If you are a fan of pickles then you need to make this pickle salad! If you are looking for more pickle recipes, try out this Garlic Dill Pickle Sauce, which doubles as a dip! Or Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer, made with pickle juice and a homemade Panko breading.
Is it even really a summer barbecue if you don’t have a healthy serving of potato salad nestled up against the bun of your hot dog? Potato salad is pretty much a staple for summertime picnics or backyard bbqs.
But, this recipe isn’t your traditional potato salad, this salty side is packed with pickles! It starts with perfectly cooked potatoes. The trick to really good potato salad is to not over cook the potatoes, you want them tender but not mushy.
Then we make a dressing made with mustard, mayo and spices that makes this some really flavorful and creamy potato salad. If you like drier potato salad, drop the amount of mayo down.
Mix the mayonnaise sauce into the potatoes along with small and big chunks of dill pickle. Pop it into the fridge for an hour to let the salad get cold and to let the flavors meld. Then get your mouth ready to eat potato salad perfection!
What is Pickle Potato Salad?
While some potato salad recipes do call for a little relish to be added, it usually isn’t enough to make a statement. This potato salad is quite the opposite, I like to chop up the pickles into two sizes to ensure almost every bite has pickle.
I cut three of the pickles into some pretty big chunks and the last pickle into much smaller (a little bigger than relish sized) pieces. You could do a 50/50 split between the two, also. For a traditional potato salad be sure to check out this deli potato salad.
What Potatoes are Best for Potato Salad?
I always try to use Yukon gold potatoes because I like the creamy texture and the slightly sweet flavor of them. If you only have red potatoes on hand or you prefer the firmness of them they can definitely be used as a substitute.
Russet potatoes also work well in potato salad because they keep their shape really well and are a great choice overall.
To Peel or not to Peel?
Peeling the potatoes is completely a personal preference. I peel my potatoes because I don’t like the skins texture in my potato salad. It probably wouldn’t be noticeable if you use potatoes with thin skin (like red potatoes), but if you use russets they have a thick skin.
Ways to Peel Potatoes.
- You can peel the potatoes with a potato peeler before you boil them. You can also cut them into smaller pieces for quicker cooking.
- Leave the skin on the potatoes and cut them into smaller pieces. Boil the potatoes and then peel the skins off.
- I’ve wanted to try this potato peeling trick so this is the one I did for this recipe. With a sharp knife cut all the way around the potato skin (just barely through the skin not all the way through the potato). Once potatoes are done boiling, drain water. Fill the pot of potatoes with cold water. Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin off one side at a time.
Pickle Potato Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here are the basic ingredients to make potato salad with pickles. For the full ingredient amounts check out the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
- Potatoes: You will need 2.5 – 3 pounds of potatoes which is about 6 medium potatoes.
- Salt: This salt gets added to the potato water.
- Pickle Juice: Dill pickle juice adds some extra tanginess to the salad.
- Pickles: Crunchy dill pickles are my favorite pickles to use.
- Celery: Gives some freshness and some crunch.
- Mayonnaise: We use plenty of mayo to keep the potato salad creamy.
- Mustard: I have only made this with regular yellow mustard.
- Garlic Powder: I recommend using dried garlic over fresh so that the garlic is not overly pungent. You just want a hint of garlic.
- Celery Salt: Add an interesting salty flavor to the salad.
- Dill: Fresh dill weed is going to give you the best flavor, but if all you have is dried dill weed that will also work.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt or sea salt.
- Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper tastes the best but just black pepper is fine.
- Paprika: I use smoked paprika, but regular paprika will work also.
How to Make Recipe
STEP 1: Scrub any dirt off of potatoes. With a sharp knife cut all the way around the potatoes (just barely through the skin not all the way through the potato).
STEP 2: In a large pot of water, add in potatoes and put over medium-high heat, bring to a rolling boil. Drop heat down to medium and add in 1 teaspoon of salt, keeping at a low boil. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender but not falling apart.
STEP 3: Once potatoes are done boiling, drain water. Fill the pot of potatoes with cold water. Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin off one side at a time.
STEP 4: On a cutting board, cut potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks (bite sized) and place into a large mixing bowl. Pour the pickle juice over the potatoes and set aside.
STEP 5: In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder, celery salt, salt, minced dill, and pepper.
STEP 6: To the cut up potatoes, add the chopped pickles and the celery, mix well. Add the mayo mixture, carefully mixing. Sprinkle on paprika.
STEP 7: Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Tips for Success
- Salt the water to give the potatoes some seasoning.
- Make sure potatoes are cold before adding the mayonnaise dressing otherwise it will melt and become oily.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes, you want them to be fork tender but not too mushy or falling apart.
- Make sure to add the potatoes to the cold water before starting to boil them.
- Potatoes will be very hot after boiling. Bring hot potatoes to room temperature by placing them back in the pot with fresh cold water or let them sit to cool down (this will take quite some time).
Recipe Variations
- Sweet flavor. Instead of dill pickles use bread and butter pickles or sweet pickles. Or use Miracle Whip instead of mayo.
- Added crunch. Add in 1/2 cup of chopped up red onion or white onion or even sliced green onions.
- No whole pickles? If you only have dill relish, add that in instead of the pickles, but you may need a lot to make it pickley (and you won’t get those big chunks of pickle).
- Add protein. If you like added protein in your potato salad use half Greek yogurt and half mayonnaise. You can also add three chopped up hard-boiled eggs.
- Red potatoes. Use red skinned potatoes instead of Yukon golds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of mayonnaise to use? Use your favorite mayo (we use either Best Foods / Hellman’s or Duke’s mayonnaise). Or switch it up and use Miracle Whip.
Could I use a different mustard? I have only made this recipe with plain yellow mustard, you could try dijon mustard, Chinese hot mustard, spicy brown mustard or even stone ground mustard.
How to Store & Reheat
Put leftover potato salad in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. It should last about 3-4 days.
Can I Freeze Potato Salad?
How to freeze potato salad? Potato salad doesn’t freeze well so I don’t recommend freezing it.
Try these other pickle recipes!
- Pickle Juice Marinated Chicken
- Dill Pickle Sauce
- Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer -made with pickle juice
- Dill Pickle Martini (Pickletini)
- Dill Pickle Potato Salad
- Candied Dill Pickles
- Quick Pickled Onions
- Garlic Dill Pickle Sauce
- Dill Pickle Wrap Dip
If you’ve tried this dill pickle potato salad recipe, don’t forget to give me a star rating and leave me a comment below in the comment section. I love to hear from people who have made my recipes!
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Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 medium gold potatoes, 2.5-3 lbs
- 1 teaspoon salt, for water
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- 4 large dill pickles, cut into large and small chunks
- 2 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill weed, minced
- paprika , for garnish
Instructions
- Scrub any dirt off of potatoes. With a sharp knife cut all the way around the potatoes (just barely through the skin not all the way through the potato).
- Fill a large pot with cold water. Add in potatoes and put over medium-high heat, bring to a rolling boil. Drop heat down to medium and add in 1 teaspoon of salt, keeping at a low boil. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender but not falling apart.
- Once potatoes are done boiling, drain water. Fill the pot of potatoes with cold water. Once the potatoes are cool enough to touch, peel off the skin off one side at a time.
- Cut potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks and place into a large serving bowl. Pour the pickle juice over the potatoes and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder, celery salt, salt, minced dill, and pepper.
- To the cut up potatoes, add the cut up pickles and the celery, mix well. Add the mayo mixture, carefully mixing. Sprinkle on paprika.
- Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure potatoes are cold before adding the mayonnaise dressing otherwise it will melt and become oily.
- Make sure to add the potatoes to the cold water before starting to boil them.
- Potatoes will be very hot after boiling. Bring hot potatoes to room temperature by placing them back in the pot with fresh cold water or let them sit to cool down (this will take quite some time).
Nutrition Information
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