The Best American Potato Salad Recipes

THE BEST AMERICAN POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with cold water and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the eggs in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and cover with ice water to cool; peel, chop and set aside.
• Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle brine, mustard and sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the pickles, celery, scallions and parsley. Spoon the mayonnaise mixture over the potatoes and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add the hard-boiled eggs and gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with paprika just before serving.

AMERICAN POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender but still firm. Drain, cool and cut into cubes.
• Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
• In a large bowl, combine chopped potatoes and eggs. Mix together mayonnaise, chopped onion, green onion, green pepper, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then mix well. Cover, and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

CLASSIC AMERICAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer, stirring to ensure even cooking, until a thin-bladed paring knife or a metal skewer inserted into a potato can be removed with no resistance, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again. Cool slightly.
• Cut warm potatoes into 3/4-inch dice with a serrated knife. Layer them in a bowl, seasoning with vinegar, salt and pepper as you go. Cut eggs, celery and pickle in 1/4-inch dice and thinly slice scallions. Add to potatoes, along with parsley. Stir in mayonnaise and mustard until everything is combined. Chill, covered, before serving.

JULIA'S AMERICAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and slice each one lengthwise in half, or in quarters if very large; then cut crosswise into half-round or quarter-round slices, about 1/2 inch thick.
• Put the slices in a saucepan with water just to cover and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per quart of water. Heat to a simmer, and cook the potatoes for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just cooked through. It is essential that they be just cooked through. Bite into a slice or two to be very sure. Immediately remove from the heat and drain the potatoes into a colander, but save a cup of the cooking liquid for dressing the potatoes. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Stir the cider vinegar with ⅓ cup of the potato water or chicken stock and drizzle this over the potato pieces, turning them gently to distribute it evenly. Let sit 10 minutes to absorb the liquid.
• Add the prepared onion, celery, bacon, pickle, hard-boiled eggs, and chives, and season carefully to taste. Top with ⅔ cup of mayonnaise (or a mix of mayonnaise and a bit of sour cream) and, with a large rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until well blended. Taste the salad and add more salt, pepper, or mayonnaise as needed.
• Cover the salad and set aside in the refrigerator for at least an hour or so before serving. If it is refrigerated longer, let it come back to room temperature before serving. Taste and adjust the seasoning again.
• To serve, line a bowl or a platter with red-leaf lettuce or other greens, and mound the salad on top. Decorate at the last moment, if you wish, with any or all of the optional garnishes.