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Picnic Potato Salad

Picnic salad that’s a classic creamy potato salad with tender russet potatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and a tangy mayo dressing. Chill it for hours so the flavors meld for an easy outdoor food side dish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes Peeled and cubed.
Eggs
  • 5 hard-boiled eggs Chopped.
Vegetables
  • 0.5 cup celery Diced.
  • 0.25 cup onion Finely diced.
  • 0.25 cup sweet pickle relish
Dressing
  • 1.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 pepper To taste.
  • 1 tsp paprika For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and cool the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the russet potatoes and cook until tender, about 10–15 minutes. Drain and spread the potatoes on a sheet pan to cool completely, about 10–20 minutes.
Mix salad base
  1. Add the hard-boiled eggs, celery, onion, and sweet pickle relish to a large bowl with the cooled potatoes. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
Make the dressing
  1. In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, yellow mustard, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Combine and chill
  1. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and fold gently until the potatoes are coated. Avoid over-mixing so the potatoes stay intact.
  2. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours to let the flavors develop and the salad set. Chill until cold, at 35–40°F.
Serve
  1. Just before serving, dust the top with paprika for garnish. Serve cold alongside picnic foods.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, cool the potatoes completely before mixing so the dressing doesn’t loosen. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; the flavors get better after chilling. Freezing isn’t recommended as the mayonnaise texture may break after thawing. If you want a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for a mayo-style light dressing.