Mom’s Classic Egg Potato Salad

This is a classic southern-style potato salad that’s been in my family for decades. It’s got everything you want – creamy dressing, hard boiled eggs, pickles, and fresh dill that makes it way better than store-bought versions.

June Arthurs
January 23, 2026
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Ingredients (~12 servings)

  • 4 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 7 hard boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 tsp celery seed
  • 3/4 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 3/4 cup diced dill pickles
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 ribs celery, finely diced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Boil the Potatoes Until Very Soft

Place the chopped potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 2 inches.

Bring to a boil and cook for ~15-20 minutes until the potatoes are very soft – you want them to break apart slightly when you stab them with a fork.

Drain and allow to cool for ~10 minutes so they’re not steaming hot when you mix everything together.

The residual heat will help the dressing absorb better than stone-cold potatoes.

Mix the Dressing in a Large Bowl

In your largest mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, celery seed, paprika, and fresh dill.

Season with a good hit of salt and pepper – probably 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to start.

The dressing should taste slightly over-seasoned on its own since it’s going to coat a lot of potatoes and other ingredients.

Fold Everything Together Gently

Use a rubber spatula to fold in the shallot, green onions, pickles, celery, and chopped eggs first.

Then gently fold in the warm potatoes – they’ll break apart some and that’s exactly what you want for good potato salad texture.

Season again with more salt and pepper to taste; The potatoes will absorb a lot of seasoning.

Refrigerate for Several Hours Before Serving

Cover and refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours or overnight so all the flavors meld together.

Before serving, give it another gentle toss and taste for seasoning – you’ll probably need to add more salt.

Sprinkle the top with extra fresh dill and a dusting of paprika.

The potato salad keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge and actually gets better after the first day.

Mom’s Classic Egg Potato Salad

This is a classic southern-style potato salad that’s been in my family for decades. It’s got everything you want – creamy dressing, hard boiled eggs, pickles, and fresh dill that makes it way better than store-bought versions.
prep time30 minutes
cook time20 minutes
resting or cooling time4 hours 10 minutes
total time5 hours

Ingredients

Ingredients (~12 servings)

  • 4 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
  • 7 hard boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 tsp celery seed
  • 3/4 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 3/4 cup diced dill pickles
  • 1 large shallot, finely diced
  • 6 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 ribs celery, finely diced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  • Boil potatoes in cold water for 15-20 minutes until very soft.
  • Drain potatoes and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Whisk mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, celery seed, paprika, and dill in large bowl.
  • Season dressing with salt and pepper.
  • Fold in shallot, green onions, pickles, celery, and eggs.
  • Gently mix in warm potatoes, allowing some to break down.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Refrigerate 3-4 hours or overnight.
  • Toss before serving and garnish with extra dill and paprika.

Notes

Keeps 3-4 days in refrigerator. Flavor improves overnight.