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American Russet Potato Salad

American russet potato salad with classic creamy dressing—tender cubed potatoes and chopped hard-boiled eggs folded in until evenly coated. Chill for at least 2 hours for the best texture, then finish with a light paprika garnish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Russet potato salad base
  • 4 lb russet potatoes
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs
  • 0.5 cup celery
  • 0.25 cup onion
  • 0.25 cup sweet pickle relish
Creamy dressing
  • 1.25 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp paprika for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and cool the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat, then add peeled, cubed russet potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool completely so the salad stays creamy rather than watery.
Combine the potato salad ingredients
  1. In a large bowl, add the cooled russet potatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery, finely diced onion, and sweet pickle relish. Stir gently just to distribute the mix.
Make the dressing
  1. In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Fold, chill, and garnish
  1. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and fold gently until evenly coated. Avoid aggressive stirring to keep potato cubes intact.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors meld and the texture set. Chill at 35 to 40°F (2 to 4°C) for best results.
  3. Before serving, sprinkle paprika over the top for garnish. Serve cold for the classic traditional presentation.

Notes

For the creamiest classic American potato salad, cool the drained russet potatoes completely before mixing so mayonnaise doesn’t break or turn runny. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended for this salad. If you want a lighter option, use half mayonnaise and half plain Greek yogurt (or all light mayo) to reduce calories while keeping a similar tang.