The Best of Everything Potato Salad

Close up of creamy potato salad with hard boiled eggs, celery, cucumber, sweet onion and parsley.

5 from 1 vote

This recipe combines the best ingredients and techniques from various ethnic potato salads. It is not complicated and it will be one of the best potato salads at the BBQ! The first steps can be made ahead if desired, with final assembly the day of serving. Don't let the cucumber throw you off. If seeded completely it won't make your salad soggy.

Prep Time48

Cook Time40

Cooling time49

Total Time2 17

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 417kcal

Author: Carolyn Hetke

Ingredients

2 lbs potatoes washed, unpeeled Yukon Gold recommended, can substitute white potatoes or Russets.
1 teaspoon salt
6 bacon strips
1 cup celery finely diced
¾ cup cucumber seeded, finely diced See Note 1.
1 small sweet onion finely diced
4 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped See Note 3 for instructions on making hard boiled eggs
4 Tbsps parsley minced, optional

Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tbsps white wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon sugar
½ clove garlic minced or grated
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Dressing

⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Vinaigrette

Mix all ingredients and shake well to combine.

Potato Salad

Cook potatoes whole with 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot. This may take 30-40 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. (If some potatoes are very large you may cut them in half to make them similar in size to the rest. Don't cut into more than 2 pieces.) Test with a fork after 20 minutes to avoid over-cooking. Drain when a fork slides easily to the center of the potato.
While potatoes are cooking fry the bacon strips in a fry pan until crisp over medium heat. Crumble when cool. Make the hard boiled eggs and cool in ice water. Prepare the celery, onion and cucumber. Be sure to remove all seeds and watery center of the cucumber before dicing. See Note 1.
Allow potatoes to cool 5-10 minutes. They will still be very warm. (You want to peel and cube them while they are warm so they will absorb the vinaigrette when poured over them.) See Note 2. Discard skins and cube potatoes into ½" dice in a large bowl.
When all potatoes are cubed pour ½ the vinaigrette over them and stir well. Pour the remaining vinaigrette over and stir again.
Allow potatoes to cool completely. (If making ahead refrigerate at this point and proceed with next steps when ready.).
When potatoes are cooled, add the celery, onion, cucumber, bacon and egg. Add the parsley as well if using.
Mix the Dressing ingredients and pour over the salad, stirring to coat completely.
Allow to sit at least 30 minutes to allow flavours to meld but 3-24 hours is even better!
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Notes

The key to the cucumber not making the salad watery is to make sure it is fully seeded with all the translucent cucumber center removed. Use a small spoon to scrape the center of the cucumber out and clean out any missed bits.
To peel hot potatoes, take one potato at a time and run it under cold water briefly to chill the skins and then peel it quickly. Take care not to wet any of the peeled potato if possible. Some suggest using a double layer of deli gloves but I have not tried this myself. Repeat until all potatoes are peeled and then proceed with cubing them.
Here links to make traditional hard-boiled eggs or air frier hard-boiled eggs.
When serving, this salad can sit at room temperature maximum 2 hours. If the temperature is 90 degrees + reduce time to 1 hour maximum.

Nutrition