Refreshing Red Potato Salad – made with flavorful red skinned potatoes, a creamy, vibrantly lemony dressing, and fresh herbs. It’s a traditional summer side dish that pairs well with all your bbq favorites.
Red Skin Potato Salad
This is a comfort food classic made with hearty, creamy red potatoes, dotted with the typical celery and pickles, and finished with a rich herby dressing to coat it all. The fresh lemon is a highlight here and the use of both mayonnaise and sour cream keeps it from feeling too heavy.
It’s a simple to prepare side dish that keeps well in the fridge for several days and it’s an ideal dish to serve on a hot day (trade in those baked potatoes for this!).
You can also adapt it to include other various mix-ins such as cooked bacon or hard boiled eggs (more ideas below), or just keep it simple without an extras. Either way this red potato salad is a summertime must!
Red Potato Salad Recipe Ingredients
Red potatoes: Leave the skins on the potatoes, no need to peel them for this recipe. I use small red potatoes, though medium or large work fine as well.
Sour cream: I like to use natural sour cream without all the extra thickeners and additives.
Mayonnaise: A good quality mayonnaise is recommended.
Lemon: Use fresh lemon for the best flavor. Bottled won’t be as good.
Dijon mustard: A little will go a long ways in flavor.
Green onions: If you prefer you could use 1/2 cup chopped red onions in their place, they’ll just be a bit stronger.
Parsley and dill: For best flavor use fresh herbs.
Celery: Chop the celery small for a better overall texture throughout. Celery adds a nice light crunch to the potato salad.
Baby dill pickles: If you have the standard size pickles on hand those will work fine too. These add a nice zip and and another crunch.
Salt and pepper: Season the potato cooking water with salt, then season the salad to taste as well.
How to Make Red Potato Salad
Cook potatoes: Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by about 1-inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and season with salt to taste.
Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until potatoes are tender but fairly firm (they should hold their shape when pierced not crumble), about 10 minutes.
Drain, cool potatoes: Drain potatoes and let cool, to speed cool you can transfer to a ice bath of water and cool a few minutes then drain.
Make potato salad dressing: In a large mixing bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, green onions, parsley, dill, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss dressing and potato salad: Add cooled potatoes to the large bowl with the dressing, add celery and dill pickles. Toss mixture to evenly coat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long to Boil Red Potatoes for Potato Salad
In this recipe I use potatoes cut into chunks so they cook faster but you can also cook then whole (then of course cut them after cooking). Here are the cook times for each option:
Potatoes cut into chunks (I recommend about 1-inch cut), will take about 9 to 10 minutes to simmer until tender.
Whole small red potatoes whole will take about 15 minutes to boil until tender.
Whole medium red potatoes will take about 20 minutes to cook until tender.
Can I Add other Mix-Ins to Red Skin Potato Salad?
Potato salad is also delicious with hard boiled eggs. You can add 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs (peeled and chopped up) to the recipe.
Cooked bacon is another delicious option. Add up to 8 chopped slices here.
For stronger mustard flavor double up the dijon or add 1 Tbsp yellow mustard.
1/4 cup banana peppers or capers could be used in place of pickles.
Seasonings such as cayenne pepper or paprika are tasty additions to potato salad. Just season to taste.
How to Store Potato Salad
Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It should not sit out at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
How Long Does it Keep
Potato salad will keep for a maximum of five days in the fridge but I recommend eating it within 2 or 3 for optimal flavor.
What to Serve with Potato Salad
Potato salad is delicious paired with those summer classics. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
More Ways to Make Potato Salad
16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)
Red Potato Salad
Made with flavorful red skinned potatoes, a creamy, vibrantly lemony dressing, and fresh herbs. It’s a traditional summer side dish that pairs well with all your bbq favorites.
Servings: 6
Prep20 minutes minutesCook30 minutes minutesReady in: 50 minutes minutes
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by about 1-inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and season with salt to taste.Reduce heat to medium and let simmer until potatoes are tender but fairly firm (they should hold their shape when pierced not crumble), about 9 to 10 minutes.Drain potatoes and let cool (to speed cool you can transfer to a ice bath of water and cool a few minutes then drain).In a large mixing bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, green onions, parsley, dill, and season with salt and pepper to taste.Add cooled potatoes to the large bowl with the dressing, add celery and dill pickles. Toss mixture to evenly coat. You can serve right away or refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Thin with a little milk or water as it rests as needed.
Nutrition Facts
Red Potato Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 323
Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%Saturated Fat 5g31%Trans Fat 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat 9gMonounsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 23mg8%Sodium 306mg13%Potassium 1.042mg0%Carbohydrates 34g11%Fiber 4g17%Sugar 4g4%Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 904IU18%Vitamin C 28mg34%Calcium 82mg8%Iron 2mg11% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
