Old-Fashioned Potato Salad Recipe (Creamy, No Mustard)

This potato salad keeps everything people love about classic potato salad – creamy potatoes, eggs, pickles, and crunch – without the strong mustard flavor many recipes rely on. It comes together in about 30 minutes.

I love me a good potato salad, one that’s creamy and comforting, not soupy or mayo-heavy. I know many classic potato salads use mustard, but I’ve never enjoyed the flavor in mine. I carefully tested this version to keep the potatoes tender and creamy without turning soupy, using dill pickles and pickle juice for the tangy flavor you’d normally get from mustard.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This potato salad stays soft and creamy without turning loose or mayo-heavy. The potatoes still come through, with just enough crunch from the celery and pickles to keep each bite from feeling flat. The dill is there, but lightly, so it freshens the salad without taking it over. It’s the kind of potato salad that fits right in at a cookout, and you can make it ahead without losing that texture.

We had it with grilled steak and corn on a summer evening, and that was exactly the kind of meal this potato salad belongs with. It was creamy, cool, and sturdy enough to sit on the plate next to everything else without feeling heavy.

What You Need

Potatoes

I prefer Yukon Gold potatoes for the best potato salad because they stay tender and creamy without completely falling apart. They also have a richer flavor than plain white potatoes. You can peel them fully, partially, or leave the skins on for a more rustic potato salad. I prefer to leave the skins on!

If you cannot find Yukon Gold potatoes, avoid very waxy potatoes, such as fingerlings, new potatoes, and some baby potatoes. These are the best substitutes for your potato salad:

• Red potatoes – These hold their shape well and make a slightly firmer, chunkier potato salad with a nice creamy texture inside.
• White potatoes – These are a good middle-ground option that works well in classic potato salad recipes.
• Russet potatoes – These work in a pinch, but they break down more easily and can become mushy if overcooked or overmixed. If using russets, cook them carefully and stir gently.

Vinegar

Adding a little distilled white vinegar to your cold salted water for boiling your potatoes will help them stay together and not just become a big mush.

Eggs

Hard boiled eggs make this potato salad feel hearty and old fashioned. They also add a creamy texture that blends beautifully into the dressing.

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is the base of the dressing and gives the salad its creamy texture. Use a good-quality mayo that you already enjoy the flavor of, since it plays such a big role here.

Dill Pickles + Pickle Juice

Since this potato salad does not use mustard, the dill pickles and pickle juice are what give it brightness and tanginess. They help balance the richness of the mayo so the salad tastes fresh instead of heavy.

Celery

Celery adds crunch and texture, which keeps the potato salad from feeling too soft. I really recommend not skipping it unless you truly dislike celery.

Onion

A little onion gives the salad extra flavor and bite. I prefer finely diced onion here so it blends into the salad instead of overpowering it.

Fresh Dill

Fresh dill gives this potato salad that classic deli-style flavor. Dried dill works too, but fresh dill really wakes everything up.

Salt, Pepper, and Paprika

Salt and pepper season the salad, while paprika adds that classic finishing touch on top that makes potato salad look extra inviting.

How to Make Potato Salad

For the full ingredient amounts and printable instructions, scroll down to the recipe card below.

Cook the Potatoes Until Just Tender

The biggest thing that makes or breaks potato salad is the texture of the potatoes. You want them fork tender, but not falling apart. If the potatoes are crumbling apart in the pot, they are overcooked and can turn mushy once mixed with the dressing.

Starting the potatoes in cold water helps them cook more evenly. I also recommend adding salt and vinegar to the cooking water so the potatoes get flavor from the inside out and do not get mushy.

Let the Potatoes Cool Slightly

After draining, let the potatoes cool before adding to the dressing. If they are too hot, the mayonnaise can become oily and separate. But if the potatoes are completely cold, they will not absorb flavor as nicely. Warm potatoes are ideal.

Make the Creamy Dressing

This potato salad skips the mustard and gets its tangy flavor from dill pickles and pickle juice instead. Before mixing everything together, taste the dressing on its own. It should taste a little brighter and saltier than you think it needs to, since the potatoes mellow the flavor quite a bit.

Fold Everything Together Gently

Once the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion, and pickles are added, stir gently so the potatoes stay chunky and creamy instead of turning into mashed potatoes. If you prefer a softer, deli-style potato salad, you can mash a few potatoes slightly into the dressing as you stir.

Chill Before Serving

Potato salad almost always tastes better after chilling for at least an hour in the refrigerator. The flavors blend together and the dressing thickens slightly as it sits. I like to finish mine with a sprinkle of paprika and a little fresh dill before serving.

To Make This Faster

Substitute steam-in-bag baby potatoes from your local grocer’s produce section. Microwave according to the package, then chop and toss with dressing. You can also use pre-boiled eggs to speed this up as well.

Variations

Lighter Potato Salad

Replace part of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing with a little extra tanginess.

Herb Potato Salad

Add chopped fresh parsley, chives, or green onions along with the dill for a fresher, garden-style flavor.

Answers to Your Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. It tastes even better after it chills for at least an hour, and you can make it up to 1 day ahead.

Why does my potato salad seem dry after chilling?
The potatoes will absorb some of the dressing as they sit. Stir in a spoonful of mayonnaise or a splash of pickle juice before serving to loosen it back up.

How do I keep it from turning mushy?
Cook the potatoes just until fork tender, let them cool slightly, and fold everything together gently so the chunks hold their shape.

What to Serve This With

We like to have it when we grill things like steaks, including skirt steak! It’s also great with BBQ Ribs (really anything covered in BBQ sauce), bratwurst, and burgers.

Storage

Store leftover potato salad covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Since this recipe contains mayonnaise and eggs, I do not recommend leaving it sitting out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour on very hot days outdoors).

Potato salad often tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to blend together.

I do not recommend freezing potato salad, since the mayonnaise-based dressing can separate and become watery once thawed.