I've been making this potato salad for as long as I can remember. It's a  required side dish whenever I make barbecue of any kind, particularly my Slow-Baked Baby-Back Ribs.

I learned from my mom who learned from my grandma to add some liquid from a dill pickle jar to potato salad to give it a flavorful tang. I also add a small amount of Italian salad dressing to mine. The pickle juice and Italian dressing really elevate the flavor. This recipe still has a traditional creamy potato salad familiarity, but better!

Step-by-step photos for making
Creamy Potato Salad

Step 1. Assemble the ingredients:

• Potatoes -- red, golden, or russets all work well; I'm using red in the photos below
• Small onion
• Celery
• Boiled eggs -- If you don't like eggs in your potato salad, feel free to omit them. In my family, they are a MUST! Here's my method for boiling eggs: How to Cook & Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs
• Dill pickle juice
• Italian salad dressing -- purchase bottled dressing or use my Everyday Vinaigrette recipe to make your own
• Optional garnishes: paprika, fresh parsley or dill

Step 2. Add whole, unpeeled potatoes to a large pot and enough water to cover the potatoes completely. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook until fork-tender, approx. 35 minutes (time may vary depending on the size of potatoes). Remove potatoes from water and allow to cool a few minutes until they can be handled.

• Why not peel and chop potatoes before cooking? They will peel more easily after they are cooked. The peels slip right off without wasting any of the actual potato as happens when you peel a raw potato. Cooking the potatoes whole also retains more of the potato's flavor and nutrients which would otherwise boil away if they were chopped and then boiled.

Step 3. While the potatoes cook and cool, dice the celery and onion.

Step 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the pickle juice, Italian dressing, garlic powder, salt and pepper. (Combining these before adding them to the potatoes makes it easier to evenly distribute the flavors throughout the potato salad.)

Step 5. Peel the potatoes. The peels should pull off easily. Cut the peeled potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks.

Step 6. Transfer the chopped potatoes to a large bowl or sealable container. (I'm using a 9-cup Rubbermaid container here.) Add the diced celery and onions and drizzle on the mixture of liquids and seasoning. 

Step 7. Cover and refrigerate until cold--at least 4 hours. (May also be prepped to this point a day ahead.) The potatoes will marinate and the flavors will meld during this period.

view on Amazon:  9-cup (2.1L) Rubbermaid containers (perfect size)

Proceed with the remaining steps right before serving the potato salad.

Step 8. Stir together the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl. (Mixing these before adding them to the potato mixture eliminates any unmixed blobs of mustard in the potato salad. Less stirring helps keep the potato pieces intact.)

Step 9. Peel and thinly slice the boiled eggs. Use a knife or one of these egg slicer gizmos.

• view on Amazon: egg slicer

Step 10. Add the mayo mixture to the chilled potato mixture and stir gently until evenly combined. Add the sliced eggs and gently fold them in.

Optional garnishes: Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish it with a light sprinkling of paprika, if desired. You can also garnish it with fresh parsley or dill. 

This potato salad is a summer favorite along with these recipes:

• Barbecue Baby Back Ribs
• Slow Cooker Corn-On-The-Cob 

Love for this creamy salad has withstood the test of time in my family. I hope you like it, too.

Make it a Yummy day!

Monica

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Potato Salad | A Creamy Classic

By Monica              Servings: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

• 3 lbs potatoes (red, golden or russets)
• 1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (1/2 cup
• 2 tablespoons bottled Italian dressing*
• 2 tablespoons liquid from dill pickle jar
• 2 teaspoons koshers salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 boiled eggs, sliced
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon regular yellow mustard
• OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
• paprika
• fresh dill

Directions

Add whole potatoes to large pot and enough water to cover potatoes completely. Bring to boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook until fork tender, approx. 35 minutes (time may vary depending on size of potatoes). Remove potatoes from water and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks, and add to large bowl along with onion and celery.

In small bowl, whisk together Italian dressing, pickle liquid, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour over potatoes and stir gently to evenly distribute without breaking/mashing potatoes. Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 4 hours. (This can be prepped to this point up to a day ahead.)

Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs and chill in refrigerator.

Before serving, mix mayonnaise and mustard in small bowl. Stir into potato mixture. Slice boiled eggs and gently fold into mixture.

OPTIONAL GARNISHES: Paprika and chopped fresh dill or parsley can be sprinkled on top, if desired.

*Use purchased Italian dressing or use my Everyday Vinaigrette, recipe at: https://www.theyummylife.com/everyday_vinaigrette

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