Classic American Potato Salad: The Perfect BBQ Side Dish
This creamy, tangy potato salad is a nostalgic American BBQ side dish. Red potatoes soak up red wine vinegar while warm, then get folded with eggs, celery, red onion, sweet gherkins, mayonnaise, Dijon, and parsley for the perfect cookout bowl.
- Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 lb red potatoes, scrubbed clean (about 6 medium)
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- fine sea salt (1-2 teaspoons, to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste (about 1/4 tsp))
- 3 hard‑boiled eggs, peeled & diced
- 1 stalk celery, minced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tbsp red onion, minced
- 1/4 cup sweet gherkins, minced
- 1/2 cup good‑quality mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, minced
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes: Place scrubbed potatoes in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of cold, salted water. Bring to a simmer over medium‑high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until fork‑tender, 25–30 minutes (15–20 minutes for smaller new potatoes). A paring knife should slide in with no resistance.
- Drain, cool & cube: Drain well. Let cool just until handleable, peel if desired, then cut into uniform 3/4‑inch cubes while still warm.
- Season warm potatoes: Add warm cubes to a large bowl. Immediately drizzle with red wine vinegar, sprinkle with 1–2 tsp salt and about 1/4 tsp pepper; gently toss so the potatoes absorb the seasoning.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to stop cooking and set flavors.
- Combine: Fold in diced eggs, celery, red onion, sweet gherkins, mayonnaise, Dijon, and parsley until evenly coated. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve or chill: Serve right away or refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor before serving.
Notes
For the best flavor, don’t skip seasoning the warm potatoes with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Make ahead: prepare up to 1 day in advance; stir and refresh with a spoonful of mayo or a splash of vinegar before serving. Stir in 1–2 tbsp pickle brine for extra tang, if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 420
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 90
