Potato Salad Recipe

Prepare potatoes

Scrub potatoes and cut into roughly 1-inch chunks. Place potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. Check doneness by piercing a chunk with a fork — it should meet little resistance but not fall apart.

Cook eggs

While potatoes cook, place eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Let sit 10–12 minutes for hard-boiled yolks. Drain and cool under cold running water or in an ice bath; peel and chop coarse once cooled.

Drain and cool potatoes

When potatoes are done, drain them in a colander and let steam-dry for 2–3 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and allow to cool until warm (not hot) — about 10–15 minutes. Cooling slightly helps the dressing cling without melting the mayo.

Dice vegetables

While potatoes cool, finely dice the celery, red onion, and pickles. Chop chives and parsley. Add the diced celery, red onion, and pickles to the bowl with the warm potatoes, reserving chopped herbs for later to keep color bright.

Fold in chopped hard-boiled eggs gently into the potato mixture, leaving some larger pieces for texture.

Make the dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar (or honey), remaining 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, and celery seed if using. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be tangy-sweet and slightly sharp from mustard.

Combine dressing with potatoes

Pour the dressing over the warm potato mixture. Gently fold the dressing into the potatoes and vegetables using a rubber spatula to avoid breaking the potatoes. Work until components are evenly coated. If the salad seems dry, add an additional tablespoon of mayonnaise or 1 teaspoon vinegar to reach desired creaminess.

Stir in most of the chopped chives and parsley, reserving a small amount for garnish. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Chill and serve

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the potato salad at least 1 hour to let flavors meld (2–4 hours is better). Bring to cool-chilled temperature before serving. Right before serving, give the salad a gentle stir, sprinkle with smoked paprika if using, and scatter the reserved chopped chives or parsley on top.

Serve cold or at cool room temperature. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.