Classic Potato Salad Recipe
Take your camping meals to the next level with our classic potato salad recipe! Creamy, tangy, and packed with flavor, it’s the ultimate side dish for any outdoor adventure.
A classic potato salad recipe is the ideal side dish to make and take camping! Tender potatoes are easy to prepare and travel well when packing and preparing for a camping trip.
Too busy to make this right away? Pin it for later! Pin this post to your favorite board on Pinterest and it will be there when you’re ready!
We love that this traditional potato salad only needs a few simple ingredients from the grocery store! And it makes the perfect make-ahead dish for summer, great for pairing with smoked baby back ribs, smoked brisket, or beer can chicken.
Our classic recipe is a family favorite that has been a staple at all of our summer cookouts since I (Heather) was a child. The secret ingredient, and one that you don’t find in too many potato salad recipes, is pickle juice!
This post contains affiliate links.
Supplies
Classic Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- Eggs, hard boiled – Creamy and rich, chopped eggs add protein and that nostalgic deli-style texture everyone expects.
- Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced – Tender, buttery potatoes that hold their shape beautifully without turning mushy.
- Mayonnaise – The creamy base that brings everything together.
- Chives, minced – Mild and fresh, these add just the right hint of onion flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Baby dill pickles, diced – Crunchy and tangy, diced pickles add texture and that classic potato salad bite.
- Pickle Juice – The secret ingredient that brightens the whole salad with a punch of tangy flavor.
- Yellow Mustard – A little mustard adds color and just enough zip to balance the creaminess.
- Salt – Simple but essential, salt enhances all the flavors and ties the salad together.
Instructions
1. In a medium pot, cook eggs for 10 minutes at a low rolling boil.
2. Rinse the hard-boiled eggs in cold water, peel, and dice.
3. Place peeled and diced potatoes into a large pot and cover them with water.
4. Cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Strain potatoes and place them into a large bowl.
6. Add egg, pickles, and chives and stir.
7. Add mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, and salt.
8. Mix well.
Recipe Substitutions
- Use green onions or red onions instead of chives
- Red potatoes, russet potatoes
- Cut the mayonnaise in half and add sour cream instead.
- Sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish
Tips and Tricks
- This makes a large portion of salad that is great for feeding a crowd. You can halve the recipe for smaller groups or small family dinners.
- Store potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Because of the mayonnaise, be sure to only keep it at room temperature for a short time before returning to the fridge. I like to bring a bag of ice to rest the bowl on when bringing this to picnics, as it helps keep the dish cool.
- If the salad is less creamy the next day, simply add a teaspoon of pickle juice, white vinegar, or olive oil to the mixture and give it a stir.
This is one of our favorite side dishes for the warm summer months because it’s easy to prepare in advance and bring to an event. It’s been a go-to recipe for camping as well!
This post contains affiliate links.
Tips for camping meal preparation
- Prepare meals in advance at home whenever possible. Leave most of the mess at home where running water is more accessible and clean up is easier. Trust me on this one!
- Create “one pot” family style meals for quick dinners that don’t require a lot of thought.
- Use tinfoil packets, foil pie pans or pie irons. These tools help to make clean up a breeze!
- Pack ingredients in 1 gallon size ziploc bags for flexible storage in small fridges and coolers.
- Plan meals that use similar ingredients to help make packing and planning easy. These Cheesy Vegetable Campfire Dip, Loaded Campfire Potatoes and Tinfoil Packet Taco Salad recipes are some of my favorites.
If you love this classic potato salad recipe as much as we do, please give it a 5-star rating by clicking on the stars in the recipe card below and help us share it on Facebook and Pinterest.
Classic Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 eggs hard boiled
- 3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup chives minced
- 4 baby dill pickles diced
- 3 Tbsp pickle juice
- 2 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a medium pot, cook eggs for 10 minutes at a low rolling boil.
- Rinse the hard-boiled eggs in cold water, peel, and dice.
- Place peeled and diced potatoes into a large pot and cover them with water.
- Cook over medium-high heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
- Strain potatoes and place them into a large bowl.
- Add egg, pickles, and chives and stir.
- Add mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, and salt.
- Mix well.
Notes
- This makes a large portion of salad that is great for feeding a crowd. You can halve the recipe for smaller groups or small family dinners.
- Store potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Because of the mayonnaise, be sure to only keep it at room temperature for a short time before returning to the fridge. I like to bring a bag of ice to rest the bowl on when bringing this to picnics, as it helps keep the dish cool.
- If the salad is less creamy the next day, simply add a teaspoon of pickle juice, white vinegar, or olive oil to the mixture and give it a stir.