Red Skin Potato Salad: Potato salad is a classic summer dish that has been enjoyed for generations. It’s easy to prepare and can be served as the perfect side dish recipe or as a main course recipe.
Along with our Amish potato salad, one of the most popular variations of potato salad is this easy red skin potato salad, and it’s easy to make and full of flavor!
This creamy potato salad dish is known for its texture, tangy flavor, and vibrant colors. This easy recipe is not only a great option for summer cookouts but it makes a delicious recipe to have on hand all year long to serve along with dishes like baked pork steaks or even when you’re baking bratwursts in the oven. The best part is the extra boost of vitamins you get from the creamy red potatoes.
Origins of Red Skin Potato Salad
Red skin potatoes are native to South America and were introduced to North America in the early 1800s. They quickly became popular due to their rich flavor and nutritional value. Red skin potato salad has its roots in Southern cuisine, where it was a staple at backyard barbecues and family gatherings.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It uses a few ingredients: With only 8 simple ingredients, this recipe uses items that you may even have on hand.
- Make-ahead recipe: Did you know that you can make this recipe in advance if you want to? It’s true, see my tips below on how to do that!
- Ready in only 30 minutes: Talk about a quick and easy dinner idea! This recipe, from start to finish, only takes a half an hour.
Red skin potatoes are a good source of potassium, Vitamin C, and fiber. They also have a lower glycemic index than other types of potatoes, which means they won’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels.
Hard-boiled eggs add protein and richness to the red skin potato salad recipe, while celery and red onion provide a crunch and tangy flavor.
Ingredients Needed
The key ingredients in this classic potato salad dish are red skin potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, celery, red onion, and mayonnaise.
- Broth – The broth gives the red-skinned potatoes an extra kick of flavor that’s perfect for your family dinner. You can make my easy chicken broth for this recipe too!
- Pickle Relish – Although we used dill pickle relish for our recipe, you can substitute sweet pickle relish if you prefer and sweet and tangy version of the dish.
- Potatoes – Red potatoes are the star of this potato salad. Dice them into similar sizes for even cooking.
Substitutions
Sometimes substitutions are necessary because of ingredients that are unavailable or needed for dietary restrictions. Here are some suggestions that can help:
- Tofu – if you’re short on eggs, you can use tofu in this recipe instead.
- Potatoes – you can use russet potatoes or even Yukon gold potatoes in place of red potatoes if you prefer. Or, if you’re doing low carb, you may also like using cauliflower, like we did in our cauliflower potato salad.
How to Make Creamy Red Potato Salad
Although there are many variations of potatoes and recipes for the dish, this is our family’s favorite way to serve the delicious potato salad.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*
You’ll start your side dish recipe by washing and cutting your red potatoes into bite-size pieces.
STEP 1. Dice the potatoes. Cut red potatoes into bite-size pieces. (Image 1).
Tip: If you’re in a hurry, I suggest making the hard-boiled eggs and cubed, cooked potatoes the day before and set them in the refrigerator overnight until you need them.
STEP 2. Add the eggs & potatoes. Place the diced potatoes in a large pot, if using raw eggs place the eggs in the pot on top of the potatoes (Image 2).
STEP 3. Add broth. Add all of the broth to the pot. If it does not cover the potatoes and eggs, add water until covered. You may need to wiggle the eggs down into the potatoes (Image 3).
STEP 4. Cook. Boil the potatoes and eggs until the potatoes are fork-tender and eggs are done. 25-30 min.
STEP 5. Drain. When the potatoes and eggs are done remove the eggs from the pot. Drain the hot potatoes and return them to the pot (Image 4).
STEP 6: Peel and dice the eggs. Set the diced hard-boiled eggs aside.
STEP 7. Make the sauce. While the potatoes are boiling make the sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise (Image 5), mustard, relish, onion, salt, and pepper (Image 6); stir well to mix (Image 7).
STEP 8. Add the sauce. While the potatoes are still hot, add the sauce to the potatoes, stirring well (Image 8).
STEP 9. Add Eggs. Then fold in the diced eggs.
STEP 10. Garnish. Sprinkle with green onions to garnish if desired, and serve from the pot or in a large bowl.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Make ahead of time. You can make the side dish the day before you’re serving it to let the flavors incorporate fully.
- Add flavor. To add extra flavor to the salad, you can add chopped fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or chives. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for some or all of the mayonnaise to make a lighter version of the dish.
- Try different toppings. Additionally, you can add other ingredients like bacon, pickles, or roasted red peppers to customize the salad to your liking.
Recipe FAQs
Red skin potatoes, also called new potatoes, are small potatoes with thin red skins. They have a slightly sweet, earthy flavor and creamy texture.
No, you don’t need to peel red skin potatoes since their thin skins are edible. However, if you prefer a smoother texture, you can peel the potatoes before cooking.
Both types of potatoes can be used for potato salad, but red skin potatoes tend to hold up better during cooking and have a slightly sweeter flavor than other types of potatoes.
Yes, you can boil potatoes for potato salad the night before. Just make sure to cool them quickly in an ice bath and refrigerate until ready to use.
What to Serve with Red Potato Salad
- Main Dish Ideas – Red skin potato salad pairs well with grilled meats or smoked meats like smoked chicken tenders, steak, or these grilled bbq ribs. It’s also a great side dish for oven-baked burgers or hotdogs, like buffalo chicken hot dogs.
- Vegetarian Option – For a vegetarian option, serve it with grilled portobello mushrooms or tofu.
- Topping Options – You can cook bacon in the air fryer or cook turkey bacon in the oven, and toss some crispy bacon bits to the top. Or, you can even add a pinch of fresh dill for added flavor and a finished appearance for your potluck dish.
❄️ Storage
- Leftovers: Store red potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator to avoid accumulating water from condensation.
- How long: Potato salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days when stored in an airtight container. To prevent spoilage, make sure to cool the salad completely before storing it.
- Can I freeze potato salad? No, you should not freeze potato salad as it will become watery and mushy when thawed.
Red skin potato salad is a classic summer dish that’s easy to prepare and bursting with flavor. With a few simple ingredients and some basic cooking skills, you can create a perfect potato salad dish that’s sure to impress your friends and family.
So next time you’re looking for a tasty and nutritious side dish, give this recipe a try! It’s sure to become your new favorite potato salad this summer!
🥗 More Salad Recipes You’ll Love
If you’re looking for similar dishes, we think you’ll also love these salad recipes or even pasta salad recipes that are popular:
Did you make this? I’d be so grateful if you left a “star” rating below to let me know what you thought! Then, the next time you need a quick and easy recipe, come back to Fantabulosity to browse all of my easy recipes!
Recipe
Red Skin Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Red Potatoes
- 6 Eggs Raw or Boiled
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 ½ cups Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Coarse Dijon Mustard
- ⅓ cup Pickle Relish
- ¼ cup Green Onions Sliced
- 1 teaspoons Salt
- ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
Instructions
- Wash and cut red potatoes into bite-size pieces.
- Place diced potatoes in a large pot, if using raw eggs place the eggs in the pot on top of the potatoes. Add all of the broth to the pot. If it does not cover the potatoes and eggs, add water until covered. You may need to wiggle the eggs down into the potatoes.
- Boil the potatoes and eggs until potatoes are fork tender and eggs are done. 25-30 min.
- While the potatoes are boiling make the sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, onion, salt, and pepper; stir well to mix.
- When the potatoes and eggs are done remove the eggs from the pot
- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
- Peel and dice the eggs.
- While the potatoes are still hot, add the sauce to the potatoes, stirring well.
- Then fold in the diced eggs. Sprinkle with green onions to garnish if desired.
- Serve from the pot or in a serving bowl.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
- I tested the recipe with sweet pickle relish but it would taste great with dill relish as well.
- Chicken bouillon mixed with water (follow package instructions to make 4 cups) would work if you do not have chicken broth.
- You can make this recipe up to a day ahead.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days.
- Since this contains mayonnaise I do not recommend letting it sit out for more than an hour or two.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Kristyn says
This is absolutely delicious!! Potato salad is a must at all the summer parties & bbq’s. My family loves the flavor!!
Samantha says
This was such a yummy twist on the regular potato salad that I always make. And I couldn’t believe how cooking the potatoes in chicken broth added so much flavor!
Toni says
This was a huge hit at my house! Thank you so much for the recipe!