If you are a potato salad lover, this dill pickle potato salad recipe will be right up your alley! Red potatoes tossed in a creamy dressing, with a pleasant pop of texture from crunchy dill pickles, make for the best potato salad - maybe even your new go-to potato salad recipe. Whether you serve this potato salad at your next backyard barbecue or as a dinner side for the whole family, this easy recipe will become a favorite!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Serve and enjoy right away: While this potato salad gets better as it sits if time permits, it is equally as delicious as soon as it is made. This makes for a good make-ahead or last-minute side, or an overall perfect side dish for a summer bbq or meal.
- Use leftover pickle juice: Dill pickle juice is full of flavor and is a great way to elevate brines, dressings, and marinades with tangy flavor. This dressing is a fantastic way to use it up and add an extra layer of pickle flavor to traditional potato salad.
- No peeling required: The great thing about using red-skin potatoes is that you do not need to peel them. Red skin potatoes have thin skin, so that makes one less step for you!
Ingredient Notes
- Red skin potatoes: Red skin potatoes are the best potatoes for potato salads since their thin skin does not require any peeling. Red skinned potatoes are also light and fluffy on the inside, which is the perfect texture for a creamy potato salad. The red skin adds a nice pop of color throughout the salad. You can use baby red potatoes or larger red potatoes cut into small chunks.
- Dill pickles: This is the place to use your favorite tangy dill pickles since you will be using the pickles and the pickle juice throughout the recipe. Pickle chips, spears, or whole pickles will all work for this recipe, as you will be using diced pickles.
- Fresh herbs: To keep the flavors bright and fresh, it is best to use fresh dill and fresh chives. Fresh dill will also amp up the dill flavor from the pickles, making this a super creamy dill dressing.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Red Skin potatoes: Russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes will work in place of red-skinned potatoes. You can also use any kind of baby potatoes that you find in your grocery store. If using a potato with a thicker skin, you will want to peel the skin off before adding it to the salad.
- Dill pickles: Bread and butter pickles or other sweet pickles are a great substitute if you are looking to add a balance of sweet and savory flavors to the dressing. You can also use garlic-brined pickles, or even a spicier pickle if you have them on hand.
- Dijon mustard: Whole grain mustard or honey mustard are good substitutes for Dijon mustard. I do not recommend using plain yellow mustard, as it is overly acidic and the color will also overpower the look of the salad. For a similar tang, you can use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Mayonnaise: For some extra tang, substitute mayonnaise for sour cream or for Greek yogurt. You can also swap only part of the mayonnaise out for the best of both worlds and still get those creamy potatoes you are looking for in a good potato salad.
- Seasonings: If you do not have old bay on hand, use some paprika, celery seed, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Variations
- Bacon potato salad: Add bites of crisp bacon for a smokey, meaty twist on this classic potato salad recipe.
- Extra texture: Finely chopped red onions, green onions, or even some white onions will add an extra bite of texture and flavor to this recipe. Along with the raw onions, finely diced crisp celery ribs are a great textural element.
- Potato egg salad: Mix in chopped hard-boiled eggs a classic potato egg salad, and add some extra protein to this salad.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Prep ingredients: Finely chop the dill pickles, and cube potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cube potatoes into large chunks, keeping the peel on.
- Fill a large pot with cold water. Add the cubed potatoes to the large pot of water with a generous amount of salt, and place over medium-high heat. Boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender. You should be able to insert a fork into the potatoes with little resistance. Drain the boiled potatoes.
- In a small bowl, mix the creamy mayo dressing. Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to use. [photo 1]
- To a large bowl, add the potatoes, chopped pickles, and potato salad dressing. Toss well to coat the potato mixture. [photo 2 &3]
- Serve the salad right away, or store covered in the fridge for a couple of hours until you are ready to serve. [photo 4]
Expert Tips
- Dress potatoes while warm: Potatoes absorb the most flavor while they are still warm. It is best to bring the potatoes and dressing together as soon as you drain and dry off the boiled potatoes.
- Taste for salt at the end: Pickle juice and pickles are generally salty on their own, so be light on the salt until everything has been mixed.
- Add fresh herbs when serving: To keep the fresh herbs bright and keep the color vibrant, add the fresh dill and chives right before serving the potato salad.
Make Ahead & Storage
- This potato salad can be made 2-3 days in advance. Let the potato salad cool to room temperature, and store it in the fridge covered in an airtight container.
- The dressing for the salad can be made 4-5 days in advance of making the potato salad. Store in a mason jar or an airtight container in the fridge.
- Leftover potato salad should be stored in the fridge and can be kept for 2-3 days.
Serving Suggestions
- Chicken: This potato salad goes with almost any chicken recipe. Try serving with grilled honey garlic chicken, Alabama BBQ chicken, or even Hawaiian chicken teriyaki skewers.
- Classic Barbecue: Potato salad is the perfect side for classic barbecue mains like hot dogs, homemade sliders, or stuffed burgers.
- Other sides: Why stop at potato salad? This salad goes perfectly alongside grilled seasoned corn, honey lime coleslaw, and a classic village Greek salad.
Recipe FAQs
How to make potato salad low carb?
You can make potato salad low carb by using cauliflower, in place of potatoes. It will, of course, not be true potato salad, but it is a great substitution.
Can you freeze potato salad?
It is not recommended to freeze potato salad. Mayonnaise-based dressings do not hold up well to defrosting, and the potato salad can end up watery when thawed.
More Salad Recipes
Classic Red Skin Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
If you are a potato salad lover, this dill pickle potato salad recipe will be right up your alley! Red potatoes tossed in a creamy dressing, with a pleasant pop of texture from crunchy dill pickles, make for the best potato salad - maybe even your new go-to potato salad recipe.
✱Before You Get StartedBe sure to read the recipe notes for helpful tips and tricks, to make the best recipe each and every time!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Red skin potatoes
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Pickle juice
- ⅓ cup Dill pickles - finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh chives - finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh dill - finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Old bay
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Salt - to taste
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with cold water. Add the cubed potatoes to the large pot of water with a generous amount of salt, and place over medium-high heat. Boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender. You should be able to insert a fork into the potatoes with little resistance. Drain the boiled potatoes.1½ lbs Red skin potatoes
- In a small bowl, mix the creamy mayo dressing. Set aside in the fridge until you are ready to use.½ cup Mayonnaise, ¼ cup Pickle juice, 1 teaspoon Old bay, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, Salt
- To a large bowl, add the potatoes, chopped pickles, fresh herbs, and potato salad dressing. Toss well to coat the potato mixture.⅓ cup Dill pickles, 1 tablespoon Fresh chives, 1 tablespoon Fresh dill
- Serve the salad right away, or store covered in the fridge for a couple of hours until you are ready to serve.
✱Recipe Notes
- Dress potatoes while warm: Potatoes absorb the most flavor while they are still warm. It is best to bring the potatoes and dressing together as soon as you drain and dry off the boiled potatoes.
- Taste for salt at the end: Pickle juice and pickles are generally salty on their own, so be light on the salt until everything has been mixed.
- Add fresh herbs when serving: To keep the fresh herbs bright and keep the color vibrant, add the fresh dill and chives right before serving the potato salad.
Tried this recipe?Please consider leaving a Review! Your comments and star ratings help us continue to grow, and bring you new and delicious recipes regularly!
Leta says
Sounds great and different. Cannot wait to share it with my family. Thank You#
Sunena Anand says
I hope you love it, Leta!