WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For flavorful, potluck-perfect potato salad, we used firm-textured Yukon Gold potatoes because they hold their shape after cooking. Our recipe benefited from the sweetness of an unexpected ingredient: pickle juice. We drizzled the warm potatoes with a mixture of pickle juice and mustard. The potatoes easily absorbed the acidic seasoning liquid right through to the middle. Mayonnaise and sour cream formed the base of our creamy dressing, seasoned with celery seeds, celery, and red onion. Chopped hard-cooked eggs stirred in at the end completed our all American potato salad; you can omit them if you prefer. Make sure not to overcook the potatoes or the salad will be sloppy. Keep the water at a gentle simmer and use the tip of a paring knife to judge their doneness. If the knife inserts easily, they are done.
SERVES: 4 to 6
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling time)
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- Salt
- 2 hard-cooked large eggs, peeled and chopped coarse (optional)
- 3 tablespoons dill pickle juice, plus ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon celery seeds
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 celery rib, chopped fine
- ½ small red onion, chopped fine
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are just tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with little resistance, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Drain potatoes thoroughly, then spread out on rimmed baking sheet. Mix 2 tablespoons pickle juice and mustard together in small bowl, drizzle pickle juice mixture over hot potatoes, and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.
- Mix remaining 1 tablespoon pickle juice, chopped pickles, celery seeds, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, and red onion in large bowl. Add cooled potatoes and gently toss to coat.Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
- Gently stir in eggs just before serving.
