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Home » Recipes » Potato Salad Recipe

Potato Salad Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Jul 3, 2023 · 39 Comments · Jump to Recipe

Potato Salad Recipe

My favorite creamy potato salad recipe with fork tender potatoes mixed with mayo, Creole mustard and Cajun seasonings, the perfect side dish or served with gumbo.

Potato Salad Recipe

This is the Best Potato Salad Recipe

We're cooking up a big batch of Homemade Potato Salad in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends, only this is not your typical potato salad.

I grew up eating potato salad, which was usually served at holidays or gatherings, like picnics or barbecues. It's a great side dish, a nice mix of creamy and tangy, rather hearty, actually.

For me, though, it usually lacked flavor. Most people make more of a German potato salad, which focuses on the creamy dressing and doesn't have a whole lot of seasoning.

This particular recipe is more of a Cajun Potato Salad, kicked up a notch with spices and Creole mustard, which adds a wonderful zesty quality you won't get with other recipes.

Most people serve this as a side dish to fried or grilled foods, but a good potato salad is a must for serving with a big bowl of gumbo. It's a traditional dish in southern Louisiana, where some people even serve it scooped directly into their gumbo.

However you serve it, I hope you enjoy this version as much as we do.

Let's talk about how to make potato salad, shall we?

Cajun Potato Salad Ingredients

  • Potatoes. I am using red potatoes for this recipe, but you can use yellow potatoes, like Yukon gold or other waxy potatoes, or white potatoes.
  • Bell Pepper. Use jalapeno for a spicier version.
  • Celery.
  • Green Onion.
  • Parsley.
  • Mayonnaise. I use either Duke's mayo or make my own homemade mayo, but you can use your favorite brand.
  • Creole Mustard. Whole grain mustard is a good substitute. Classic potato salad uses yellow mustard or Dijon mustard, which are fine here, but a good Creole mustard will add more zestiness.
  • Seasonings. Cayenne, paprika, and salt and pepper. Or, use Cajun seasonings. Onion powder is a nice add.
  • Hard Boiled Eggs.

How to Make Potato Salad - the Recipe Method

Boil the Potatoes. Add the cubed potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Add a bit of salt and bring the water to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, or until fork tender but still hold their shape. Drain and cool slightly until cool enough to handle.

You might need 15 minutes or longer if boiling larger chunks of potatoes.

Creamy Potato Salad Dressing. To a large bowl, add the bell pepper, celery, green onion, parsley, mayo, mustard, and seasonings. 

Condiments in a bowl for making Potato Salad

Mix the Dressing. Give it all a good stir to incorporate all of the ingredients. This is your creamy dressing, loaded with flavor.

Stir in the Potatoes. Stir in the cooked potatoes to completely coat them in the creamy mixture.

Stirring the creamy Potato Salad in a bowl

Hard Boiled Eggs. Gently stir in the chopped hard boiled eggs. Mix or mash the potato salad to your preferred consistency. Do you want it chunky? Creamy? Both?

Mixing the egg into the Potato Salad

Taste and Adjust. Taste and adjust for salt. You can also add in more mayo and/or mustard if you prefer creamier potato salad.

Potato Salad Time. Serve, or cover and refrigerate to serve chilled.

Boom! Done! Your creamy potato salad is ready to serve. Cajun style, my friends! Lots of spices and flavor, nothing like those other boring potato salads. How are you serving yours?

Potato Salad in a serving dish

Serving Potato Salad

This potato salad is the perfect side dish for fried chicken or fried seafood, though it is popularly served with gumbo in parts of Louisiana.

It's great with any grilling or backyard barbecues, ideal with anything off the grill. Just make a big bowl of awesome potato salad and let your guests or family scoop it right up.

Is Potato Salad Served with Gumbo?

Yes, potato salad is a popular dish served alongside your favorite gumbo. Some people enjoy adding a spoonful or two of creamy potato salad into their gumbo, though it is more commonly served on the side. Try it with my Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo recipe.

Potato Salad in a bowl of gumbo

Recipe Tips & Notes

Should I Peel the Potatoes to Make Potato Salad?

You don't need to peel potatoes, though you can if you'd like. I enjoy my potato salad with the peels, which are nutritious and offer a pleasant texture to the dish.

Optional Additions

You can use other ingredients to this dish to make it your own. Other popular additions include red onion, dill pickles, sweet pickles, relish, and vinegar.

Crunch Factor

The addition of raw peppers and celery to this dish gives it a bit of a "crunch factor". If you prefer it smoother, you can cook the vegetables in a pan with oil for a few minutes until softened before adding to the mix.

Creamy or Chunky Potato Salad?

I usually like to serve a chunky potato salad, so I gently stir the potatoes into the dressing mixture, as not to break apart the potatoes too much.

However, if you prefer a creamy potato salad, you can mash the potatoes with a fork into the dressing. They will turn out more like creamy mashed potatoes this way, which I also love.

Sometimes I do more of a mix of the two. The choice is yours, so mix to your personal preference.

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover potato salad in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can enjoy it again cold or gently warmed in the oven or microwave.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my Cajun style potato salad recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy Louisiana cooking, including Cajun and Creole cuisine, I have found this book very informative with lots of great recipes and techniques.

  • Louisiana Real and Rustic, by Emeril Lagasse (affiliate link, my friends!)

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Seafood Gumbo
  • Mike's Spicy Gumbo, made with ghost peppers
  • Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
  • Gumbo Z'Herbes - "Green Gumbo"
  • Southwest Style Chicken Gumbo
  • Learn More with How to Make Gumbo - a Guide

Try These Other Potato Recipes

  • Scalloped Potatoes
  • Papas Arrugadas
  • Papa a la Huancaina (Peruvian Potatoes)
  • Jalapeno Popper Twice Baked Potatoes
  • Papas con Chile
  • Papas con Chorizo
  • Bombay Potatoes
Real Potato Salad in a serving dish

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Potato Salad Recipe
Print

Cajun Style Potato Salad Recipe

My favorite creamy potato salad recipe with fork tender potatoes mixed with mayo, Creole mustard and Cajun seasonings, the perfect side dish or with gumbo.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cajun, cayenne, mayonnaise, potato salad, potatoes
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Calories: 290kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 8
Tap or hover to scale
4.83 from 17 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds red potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces (You can use yellow potatoes instead - peeled, if desired, or leave unpeeled)
  • 1/2 bell pepper diced (or use a jalapeno)
  • 1 stalk celery diced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Creole mustard or use whole grain - or more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 6 hard boiled eggs chopped

Instructions

  • Add the cubed potatoes to a pot and cover with water. Add a bit of salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain and cool slightly.
  • To a large bowl, add the bell pepper, celery, green onion, parsley, mayo, mustard, and seasonings. Stir to combine.
  • Stir in the cooked potatoes to completely coat them in the creamy mixture.
  • Gently stir in the chopped hard boiled eggs. Mix or mash the potato salad to your preferred consistency. Do you want it chunky? Creamy? Both?
  • Taste and adjust for salt.
  • Serve, or cover and refrigerate to serve chilled.

Video

Nutrition Information

Calories: 290kcal   Carbohydrates: 20g   Protein: 8g   Fat: 20g   Saturated Fat: 4g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g   Monounsaturated Fat: 5g   Trans Fat: 1g   Cholesterol: 149mg   Sodium: 291mg   Potassium: 628mg   Fiber: 3g   Sugar: 3g   Vitamin A: 858IU   Vitamin C: 21mg   Calcium: 42mg   Iron: 2mg
Potato Salad Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/3/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 4/13/22.

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Susan says

    August 27, 2023 at 3:24 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness - turned out great! Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 28, 2023 at 6:21 am

      Great! Thanks, Susan!

      Reply
  2. Mary Shirkey says

    August 03, 2023 at 2:24 pm

    5 stars
    This was amazing but one thing I did different & make it more spicy was I boiled my potatoes in crab boil. Slap your momma good! Thanks

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 03, 2023 at 2:58 pm

      Boom! I love it!

      Reply
    • Lisa Murphey says

      September 03, 2023 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      That’s a great idea! I do that with a shrimp salad and with lemon. Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Mike Dory says

    July 04, 2023 at 7:48 pm

    Potato salad is very good and was easy to make. I confess I had to add some chopped dill pickles to finish it off. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 05, 2023 at 7:09 am

      I like it! Thanks, Mike!

      Reply
  4. Miska Knezevic says

    July 03, 2023 at 1:56 pm

    5 stars
    love it!Thank you!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 03, 2023 at 2:03 pm

      Thanks, Miska!

      Reply
  5. Raimo Tarkkonen says

    December 31, 2022 at 5:42 pm

    5 stars
    Awesome! Happy New Year 2023.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 01, 2023 at 8:22 am

      Happy New Year, Raimo!

      Reply
  6. jamie parisi says

    November 28, 2022 at 12:51 pm

    JoAnn

    Just use mustard and some light olive oil. as your base

    Reply
  7. jamie parisi says

    November 28, 2022 at 12:50 pm

    5 stars
    Really easy to make. Ive done it 3 times for Potlucks and its been a hit. I couldnt find creole mustard - so i subbed in Horseradish Mustard and used Smoked Paprika. its Awesome.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 28, 2022 at 12:54 pm

      Perfection!! Thanks for sharing, Jamie!

      Reply
  8. JoAnn V says

    November 17, 2022 at 6:23 pm

    Do you have any potato salad dressings that do no use mayo? My family will not eat mayo.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 18, 2022 at 4:12 pm

      I do not at this time, JoAnn. Perhaps soon!

      Reply
  9. Debbie says

    October 26, 2022 at 8:30 am

    What? No pickles? I can't imagine potato salad without pickles.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      October 26, 2022 at 2:54 pm

      Go for it!

      Reply
    • Lisa Murphey says

      April 01, 2023 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      It is a different style recipe. I make half a dozen styles and only one do I use relish and or eggs. This recipe is wouldnt taste good with relish. A friend said the same thing,but when i made it to go with a cayenne rubbed rib recipe she agreed. I didn’t put eggs in this recipe.Try it, you’ll love it.

      Reply
  10. Larry Sisson says

    September 23, 2022 at 4:25 pm

    5 stars
    I made the potato salad today..I did change up and used a few red bells..Paprika..and for the heat I used a Habenaro Lime seasoning..huge hit...this will bemy go to for parties..thank you

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      September 26, 2022 at 4:55 am

      Thank you, Larry - enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Pamela Schramek says

    September 03, 2022 at 2:15 pm

    5 stars
    To make this low carb I Cooked a 2 lb bag of Cauliflower florets. Followed the recipe exactly. OMG it was delicious! Thank you Mike for another great recipe!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 03, 2022 at 3:10 pm

      Thanks, Pamela!

      Reply
  12. Charles Pascual says

    August 19, 2022 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    OK, we just got your email today - no potatoes in the house! We do have pasta and so made this with small pasta shells - otherwise, followed your recipe. This is terrific! Serving it with blackened fish tonight but we'll make this again soon with potatoes. Great recipe, Mike.

    Reply
    • Lisa Murphey says

      April 01, 2023 at 5:51 pm

      5 stars
      yum!

      Reply
  13. Laura says

    August 19, 2022 at 3:02 pm

    I’ve been making a similar potato salad as yours, it’s my husband’s favorite. I reduce the amt. of Mayo and add ranch dressing, adding Frank’s hot sauce, fresh dill and a T of sweet relish….southerners love a little sweet in almost everything.
    I’m going to try yours over the Labor Day week-end, thanks.
    Laura

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 22, 2022 at 9:36 am

      Perfect, Laura!

      Reply
  14. Richard says

    August 19, 2022 at 11:19 am

    5 stars
    What is Creole Mustard? I've never heard of it or seen it in any store.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 22, 2022 at 9:36 am

      It's like a spicy brown mustard, which you can use instead. Enjoy!

      Reply
  15. Lisa Murphey says

    August 19, 2022 at 10:32 am

    I turned this recipe and a potato soup recipe into a bomb digity potato soup! I share your recipes with all my friends….you are awesome!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 22, 2022 at 9:36 am

      Sounds perfect to me!

      Reply
  16. Todd says

    August 19, 2022 at 8:00 am

    4 stars
    Mike, what's the difference (if any) between Creole and Cajun mustard?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 22, 2022 at 9:40 am

      Todd, it's really a brown mustard with Cajun or Creole seasonings added in. You can use a spicy brown mustard.

      Reply
  17. Damien C. says

    April 14, 2022 at 6:54 am

    5 stars
    The family loved this version of potato salad. Lots and lots of flavor. We're ready for summer. Thanks for another good one.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 14, 2022 at 6:56 am

      Thanks, Damien!

      Reply
  18. Fran says

    April 14, 2022 at 6:37 am

    4 stars
    I agree with you that most creamy potato salads are bland, but that’s not German style. German potato salad uses hot bacon dressing with a 50/50 vinegar and sugar blend for a lighter, tangy version. (I use the same dressing for spinach salad, green beans, wilted lettuce, and cole slaw.) diced onions and peppers of choice add color and crunch.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 14, 2022 at 6:57 am

      Definitely not saying all German potato salads are bland. I've had some great ones, but in general, for me, most end up rather bland. I need a bit more to my potato salad, as per this recipe. Cheers.

      Reply
      • LeRoy says

        August 20, 2022 at 6:30 am

        4 stars
        Try adding a tablespoon of horseradish.

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          August 22, 2022 at 9:42 am

          5 stars
          You surely can. Horseradish has a wonderful ZING to it.

          Reply

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