Summer is almost here and that means summer BBQ time! I don’t mean to brag (who am I kidding, yes I do) but this top secret recipe makes the world’s best home style potato salad, something you will want to make for every summer BBQ and picnic. The recipe is originally from my Babci (grandmother) and her potato salad was like crack. It was especially good when served with Cornell-Brooks BBQ chicken or a hamburger, a nice fresh garden salad, jello salad, and my sweet & tangy baked beans. (OMG, all this BBQ food talk is making me hungry.) Thank goodness, Babci passed her recipe down to my mom, and my mom to me. Now I am passing it down to you! (I think this makes you part of the family now?!)
This best home style potato salad recipe is pretty simple–just potato, egg, onion, celery, and mayonnaise. Creamy and flavorful, it is easy to make, but does take the right balance of ingredients to make it perfect. Too much potato and not enough egg and the salad would taste too bland. Too much onion would overwhelm the delicate flavor of the egg, and too much mayonnaise and the salad would taste artificial. There is a secret to making this potato salad, so make sure you follow it every time you make this. If you do, Babci’s Best Home Style Potato Salad will become a family favorite for your family too!
Best Home Style Potato Salad
- 6-8 Large Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes
- 2 tsp. Salt
- 5-6 Eggs
- 1/3 c. Chopped Green Scallions (or finely chopped sweet onion)
- 1/4 c. Finely chopped celery
- 1/2-2/3 c. Mayonnaise
- 3-4 Tbsp. Milk
- Pinch of pepper to taste
Wash and cut the potatoes into 2-3 inch pieces and place in a large stock pot. Add salt and fill the pot with water to cover the potatoes. Place the pot on stove top and heat on high until boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Pour off the water and place the potatoes on a plate to cool. You can then peel off the skins using a sharp knife or leave the potatoes with the skins on. Slice the potatoes into bite-size slices in a large bowl.
While the potatoes are cooking, place the eggs in a large pot, add water to cover, and set on the stove on high to boil. When the eggs have reached boiling, simmer for 1-2 minutes with the pot lid on, then remove from heat and sit for 15 minutes in the hot water. Pour the hot water off and fill the pot with ice and cold water. Allow the eggs to cool for about 10 minutes in the ice water. Peel the eggs and slice them into the bowl with the potatoes.
Chop the scallions and celery into small pieces and add to the potatoes. Note: My grandmother used sweet chopped onions in her potato salad but my family prefers the taste of the scallions. You can use either in your salad.
Whisk the mayonnaise, milk, and pepper together in a bowl, then pour over the potato mixture and stir to combine. If your potato salad is still a little dry, mix in 2-3 more tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of milk. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or serve immediately. Be sure to make my Aunt Mike’s Raspberry Razzle Jello salad with this, it’s so good!
*Did you figure out the secret? There are actually two of them. First, use almost as many eggs as potatoes, as long as you are using larger potatoes. If you have smaller potatoes, use one egg per two potatoes. Second is the milk. The milk mixed with the mayonnaise makes the salad more creamy without overwhelming it with mayonnaise taste. *
