Easy Classic Potato Salad with Eggs is a nostalgic, old-fashioned potato salad, slightly tangy, made with hard-boiled eggs and crunchy celery. This one-bowl deli-style recipe is vegetarian and dairy-free.
This potato salad is a classic. While some old-fashioned recipes contain ham, this recipe is pork-free.
It’s a simple dish to make ahead and an amazing addition to picnics, family barbecues, parties, events, and the dinner table.
If you need a delicious side for a potluck with friends, look no further!
It’s completely adaptable, so you can add more mayo or less, more eggs or less, or more celery or less. Make it entirely “to taste” and “as you like it!”
And it’s budget-friendly.
A little about potatoes
The potato is a perennial, starchy tuber, a root vegetable, that is native to the Americas.
Potatoes contain health benefits and are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and nutrients and provide fuel for the body.
Potatoes are gluten-free and very filling. In addition, they are a good source of antioxidants—some more than others—and they contain resistant starch. However, their nutritional content depends on the type of potato. Much of a potato’s nutrition is in the skin of the potato, and peeling them reduces their nutritional value.
Adding fattening toppings, such as sour cream or butter, adds calories and fat.
Different potatoes are considered to work best with different recipes, but overall, they can be used in a variety of delicious meals for recipes from all over the world.
There may be over a couple hundred varieties of potatoes in the United States, but there are only 7 main categories. The most popular of these are the red, white, yellow, and russet.
And eggs also have nutritional value!
For many years eggs were considered a source of high cholesterol and a possible cause of heart disease, and people were warned against them and recommended to have only a few per week in their diets.
It is true that one large egg yolk has 200 mg of cholesterol. However, the additional nutrients that eggs contain may actually help LOWER the risk of heart disease by raising the “good” cholesterol in one’s body.
Eggs are high in protein and filling but low in calories. They have nutritional value and contain a large variety of vitamins as well as some antioxidants.
The color of the yolk depends on the diet of the hen, and different types of chickens may lay different colored eggs; white or brownish.
Egg white consists primarily of approximately 90 percent water and contains almost no fat or carbohydrates.
The yolk of a new egg is firm, but then it absorbs water from the egg white, which causes it to increase in size and become loose.
You may be surprised to know that raw egg white is sometimes used in the preparation of vaccines.
Many people believe that since eggs are found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, and very frequently near the dairy section, they are also dairy.
Nonetheless, eggs are NOT DAIRY. You CANNOT milk a chicken!
And celery is healthy too!
Some cooking terms
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.
Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?
If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor-related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance-related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I make this classic potato salad ahead of time?
Yes. Potato salad actually tastes better when made a few hours or even the night before, as it allows the creamy dressing and flavors to fully soak into the potatoes and hard-boiled eggs. If you find that there is extra liquid on the bottom, just mix before you serve.
Is this potato salad pork-free and vegetarian?
Yes, this recipe is vegetarian, dairy-free, and pork-free, making it a safe and crowd-pleasing side dish for kosher and diverse dietary gatherings.
How long does egg potato salad last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, this potato salad will keep fresh in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days because it uses hard-boiled eggs and a mayonnaise base.
Can I freeze potato salad with hard-boiled eggs?
No. Mayonnaise-based potato salads and hard-boiled eggs do not freeze well. Neither do potatoes. The mayonnaise tends to separate and become watery, and the texture of the potatoes and eggs changes unpleasantly upon thawing.
What kind of potatoes are best for classic potato salad?
Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape best and provide a great creamy texture, though classic Russet potatoes can also be used if you prefer a softer, traditional diner-style texture.
How do I keep potato salad from getting dry in the fridge?
Potatoes absorb moisture as they sit in the refrigerator. To keep your salad creamy, reserve a small spoonful of extra mayonnaise or dressing to stir in right before serving.
What is needed to make delicious, classic potato salad with eggs?
I hardly ever meal plan, so I like to keep a cupboard full of seasonings, spices, veggies, and canned goods in my kitchen to use whenever the mood strikes.
But these are all you need to have on hand to make this recipe even last-minute!
2 pounds of potatoes
celery
onion
hard-boiled eggs
mayonnaise
white vinegar
salt
sugar
ground black pepper
Do you love salads like those found in New York delis and bagel shops? Try these!
Deli-Style Coleslaw
Deli-Style Macaroni Salad
Deli-Style Cucumber Salad
Easy Classic Potato Salad with Eggs Recipe
Easy and delicious, creamy old-fashioned potato salad with eggs.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of boiled potatoes, peeled*
- 1 cup thinly sliced (horizontally) or diced celery
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped or diced (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 cup of Best Foods/Hellmann's mayonnaise**
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (and a little more for garnish if desired)
Instructions
- Cut the boiled potatoes into approximately 1" pieces and place in a mixing bowl.
- Add onion and celery to the bowl and chop the eggs into 6-8 pieces and add them to the bowl as well.
- Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper to the bowl and gently mix everything together thoroughly.
- Chill (tastes better if eaten chilled).
Notes
*5-6 medium potatoes
**You can use whichever mayo you want, but Best Foods and Hellmann's are the best (both mayo brands are the same—the name just depends on where you live in the US.)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 687Total Fat: 50gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 41gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 1309mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 9g