I Asked 3 Experts the Secret to the Best Potato Salad—They All Said the Same Thing

There is good potato salad and there is bad potato salad. Good potato salad is creamy without being overdressed, containing perfectly distinct bites of potato which are neither mushy nor too firm. Bad potato salad, on the other hand—which I hope you’re never had to endure but am pretty sure most of us have—is mushy, doused in mayo, and/or flavorless. 

Although it may seem straightforward to make, finding the perfectly balanced potato salad is a feat. After talking with three of my favorite chefs about the classic American side, I realized it wasn’t necessarily about which recipe you use or what ingredients you choose; a good potato salad all boils down to properly prepared potatoes. 

The Potato Salad Experts

• Erin Clarke: Creator of Well Plated and author of two bestselling cookbooks
• Dennis Littley: Chef and recipe expert at Ask Chef Dennis
• Shawn Matijevich: Lead chef-instructor of Online Culinary Arts & Food Operations at the Institute of Culinary Education

The Trick for the Best Potato Salad

All three chefs agree that the key to the best potato salad is achieving the correct temperature of the potatoes as you dress them. “Season the potatoes while they’re still warm,” says Littley, “right after you drain them.” Clarke agrees, explaining: “Warm potatoes are like sponges. They soak in flavor so much better than cold ones. If you wait until they’re cool, the dressing just sits on the surface, and the salad can taste bland.” 

Got it, no cold potatoes. Oops, I’ve always cooled my potatoes before adding the dressing. “Make sure the potatoes are warm, not hot, before you toss them gently in the dressing,” says Matijevich. “They soak up the dressing better that way without disintegrating.” In other words, dressing hot potatoes might give you more of a mash or mush than a salad. 

To achieve the perfect warm temperature, Littley suggests: “Boil them in salted water, peel them while they’re still warm if needed, and let them sit for a few minutes with a splash of white wine vinegar or pickle juice before mixing in the dressing.” 

You can judge when the potatoes are ready to dress by feeling their surface to ensure they’re warm, not hot. Be careful not to let them sit too long lest they reach room temperature.

The Best Potatoes To Use for Potato Salad

The potatoes you choose are a matter of personal preference, but these three chefs all rely on waxy potatoes for their potato salads. Waxy potatoes have a firm, dense texture, high moisture content, and a tendency to hold their shape when cooked.

Clarke likes red or Yukon Gold, which she cuts after, not before, cooking: “By cutting after cooking, you’ll find they hold their shape much better, and by slicing them once they’re fork-tender, you avoid mealy edges and keep a creamy interior.” Matijevich agrees with Clarke, adding: “Gold or red potatoes hold their shape better, which helps if you like more contrast and bite. 

Russets soak up dressing like sponges, but they can turn to mush if they are overcooked. Getting the potato just right—that knife-tender but still holding together—is where the potato salad lives or dies.”

Warm, well-seasoned potatoes are the foundation of a great potato salad. Never suffer through bland, soggy potato salad again.