Three Potato Salad | The Best Homemade Potato Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best type of potato to use for potato salad? ›

Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad. They do cook at different rates so be sure to adjust cook time depending on which type of potato you select.

Waxy Potatoes

In terms of appearance, their skin is much thinner. Unlike starchy ones, which become soft when cooked, waxy potatoes hold their shape. This makes them good for making soups or stews, potato salads, or casseroles.

Cook the potatoes properly: Overcooking potatoes can cause them to become too soft and mushy. To prevent this, boil the potatoes until they are just tender, but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and let them cool completely before adding the dressing.

Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

What to look for: White and Yukon Golds are reliable in-between potatoes to always have around. Starchy: For potato salad, you'll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

Boiling potatoes for potato salad is time-consuming and often waterlogs the potatoes. Here's a simple way to cook your potatoes for a better texture — no pot of boiling water required!

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

The Yukon Gold potato, though yellow fleshed, is a cross between a yellow and a white potato and is usually labeled as such. A “yellow” or “gold” potato is not a Yukon Gold potato, but all three potatoes have similar starch contents and flavors and can be used interchangeably in recipes.

What type of potato is an all-purpose type that is frequently used in potato salads and soups? ›

Waxy potatoes hold their shape well after cooking so are great for boiling, roasting or slicing. Use them to cook casseroles, soups or potato salads. When to avoid: Waxy potatoes are not good for mashing because they hold their form and produce a chunky mash.

Starchy potatoes such as Russet or Idaho potatoes are ideal for baking, mashing, and frying. Waxy potatoes are best to use in any recipe where you want the potato to keep its shape. Examples are Red Bliss, Russian Banana, and fingerlings.