⅔ cup Mayonnaise and ¼ cup Miracle Whip. There is a fine balance here, and the Miracle Whip gives an added zest and sweetness to this recipe.
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar: It only calls for a little bit but it makes all the difference.
- 1 teaspoon Celery Seed: Don't omit this ingredient. It really adds to this recipe.
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder: I do love garlic and so did my grandmother.
- ¼ Cup Sweet Pickle Relish: I've never been a pickle fan but let me tell you, I crave this flavor in Potato Salad. Mush be a childhood memory but oh it's good!
- 1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard: I'm more of a Dijon or Spicy Brown Mustard fan personally, but in this Easy Potato Salad, I love Yellow Mustard. It just makes it complete.
- Garnish: Sprinkle a good Smoked Paprika on top, add more diced hard boiled eggs, add parsley, or dill. But give it some color so your dish will pop!

How to make the Best Potato Salad
It's so easy to make my grandmothers recipe, I've converted it for you for the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker!
- Cooking the Potatoes: You can cook your potatoes in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker which I prefer OR the boil method on the stove top. I like to use baby new potatoes and cut into quarters and place in my Instant Pot with just enough water to cover them. Cook for 4 minutes on Pressure Cook and Quick Release. Drain in a colander and place in a bowl to cool. Then I like to mash about ⅓ of the potatoes while still hot. The added texture of some potatoes smashed and some not is perfect. Trust me. (Continued Below)

- Making the Sauce: In a separate bowl I combine the sauce ingredients. (Mayo, Miracle Whip, Diced Celery, Diced Green Onion, Celery Seed, Yellow Mustard, Pickle Relish, Apple Cider Vinegar and Garlic Powder) Mix with a large spoon until blended
- Mixing Together: Once the Potatoes have cooled, add your chopped hard boiled eggs and the sauce mixture with the potatoes. Gently stir to combine. (continued below)

- Salt and Pepper: It's important to taste your Classic Potato Salad for taste and season with Salt and Pepper.
- Chill: I prefer my potato salad perfectly chilled. Cover your bowl and place in the Refrigerator for a couple of hours!
- Safety: Remember Potato Salad Recipes need to be kept cold. If left sitting out the temperature will get to hot with the mayo and miracle whip and could cause problems. 😉
Instant Pot ~ Cooking Eggs with Potatoes
I love how easy it is to cook everything all at once.
If you are using a Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot you can cut up your potatoes and barely cover with water. Then place your trivet on top of your potatoes.
Crack your eggs into a small metal bowl and place on top. The eggs will cook while your potatoes cook. Quick and Easy!


Classic Potato Salad Substitutions
No recipe is complete without substitutions, right? We all have preferences, so let's address it and see how we can make this recipe PERFECT for you!
- Mustard: I prefer a Yellow Mustard in this recipe, however swap it up for a Dijon or Spicy Brown Mustard. It will be wonderful too!
- Cut the Calories: Maybe Mayo isn't your thing, substitute a green plain yogurt in it's place.
- Vinegar: Apple Cinder Vinegar has a bite for sure, substitute with a Red Vinegar or even a White Vinegar
- Potatoes: You clearly need Potatoes for this recipe, but feel free to choose your favorite. Red, Golden, Russet or whichever your prefer!
- Pickles: Do you love Pickles? Add more Pickle Relish! If you don't love Pickles, take it out!

Can I freeze Potato Salad?
I would not recommend freezing Potato Salad Recipes. Mayo, Miracle Whip, eggs and Celery do not freeze well at all. If you make too many potatoes, try freezing just the potatoes and use later.
How Long Does Potato Salad Last?
It's recommended that Potato Salad lasts 3-4 days. If Potato Salad is kept in excess of 41F degrees for more than 2 hours, it's recommended by the FDA that it should be thrown away.
Is it okay to make Potato Salad the Day before?
I prefer to make my Classic Potato Salad the day before. I like how the flavors meld together over night making a delicious Potato Salad Recipe.
Does Potato Salad need to be Refrigerated?
According to the FDA, the danger zone for Potato Salad Recipes is 41°F - 135°F(5°C - 57°C). Potato Salad should be kept refrigerated and below 40F.
Why is my Potato Salad Recipe Watery the next day?
It's very important to drain your potatoes well. Any extra water will thin your Potato Salad Recipe as it sits. It's also important to not allow your potatoes to soak in water for any extra time as they will absorb the water and then later release.

More Neighborhood Approved Potluck Salad Recipes
- Loaded Baked Red Potato Salad
- Dorito Taco Salad
- Classic BLT Pasta Salad
- Creamy Taco Pasta Salad
- Hawaiian Mac Salad
- Southwest Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Pepperoni Pasta Salad
- Creamy Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
- BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad
And try these Family Friendly Side Dishes Too!
- Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Zesty Ranch Roasted Potatoes
- Light Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes Pasta
- Mushroom Garlic Noodles
Best Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Yellow New Potatoes
- 4 Eggs
- ⅔ Cup Mayoannaise
- ¼ Cup Miracle Whip
- ¼ Cup Sweet Pickle Relish
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Celery Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Celery Stalks
- 1 Bunch Green Onions
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Wash and quarter New Potatoes. Making sure potatoes are cut in similar sizes
- Place potatoes in Pressure cooker with just enough water to cover on top
- Grease a small metal bowl, crack 4 eggs and place on trivet on top of potatoes and water.
- Set Pressure Cooker to Manual/High for 4 minutes. Quick Release Pressure.
- Remove Eggs and trivet and drain potatoes
- Put potatoes in a larger bowl and smash about ⅓ of the potatoes. This is optional but gives added texture to the potato salad.
- Allow potatoes to cool for 50 minutes
- Flip eggs out of pan onto a plate and allow to cool. Then slice and dice to desired size
- Wash and dice Celery and Green Onions
- In a separate bowl combine : Mayo, Miracle Whip, Sweet Pickle Relish, Garlic Powder, Celery Seeds, diced celery, diced green onions, Apple Cider Vinegar, Salt and Pepper and mix to combine.
- Pour mixture over cooled potatoes and add diced cooked eggs. Gently stir to combine.
- Store in refrigerator
- Add additional Salt and Pepper to taste
- Garnish with a sprinkle of Smoked Paprika
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
msSally
Made this today and it was fantastic! Loved cooking the potatoes and eggs together. And the fact that you didn't have to peel the eggs was just "icing one the cake".
Thanks for yet another great recipe.
Irene Coker
I love potato salad but up until now I haven't made it much. It's so easy now with the IP. I like using Best Foods Mayo and I ordered some smoked paprika from Amazon. It's so good in this and on deviled eggs. My family loved this potato salad it was my first time adding the relish to it.
Chris
This is the BEST potatoe salad that has ever crossed my lips and happily landed in my belly. While I was shoveling it in my face I could not believe I made it. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Devour Dinner
Best review EVER! Thanks for the 5 Start rating!
Nena
Does the bowl for the eggs have to be metal?
Devour Dinner
I prefer a metal pan when used for pressure cooking. But an approved glass pan would also work or even silicone.
Linda
I have made this several times now and I don’t make any changes to the recipe. It is so delicious. It helps to sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to bring out all the flavors. Definitely a keeper. And making the potatoes and eggs at the same time in the instant pot makes it super convenient and easy.
Gail
Could the potatoes be done in steamer basket for ease of draining?
Devour Dinner
YES! The potatoes could be cooked in a steamer basket if you wish.
Mary Disterhoft
I have never used any kind of vinegar in my potato salad. If you had not said it's the best and people love it I would probably never consider it and I am still hesitant. Does it give it a strong tangy taste like apple cider vinegar?
Devour Dinner
Hi Mary,
The Vinegar and Sweet Pickle Relish make this recipe a perfect balance of flavors. It's best on the 2nd day but rarely lasts that long in my home. There is naturally a small tangy taste, but it's subtle and really enhances all the other flavors! Oh it's good!
Wendy Monkman
try pickle juice instead of the vinegar and see how good that is
Devour Dinner
Hi Wendy, Pickle Juice is always a good tip to substitute. I crave this recipe from my grandmother. Yum!
Linda
You don’t really taste the vinegar. But it adds a nice balance to the sweeter pickle relish. Delicious.
Betty
I watched you last week on your Facebook Live when you made this Potato Salad. You gave lots of great tips. Thank you.
Devour Dinner
Thanks Betty! So glad you are enjoying my Facebook Lives each Sunday. They are so fun and I enjoy connecting with everyone
Kim
I am so excited about this receipe. This is how my Mom use to make hers!But as time went on she stopped making it the same.
Thank -you
Devour Dinner
Kim, this is a keeper recipe for sure. We just love making and eating Grandma's Best Potato Salad.
Stephanie
This is so close to the recipe I learned from my mother. I like the addition of apple cider vinegar.
George
Sounds like a great recipe. I plan to try it. I've had the problem you mention with watery potato salad. I wonder if using the trivet and steaming them in the pressure cooker would end that problem. Have you tried it that way?
Devour Dinner
Hi George, I make this recipe in the Pressure cooker. When potatoes get over cooked or sit in water they absorb more liquid than needed which causes the watery salad. I haven't had the problem with this recipe. Love love it!
Lisa Furman
George, I use a small trivet. The strainer type so the potatoes and eggs are not in the water. It works great! And it's easy to pull out of the pot.
Evelyn
I made this today and it is the best potato salad I have ever tasted. I followed the recipe exactly. My husband told me to be sure and save this recipe because it was the best.
Devour Dinner
Hi Evelyn! I LOVE IT! My Grandma's recipe is amazing packed full of the perfect balance of flavor. We can't eat anything but this recipe. So glad you love it too!
Mary
Making Potato Salad brings back memories. This recipe looks very good. Thanks for the tip of cook eggs with the Potatoes in the pressure cooker. Does it matter what size metal bowl I use for this?
Devour Dinner
Thanks Mary! I use a smaller size metal bowl for the eggs in this recipe. As you can see in the photo it has about a 4 inch diameter in size. You don't want the bowl too small where the eggs are too thick. Then they won't cook right in the amount of time. Hope this helps!