10 Great Takes on the Classic Potato Salad

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Laurel Randolph
A photo of Laurel Randolph, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
A food writer, editor, and recipe developer for over 10 years, Laurel Randolph is the author of four cookbooks, including The Instant Pot No-Pressure Cookbook and The Unofficial Simpsons Cookbook.
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Updated August 10, 2018
Joshua Bousel

Tender, creamy potatoes make the perfect hearty-but-neutral base for simple summer salads. The picnic and barbecue standard is also incredibly versatile, easily adapted to fit whatever main course it's made to accompany. From the tangy, mayonnaise-dressed classic to a light and fresh-tasting pesto-tossed version, we've got 10 crowd-pleasing takes on potato salad.

Classic Potato Salad

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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

A perfectly balanced, totally classic potato salad for the purists out there. It's tangy, salty, and sweet with a texture that's simultaneously creamy, crunchy, and fluffy in each bite. For best results, use russet potatoes, cut them evenly, and season them before and after boiling.

Get the recipe for Classic Potato Salad »

Easy Fingerling Potato Salad With Creamy Dill Dressing

Easy Fingerling Potato Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Dill, potatoes, and sour cream go hand in hand, and they make an especially happy trio in this colorful potato salad. Petite fingerling potatoes are boiled in water with salt and vinegar so that they keep their shape and deliver lots of flavor. Sour cream adds creaminess, while onions and dill give it a fresh, herbal bite.

Get the recipe for Easy Fingerling Potato Salad With Creamy Dill Dressing »

Yukon Gold Potato Salad With Tarragon Pesto and Pickled Onions

Daniel Gritzer

For a lighter, fresh-tasting potato salad, dress it with a simple pesto-like tarragon and parsley sauce. Toss in quick-pickled red onions and Kalamata olives for a flavorful side dish that won't weigh you down.

Get the recipe for Yukon Gold Potato Salad With Tarragon Pesto and Pickled Onions »

Five-Ingredient Smoked Salmon and Potato Salad

Five-Ingredient Smoked Salmon and Potato Salad
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Five ingredients, one pot, 20 minutes, and pretty much zero effort can get you a ton of flavor. The addition of smoked salmon takes the potatoes from a mere side salad to something special, and it's dressed simply with tangy sour cream, aromatic fresh herbs, and tart lemon juice.

Get the recipe for Five-Ingredient Smoked Salmon and Potato Salad »

Creamy Fingerling Potato Salad (Vegan)

Creamy Fingerling Potato Salad
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Fingerling potatoes in a sweet-tart vinaigrette are made extra-creamy with the addition of the potatoes' cooking liquid and mashed Yukon golds. It's creamy, delicious, and 100% vegan.

Get the recipe for Creamy Fingerling Potato Salad (Vegan) »

New Potato Salad

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Joshua Bousel

Tangy, meaty, fresh, crunchy, creamy—this is a far cry from your standard deli-made potato salad. Grilled new potatoes and bacon fat-basted grilled onions make this the ultimate side dish for your next big cookout.

Get the recipe for New Potato Salad »

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad
Joshua Bousel

Now this is a side worthy of a seat next to a stack of fatty brisket. German potato salad drops the mayo in favor of tart vinegar, oil, and some spicy mustard. Add some smoky bacon and slightly sweet onions, and you've got your barbecue flavor bases covered (and then some).

Get the recipe for German Potato Salad »

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad With Chutney Vinaigrette

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Jennifer Segal

Switch things up with this warm sweet potato salad. The sweet potatoes are roasted until tender before they're tossed with a dressing of vinegar, chutney, mustard, honey, and garlic. Tart cranberries, sharp scallions, and crunchy almonds top off the sweet and savory dish.

Get the recipe for Roasted Sweet Potato Salad With Chutney Vinaigrette »

Fingerling Potato Salad With Aioli, Pesto, Fried Shallots, and Pecorino

Joshua Bousel

This over-the-top take on the classic incorporates a homemade aioli, basil pesto, fried shallots, and pecorino cheese. Between the delicate shavings of cheese and the crispy shallots, it's the kind of elegant side that's equally at home on a picnic blanket or a dining room table.

Get the recipe for Fingerling Potato Salad With Aioli, Pesto, Fried Shallots, and Pecorino »

Grilled Jalapeño Potato Salad

Grilled Jalapeño Potato Salad
Joshua Bousel

Potato salad goes Tex-Mex in this rendition featuring char-grilled jalapeños. Sour cream, cider vinegar, and cumin make a tart, creamy dressing, and green onions and cilantro add some requisite freshness.

Get the recipe for Grilled Jalapeño Potato Salad »

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