This potato salad is doused in a creamy dressing and loaded with bacon. What’s not to love?!
I mean realistically yes, there are countless ‘my potato salad is the best’ recipes on the internet, but throwing one more into the mix can’t hurt right? Plus, this truly is the best potato salad in the world 🤪
Baby Potato Salad
In my opinion the best kind of potato salad is one made with baby potatoes. By slicing them into small rounds you get these perfect mini disks which not only look great in a potato salad, but they also hold their shape really well. There’s nothing worse than a potato salad that’s verging on mashed potato because the potatoes have gone soft and mushy!
Cold Water
Whilst it takes a little extra time, you really want to boil the potatoes starting from cold water. This ensures the potato cooks through much more evenly. Also ensure you properly salt the water – nothing worse than a bland potato salad!
Steam Dry
Again, whilst it takes extra time, you really want to make sure as much moisture comes out of the potato as possible. This also gives time for the potatoes to properly cool, which is important otherwise you’ll end up with a warm gloopy dressing. Some recipes suggest rinsing the potato in cold water, but in my opinion this adds unwanted moisture and removes starchy flavour.
Can you cook potatoes ahead of time for potato salad?
Yep! Just allow to completely cool then tightly store in the fridge for a couple of days until needed.
Process shots: add potato to chopping board (photo 1), slice into rounds (photo 2), add to pot (photo 3), add cold water & salt and boil until for tender (photo 4).
Creamy Potato Salad Dressing
There’s a few different ways you can make the dressing, but here’s how I construct mine:
- Base – The bulk of the dressing is mayonnaise, but I also like to add some sour cream for some extra creaminess!
- Acidity – This helps liven up the dressing. Here I use lemon juice, and whilst it’s not technically ‘acidity’ I like a dollop of dijon mustard for some background heat.
- Herbs – I love adding chives and parsley, both gotta be fresh!
- Seasoning – Keep it simple with salt, white pepper and sugar. I highly recommend using white pepper over black, it offers more of a classic flavour and a gentle hit of heat.
Can I make the dressing ahead of time?
Yep! This will also help the flavours marry together. Just tightly cover in the fridge for a couple of days until needed.
Process shots: add dressing ingredients to small mixing bowl (photo 1), stir to combine (photo 2).
Potato Salad
When it comes to the salad itself I tend to keep it fairly simple. Here’s the 3 ingredients I highly recommend adding:
- Hard-Boiled Egg – A classic addition to potato salad. Egg salad and potato salad often share similar ingredients so mixing the two works perfectly.
- Bacon – Need I justify this!?
- Red Onion – Adds a nice pop of colour, a bit of texture and a hit of flavour to compliment the chives. Can sub green/spring onion for a more subtle flavour.
You’ll notice there’s a fair bit of dressing when you add it all together, but potatoes are like sponges so some of it will get soaked up!
Can I make potato salad ahead of time?
Yep, just tightly cover in the fridge until needed. I find it keeps well from 3-5days.
Process shots: add potatoes to large mixing bowl (photo 1), add onion, egg and bacon (photo 2), pour in dressing and toss to combine (photo 3).
Serving Potato Salad
You can serve it up right away or give it a stint in the fridge. You’ll notice the dressing reduces slightly as it rests, so just give it a stir before you serve if you’ve let it rest.
Why does my potato salad get watery?
Most likely because the potatoes weren’t fully dry, meaning they were still holding on to some water. As they fully cool the steam gets trapped in the salad and produces water in the bottom of the bowl.
After another easy salad side for your sandwich? Check out my Roasted Vegetable Salad and Creamy Coleslaw!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this potato salad shall we?!
How to make the BEST Potato Salad (Full Recipe & Video)
The Best Potato Salad in the World
Equipment
- Large Pot & Colander (for boiling potatoes)
- Small Mixing Bowl & Spatula (for dressing)
- Large Mixing Bowl (for salad)
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Small Pot & Tray (to cook eggs/bacon)
Ingredients
Potato Salad
- 2lb / 1kg Baby Potatoes, sliced into ~1/4” rounds
- 5-7oz / 150-200g Bacon, cooked, cooled & chopped (weight is raw bacon)
- 3 Hard-Boiled Eggs, diced (see notes)
- 1/2 small Red Onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp Salt
Creamy Dressing
- 1 cup / 240g Mayo
- 1/4 cup / 60g Sour Cream
- 1 heaped tbsp EACH: Fresh Chives, Fresh Parsley, finely diced
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Lemon, juice only
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Sugar, Salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Potatoes: Place potato slices in a pot of cold water with 1 tsp salt. Bring to boil and cook until fork tender. Just be vigilant and don't over cook them or they’ll turn mushy. Drain (don’t rinse) and leave to steam dry and completely cool. Now is a good time to prep the eggs & bacon.
- Dressing: In a small mixing bowl combine mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, chives, parsley, sugar, salt and white pepper.
- Potato Salad: In a larger mixing bowl combine the potatoes with egg, bacon, red onion and dressing. Gently toss until everything is evenly distributed.
- Serve: Cover and pop in the fridge to allow the flavours to marry, or serve up right away!
Quick Demo
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition:
If you loved this Potato Salad recipe be sure to Pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
this is the BEST potato salad I ever made! everybody loves it! requested all the time by family and friends! I use low sodium bacon, and don’t add any extra salt and it can’t be beat! thanks for this recipe!!
I think this might be the best potato salad I’ve ever made (and I’ve made a few over the last 30 years or so). Made it this morning around 10 and let it sit in the fridge until dinner at 6, stirring it up a few times during the day.
I did make a few tiny changes: I used a combo of white and red baby potatoes; forgot to buy a lemon, so I used an equal measure of ACV; added one finely diced celery rib and one finely diced dill pickle (actually a German barrel pickle, which is *almost* a bread & butter flavor but more dill than sweet) and about a tablespoon of pickle juice to the dressing.
I’ve never made a potato salad with baby spuds before and I have to say I really prefer them! they hold their shape really well instead of mushing up.
The dressing is SO good. The addition of Dijon mustard is perfect.
Oh. And BACON. Yes.
So pleased this went down well, Jenni! 🙂 C.
been looking for a recipe like this for a long time. Finally found it! thank you. flavors were great.
So pleased to hear! C.
Would you be able to use a mixture of the red and white baby potatoes in this recipe?
Sure! 🙂 C.
By far the best potato salad recipe ever. My husband begged me to make this every week. Does not disappoint. We used bacon bits instead of regular bacon and it was just delicious
Thanks so much for the review, Natasha! 🙂 C.
Definitely a fave!! It was an absolute hit with the family and guests. My new go to potato salad. Thank you for the recipe.
So great to hear! Thanks for the review 🙂 C.
Great flavors but I will omit the bacon and add more eggs
This is the best potato salad! I made it for the first time and will be adding this to my go to recipe book! Thank you!
So glad it went down well, Jen! 🙂
This is so good. Everyone loves it! I just leave the red onions out.
Thanks, Allison! 🙂
My family loves potato salad and this looks amazing!!!
This was the best potato salad, i made it for 1st time 2 wks ago for a bbq and already getting requests!
I have made it 2 more times. And again today. Delicious!!
So great to hear, lynn! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
This is the best potato salad I’ve ever had! I’m glad I took a moment to find out you’re the same Chris from Don’t Go Bacon My Heart because I really thought this recipe was stolen without credit 🙂 Way to go on 2 blogs!
Haha it’s me!!! Thanks Shannon, glad it went down well 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. It’s easy and delicious as promised. But now I have to make this and only this potato salad every week for my husband since trying it recently.
So happy to hear this went down well, Sue! 🙂