This creamy egg potato salad combines Yukon Gold potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, crunchy celery, and dill pickles with a sour cream-Dijon dressing. Mashed egg yolks give the dressing extra richness, while chopped whites add texture. Served chilled, it is a make-ahead side for cookouts, picnics, and family dinners.
Why You'll Love This Egg Potato Salad
- Eggs in every layer: Chopped whites add texture, mashed yolks enrich the dressing, and reserved slices finish the bowl.
- A tangy balance: Dill pickles, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar cut through the mayonnaise and sour cream.
- A head start on dinner: The salad chills before serving, leaving time to prepare the main dish.
I have always preferred potato salad with tender pieces that still hold their shape, rather than one that turns overly soft or tastes too sweet. That is what I come back to in this version: potatoes, a balanced dressing, and enough crunch to keep each bite interesting. It is one of the sides I make most often during warmer months, alongside dinners such as garlic butter chicken thighs or crispy baked chicken cutlets. For a larger table, tuna pasta salad gives me another dish I can prepare ahead.
The part I pay attention to here is keeping the eggs separate until the dressing is ready. After reserving the garnish slices, I mash the remaining yolks into the mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon, then fold that mixture through the potatoes and chopped whites. It gives this version a different character from my potato salad without eggs, which uses homemade milk mayonnaise, or my Spanish potato salad, which has no creamy dressing.
Key Ingredients in Egg Potato Salad
The recipe card below contains the complete ingredient list and measurements.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: Their creamy texture suits this salad, while properly cooked pieces hold their shape when folded with the dressing. Boil them whole and unpeeled, then peel and cut them after cooling.
- Hard-boiled eggs: The whites provide tender pieces throughout the salad, while the mashed yolks give the dressing body. Reserve the garnish slices before separating the remaining eggs.
- Add crunch with celery and red onion: Finely chopped onion spreads its flavor through the salad, while diced celery provides a firmer bite against the potatoes.
- Use dill pickles and chives for contrast: Drained dill or sour gherkins add a tangy bite without the sweetness of sweet pickles. Chives bring a mild onion flavor.
- Mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon: Mayonnaise provides richness, sour cream adds tang, and Dijon and apple cider vinegar balance the dressing. Paprika and garlic powder round out the seasoning.
How to Make Egg Potato Salad
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Cook and cool: Boil the whole, unpeeled potatoes until fork-tender, counting the cooking time from when the water boils. Cook the eggs in a separate pot, then cool the eggs in cold water and drain and cool the potatoes.
2. Prepare the salad ingredients: Peel the eggs and reserve some slices for garnish. Separate the remaining yolks and whites, keeping the yolks aside. Chop the whites, peel and cut the potatoes, and combine them with the celery, red onion, drained pickles, and chives.
3. Mix the dressing: Mash the yolks with a fork, then mix with the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, vinegar, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder until smooth.
4. Fold and chill: Gently fold the dressing through the salad. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, then finish with the reserved egg slices. Stir in any chilled reserved dressing before garnishing if needed.
Tips for Creamier Potato Salad
- Check the potatoes before draining: A fork should enter easily, but the potatoes should still hold together. Overcooked potatoes break apart more readily during mixing.
- Cool before dressing: Let the potatoes cool before combining them with the dressing so the mixture stays thick and the pieces are easier to handle.
- Fold gently: Lift and turn the ingredients with a spatula rather than stirring vigorously to preserve the chunky texture.
- Save a little dressing: When preparing ahead, refrigerate a spoonful or two separately. Fold it in before serving if the potatoes have absorbed more dressing during chilling.
What to Serve with Egg Potato Salad
Serve this salad with Italian grilled chicken thighs for a cookout-style meal, or pair it with baked salmon in foil for dinner. A bowl of marinated tomatoes adds a juicy, garlicky contrast to the creamy potatoes.
Storage
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a gentle stir before serving, as the dressing thickens during chilling. Keep any reserved dressing covered and refrigerated separately.
For preparing ahead, make the salad earlier in the day and keep it refrigerated until serving. Add the reserved egg slices at the end.
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Recipe
Egg Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 kg Yukon Gold potatoes - weighed before peeling
- 5 large eggs - some slices reserved for garnish after cooking
- 2 celery stalks - diced
- 1 small red onion - finely chopped
- 200 gr dill/sour gherkin pickles - weighed after draining, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Dressing
- 230 gr mayonnaise
- 125 gr sour cream
- 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place 1 kg Yukon Gold potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20-25 minutes from the time the water begins boiling, until fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, place 5 large eggs in a separate pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to cold water. Drain the potatoes and allow both to cool until comfortable to handle.
- Peel the eggs and reserve a few slices for garnish. Separate the remaining yolks from the whites. Set the yolks aside for the dressing, chop the whites, and place the chopped whites in a large mixing bowl. Keep the garnish slices covered in the refrigerator until serving.
- Peel the cooled potatoes and cut them into bite-sized chunks. Add them to the bowl with the chopped egg whites.
- Add 2 celery stalks, diced, 1 small red onion, finely chopped, 200 gr dill/sour gherkin pickles, drained and chopped, and 2 tablespoons chopped chives to the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mash the reserved egg yolks with a fork. Add 230 gr mayonnaise, 125 gr sour cream, 1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and gently fold until evenly coated. If preparing ahead, you can reserve a spoonful or two of dressing in a separate covered container in the refrigerator to stir in before serving.
- Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Gently stir, adding the reserved dressing if needed, and garnish with the reserved egg slices, extra chopped chives, red onion, and a light sprinkle of paprika if desired, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
This egg potato salad is delicious! The creamy dressing and the bits of egg add a perfect touch.