Grandma’s Potato Salad Recipe with Simple Ingredients

Grandma’s Classic Potato Salad Recipe is a family favorite made with a few simple ingredients — potatoes, eggs and celery in a creamy dressing. Enjoy this delicious side dish at your next summer BBQ, picnic or holiday gathering.

Easy Potato Salad Recipe

My family honestly thinks my grandma’s potato salad recipe is the best potato salad recipe on the planet. But every family has a favorite potato salad, right? This easy recipe is also a favorite summer side dish in my family — my son and husband would happily eat potato salad every day if they could!

This homemade potato salad recipe has been in my family forever. Grandma made it, my mom made it, and now my kids and I make it! It’s a very simple potato salad with few ingredients — no onions, no mustard and no pickles.

Our old fashioned potato salad is the perfect side dish for summer cookouts and potlucks. The mild flavor pairs well with any main dish, especially burgers and ribs, as well as our Easter ham. Serve this summer side salad along with grilled corn on the cob for a delicious meal!

Ingredients

You only need a few basic ingredients for this classic side salad. If you don’t have these pantry staples at home, you can find them in your grocery store. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.

• Small red potatoes
• Celery stalks — diced or thinly sliced for flavor and crunch
• Hard-boiled eggs — peeled and chopped. You can add sliced eggs for decoration on top if desired.
• Salt and Pepper — to taste
• Mayonnaise — I usually use Best Foods, but any brand of mayo works. Miracle Whip will change the flavor.

Best Potatoes for Potato Salad

Mom and grandma always said red potatoes or waxy potatoes are the best potatoes for potato salad since they hold their shape well after cooking.

White potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes will work, as well. Russet potatoes aren’t the best choice since their fluffier flesh is better for baking. However, I know people who love russets in salad, so it really is a personal preference.

How to Make Grandma’s Potato Salad

First, scrub the potatoes well under cold running water. Then, slice them in half or quarters to that they are about the same size.

Grandma always peeled potatoes before cooking, but I like to leave the skins on. Skins add flavor and nutrients, and it’s a lot easier to peel potatoes after cooking!

Cook Time

Fill a large pot with cold water, place the potatoes in the pot, add salt, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook potatoes until just fork tender.

This takes about 10 minutes cooking time depending on how large the potatoes are. Be sure not to over cook potatoes.

You should be able to easily poke a fork or the tip of a knife through the middle of the potato, but it shouldn’t fall apart.

When the potatoes are fully cooked, drain them right away into a colander in the sink. You don’t have to run them under cold water.

Place the potatoes on a cutting board or large baking sheet, and allow to cool down until you can handle them. You can chop up the eggs and celery while you are waiting.

Then, peel the skins off and cut potatoes into small pieces or small cubes. You want to aim for bite size pieces here. If you can’t get some of the potato skins off, no worries. It just adds to the flavor!

Place the potatoes, chopped hard boiled eggs and diced celery into a large bowl. Then, add 1 cup of mayonnaise, and mix until blended.

Stir in additional mayo until you get the texture you like. I usually add more mayo right before serving since the potatoes absorb the mayo.

Stir in salt and pepper, to taste. For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight!

This is one of those old fashioned recipes that was never written down. Mom and Grandma always eyeballed the ingredients until it tasted good to them!

Serving Suggestions

To serve potato salad, we like to add sliced hard boiled eggs on top of the potato salad and a sprinkle of paprika, plus fresh parsley. And that’s it.

Substitutions and Variations

I like to keep this classic recipe simple with just mayonnaise, but it is also a good basic recipe that you can easily adjust to your liking. Add a little yellow mustard, or white vinegar for extra tang. Sometimes, I add a tablespoon of milk to thin the mayo for a creamier dressing.

You can also add green onions, red onions, sweet onions, sweet pickles, dill pickles or relish. Instead of regular salt, I sometimes add celery salt for more flavor.

If you want to make this recipe even easier, try my Instant Pot potato salad. The basic ingredients are the same, but you cook the eggs and potatoes in the pressure cooker at the same time!

You can peel and cut your potatoes before cooking if you prefer.

Storage

Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. It’ll last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Do not leave potato salad out for more than 2 hours for safety. Potato salad will not freeze well.

Enjoy your leftovers straight out of the fridge with hamburgers, ribs, hot dogs, or alone as a snack!

Helpful Tips

Always place potatoes in cold water and bring to a boil.

Cook potatoes until just fork tender to avoid a mushy or soggy salad.

Taste before serving to adjust seasoning, and add more mayo if needed. You can also add milk to thin the dressing if needed.

There’s nothing better for summer than a good potato salad–and traditional potato salads made with easy, simple ingredients are the best ones! I hope you enjoy this easy potato salad as much as we do!

For more family favorite recipes, subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media!

Originally published in 2014 and updated in 2024.