A summer party or cookout just isn’t complete without a side of potato salad, and right now, I just can’t get enough of this creamy red potato salad. So when Walmart asked me to share my favorite summer party recipe, it immediately came to mind. It’s definitely not my mother’s potato salad, which I love as well, but there’s just something about the simplicity of this dish that I really appreciate right now.
While my mom’s recipe calls for onions, celery, and hard boiled eggs, to name just a few — all ingredients that require extra dicing or cooking — this simple red potato salad recipe calls for just potatoes, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, and chopped chives, plus a little salt and pepper to taste. There aren’t any hard to find ingredients here, just simple, fresh produce that I picked up on a recent Walmart shopping trip, and some staples that you probably already have on hand.
As with any potato salad recipe, the most time consuming step is in boiling the potatoes. I typically choose to boil the potatoes the evening before I plan to make it and then pop them in the refrigerator so they’re cold and ready to go. When I’m ready to make the potato salad, I just whisk the dressing ingredients together until combined, toss the diced potatoes with the mixture, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
I prefer to chill the potato salad before serving for at least an hour, but it’s still delicious served immediately. Either way, if you plan to take it to an outdoor summer gathering, be sure to keep it on ice!
Red Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3-lbs. small red potatoes
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 8-oz. package chives, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Wash potatoes and place, unpeeled, in a large pot. Fill pot so that the water just covers the potatoes, salt the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes or so.
- Drain and place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
- Cut cooled potatoes into 1" to 1 1/2" chunks.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, chives, and dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add potatoes to mixture and toss to combine.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Another delicious variation on this recipe would be to use my homemade mayo recipe, increasing the amount of dijon mustard from 1/2 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons.
Need some more summer side dish inspiration? Check out these other family faves:
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch
Monday 15th of July 2013
Yum!!! Gotta have it!
phnip
Monday 15th of July 2013
You might find that if the potatoes are slightly warm they absorb the flavours of the dressing better. If they are cold the dressing just sort of sits on top. If you want to reduce the calories substitute half the mayonnaise for low fat yoghurt.
Tara @ Unsophisticook
Friday 19th of July 2013
That's a great tip for when you have time to do it all at once -- thanks!