Red Skin Potato Salad
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Red Skin Potato Salad is a creamy blend of red potatoes, mayonnaise, sour cream, dijon mustard, crunchy celery, and bold spices. It's an old-fashioned potato salad recipe that Grandma used to make for every outdoor picnic, barbecue and summer cookout!
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Old Fashioned Potato Salad Recipe
Holidays at Grandma's house always included 2 types of meat, 3 different jello salads, and a big heaping bowl of the best red skin potato salad you've ever tasted!
What's the secret ingredient? Grandma taught me to leave the skins on the red potatoes which adds color, flavor, and nutrients to her traditional potato salad recipe. It makes the perfect side to hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches, as well as brown sugar glazed ham for Easter dinner.
The flavors from fresh dill, green onions, and two types of pickles give it a nice little kick. Folks tell me they've never tasted potato salad this good!
Ingredient Notes
Making simple red potato skin salad is a cinch with fresh ingredients! For quantities, see the recipe card below.
- red potatoes - no need to peel them, which frees up prep time
- mayonnaise and sour cream - creates the creamy base
- yellow mustard, dijon mustard - adds just the right amount of flavor
- apple cider (or red wine vinegar) - provides a little kick
- bread & butter pickles, dill pickle relish - adds sweetness and tang
- sweet onion, green onion - because two is better than one
- celery, fresh dill weed - creates that old fashioned taste
- garlic powder, salt, ground black pepper - the perfect seasoning combo
How to Make It
- Dice potatoes with skins on and place in a large pot of salted cold water. Bring to a boil.
- White potatoes are boiling, mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- When tender, drain potatoes and add to dressing in the mixing bowl while still hot.
- Stir mixture well and let it rest a few minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot or refrigerate overnight for best results.
Expert Tips
- The secret is to mix everything together while the veggies are still hot. The texture is better and the flavor is noticeably bolder.
- Serve this salad cold or hot if desired. No matter how it's served, it's a real crowd pleaser!
- It's a perfect side dish to make ahead of time because the flavors will have a while to blend in the fridge!
- By leaving the skins on, it cuts prep time in half and gives the dish an extra element of crunch.
- Adding lots of veggies packs awesome flavor and balances out the creaminess.
Variations
There are no boiled eggs in Grandma's red potato salad recipe, but southern folks love to add them. A few even throw in a little celery seed, fresh herbs and dill pickle juice!
You could substitute Greek yogurt and lemon juice instead of mayonnaise and vinegar, or use small new potatoes or fingerlings if desired.
Others prefer red onion, green bell peppers and more fresh dill. I've added green olives, banana peppers and kalamata olives for incredible flavor. It's even a delicious dressing with feta cheese stirred in the mix!
Recipe FAQ
Red skinned potatoes are the same as waxy red potatoes available in most grocery stores. Since the skin of red potatoes is thin, it's edible and adds nutrients to a recipe. Red potatoes have less starch than others, and hold their firm texture when boiling or roasting. You could also use white waxy potatoes like Yellow Finn or Yukon Golds if desired.
Starting potatoes in boiling water causes them to cook unevenly. Always place diced potatoes in cold water first, and bring the heat to boiling for best results. You can cut the potatoes before or after boiling.
Potato salad has a reputation for being dangerous if left at room temperature too long. It's best to serve it within one hour of removing from the refrigerator, and keeping it on ice to avoid contamination. See more guidelines at USDA.gov
Serving and Storage
- When serving, make sure this recipe stays on ice at all times.
- Don't leave potato salad out in the sun or allow it to sit at room temperature. Keep it covered and cold.
- When storing leftovers, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
More Picnic Sides
If you love Grandma's red potato salad, try these other easy recipes that make great picnic sides too! They're the perfect choice for summer gatherings...
Thanks for visiting Quiche My Grits! ❤️ I love making recipes for you! Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram!
Recipe Card
Red Skin Potato Salad
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds red potatoes (diced - leave skins on)
- 1 cup Duke's Mayonnaise (ad)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 Tablespoons dijon grain mustard
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup bread & butter pickles (diced)
- ½ cup dill pickle relish
- ½ cup sweet onion (diced)
- ½ cup celery (diced)
- 2 Tablespoons green onion (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoons fresh dill weed (chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Dice potatoes with skins on and place in a large pot of salted cold water. Bring potatoes to a boil.
- While potatoes are boiling, mix the rest of the ingredients together in a big bowl.
- Once potatoes are tender, drain and add to ingredients in the bowl while still hot.
- Stir well and let sit a few minutes.
- Taste and add more pepper and salt if needed.
- Serve the potato salad hot, or refrigerate for at least 8 hours for better flavor.
Notes
- The secret to making potato salad is to mix it while the potatoes are hot. It mashes to the perfect consistency and retains its bold flavor.
- Potato salad is usually best when made a day ahead and refrigerated over night.
- Serve potato salad within one hour of taking out of the refrigerator. Refrigerate or keep it on ice to avoid contamination.
- This salad can be served cold or hot if desired.
- It's a great side dish to make ahead because the flavors will have a long time to hang out together in the fridge!
- By leaving the skins on, it cuts prep time in half and gives the dish an extra element of crunch.
- View the Google Web Story of this recipe!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
Amazing flavor and texture!! This potato salad recipe is everything that potato salad should be.
Potato salad just means summer time! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Awesome! I love potato salad in the summer time too! 🙂
Yes! Mix it hot, serve it hot! The seasonings are sooo good. Love this recipe!
The creamier the better! 🙂
I'm fairly new to your blog, and you have me hooked on this delicious potato salad recipe. Thanks so much for sharing and I look forward to trying many more of your delightful recipes.
Thanks Jo! I'm so glad you found me! 🙂