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Red Potato Salad

Red potato salad with skin-on potatoes and a creamy Dijon dressing—an easy picnic side with a rustic, hearty texture. Cubed red potatoes are boiled until tender, cooled, then tossed with celery, red onion, and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potato salad base
  • 3 lb red potatoes Cubed, skin on
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 0.5 cup celery Diced
  • 0.25 cup red onion Finely diced
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped
  • 1 salt To taste
  • 1 pepper To taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and cool the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the cubed red potatoes (skin on). Boil at a steady simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender with visible soft edges (visual cue: knife/fork slides in easily).
  2. Drain the potatoes in a colander and spread them out to cool for 10 minutes, until no longer hot. (Visual cue: steam stops and the surface looks matte, not glossy from heat.)
Make the Dijon dressing
  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. (Visual cue: dressing turns uniform in color with no mustard streaks.)
Toss and chill
  1. Add celery, red onion, and fresh parsley to the cooled potatoes and toss to distribute evenly. (Visual cue: green and purple pieces are speckled throughout the potatoes.)
  2. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and toss well until every piece is lightly coated. (Visual cue: creamy white sheen clings to the potatoes.)
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. (Visual cue: the salad firms up and looks thicker and more cohesive when spooned.)

Notes

For the best texture, cool the potatoes before mixing so the dressing stays creamy instead of thinning out. Refrigerate covered for 3 to 4 days; freeze is not recommended because potatoes can become mealy after thawing. For a lighter option, swap mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt (use the same amount) to keep it creamy with less fat.