Barbecues are famous for grilled and smoked meat, but side dishes and salads are what compliments the meat and complete the barbecue. Potato salad is one of the most popular sides to serve at a barbecue and this Creamy Potato Salad recipe is one of our favourites.
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My Mom Made The Best Potato Salad
One of the best things my mother made when I was growing up was her potato salad. It was always requested at family gatherings and something my mom was proud of.
The one thing that stood out about my mom’s potato salad was that it was made from mashed potatoes. I was in my teens by the time I was introduced to potato salad made from cubed potatoes. And to this day, I still do not like potato salad made from cubed potatoes.
When my mom made her potato salad, it was usually for a large crowd so I never learned to make a smaller batch. The recipe can be halved easily, but I always make the full recipe. Leftovers from this salad are always expected.
Our Recipe for Creamy Potato Salad
Our recipe is based on my mom’s original recipe. There are a few additions and substitutions to her original recipe.
My mom always used Miracle Whip in her salad, but we prefer real mayonnaise in our salad. And we use green onions in place of regular onions.
My mom never added extras to her salad. It was always the basic ingredients of potatoes, eggs, mayonnaise, onions, and paprika. The addition of bacon and pickles add to the overall flavour.
Equipment Needed to Make This Recipe
A large pot is necessary to make Creamy Potato Salad. The recipe uses 10 pounds of potatoes, so you need a pot large enough to boil that many potatoes. A smaller pot can be used for a half batch of this recipe.
An additional large pot is needed to boil the eggs.
A potato masher is needed to mash the potatoes. We like to use an old fashion stainless steel potato masher. Because of the number of potatoes used, our teenage boys are usually called to help mash the potatoes. Sometimes it takes a couple of people to complete this task.
To cube the potatoes before boiling, a sharp knife is recommended.
What To Serve Creamy Potato Salad With
This potato salad goes with just about anything.
We serve this salad with brisket, as a side for pulled pork sandwiches, and with BBQ Rotisserie chicken.
It also makes a good side for lunch. Paired with a sandwich or some slices of deli meat, cheese, and baby carrots.
On really hot summer days, when it’s too hot to cook, even standing near a hot BBQ is too much, if we have this salad already made, it is great to add to a cold plate for lunch or dinner.
Storing Leftover Potato Salad
This recipe makes a large batch that is great for sharing and for leftovers. When we have a barbecue or family gathering, there are rarely any leftovers for us. If you do have leftovers, store them covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Creamy Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 10 pounds yellow potatoes, cubed
- 18 boiled eggs, peeled
- 3 cups mayonnaise
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 12 bacon sliced, chopped
- 6 large dill pickles, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp black pepper
- sprinkle of paprika is desired
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted water, boil potatoes until cooked through
- Drain potatoes and mash. Set aside to let cool
- When potatoes are cooled, add boiled eggs and mash eggs into potatoes
- Stir in mayonnaise, green onions, bacon and pickles
- Add salt and pepper and stir well.
- Cover and refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
- Garnish with paprika if desired
This looks so good! Definitely my kind of potato salad. Can I do it with diced potatoes, or is the mashing the real key to making this great?
We haven’t tried it with diced potatoes, to be honest.
This sounds so good! I love that it doesn’t have mustard in it. Thank you for sharing. 🙂