The Best Potato Salad Recipes to Freshen Up Your Side Dish Menu

BLT recipes need not be served between bread. Piled atop a bed of Boston lettuce or romaine, this tomato-spiked potato salad with bacon also delivers on the classic starchy salad promise. Celery, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, and a mayo-mustard sauce round out the mash-up dish.

Ranch fans unite! Since it calls for ¾ cup of the all-American dressing, this is the best potato salad recipe for those who find themselves dunking everything (not just pizza and wings) in ranch. Celery, onions, and a mix of fresh herbs complement all the richness.

If you’re craving a traditional potato salad, consider this dish that’s pleasantly crunchy thanks to sliced celery and diced pickles. Hard-cooked eggs and a creamy sauce bring it all together. Just add a pitcher of lemonade and a round of burgers or hot dogs and you have the quintessential summer meal.

The key to the stand-out flavor in this red potato salad recipe: smashing the potatoes to break the skins. This allows them to soak up a maximum amount of the olive oil-and-vinegar dressing. Corn kernels add a touch of sweetness and bonus summer vibes to this fresh side dish.

Snipped herbs, soft red potatoes, and zippy Dijon dressing are all you need to make this potluck-perfect, easy potato salad recipe. The half-hour of hands-on time required makes this a stellar party menu addition. (Just be sure to prep it ahead 4 hours or more to allow enough time for it to cool before serving.)

One bite of this roasted vegetable masterpiece will be all the proof you need that vegan potato salad recipes can be wholly satisfying. Calling for just 10 minutes of your time to toss together, this is the side dish we turn to time and again on the hottest days of summer. The refreshing lemon and celery team up beautifully with the peppy paprika and mild-yet-rich roasted garlic.

White potatoes shouldn’t get all the glory. Creamy, vitamin-rich sweet potatoes are perfect counterparts for the tangy dill dressing in this healthy-ish sweet potato salad recipe. Equal parts mayo and Greek yogurt team up for a lighter variation on the theme.

We’re giving potato salad a sophisticated makeover. Sweet Anjou pears, earthy fresh kale, and a tangy mustard dressing layer on the flavor. Toss apple-chicken sausage (or any protein you prefer) into this hot German potato salad to transform the classic side into a main dish.

Chances are, you won’t even need to worry about seasoning this dish with extra salt. Capers, anchovies, and olives naturally add plenty of that umami flavor. Tomatoes, fresh basil, and a lemon-infused dressing help this savory Mediterranean potato salad with egg bring a taste of Italy to your table.

Roasted Anaheim chiles add toasty, smoky notes to this fresh spin on homemade potato salad. The pureed chiles impart a spicy kick to our quick vinaigrette and pair irresistibly with sweet caramelized onions. Be sure to roast chiles just until the skins are browned, and there's no need to brush them with oil.

This mustard potato salad is sweet and spicy thanks to its far-better-than-bottled vinaigrette, which combines honey, Dijon mustard, and jalapeño pepper. The summer squash-supplemented dish is fight-over-the-last-bite-good as it is, but we love it even more as a main. Add shredded pork or chicken to make this potato side dish recipe an entrée.

Pesto is good tossed with pasta, true. But it might be even better coating potatoes! Arugula gives the homemade pesto in this fresh potato salad a peppery kick. Finish the dish with juicy grape tomatoes for extra color and a hint of sweetness. 

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Quite possibly one of the lightest-tasting yet wildly summery spud salads of all, this one’s for all who turn up their nose at mayo. Green beans, olive oil, and fresh basil bring Italian vibes to the easy potato salad recipe. Thinly sliced prosciutto lends welcome salty and savory elements.

Think potato salad but better: Start with potatoes, then add lightly steamed cauliflower, crisp bacon, and blue cheese. A scoop of store-bought sour cream and chives dip is a quick way to sneak in even more creaminess and herby goodness. Slightly lower in carbs yet still packed with flavor, this cauliflower potato salad will make you the star of any gathering you bring it along to.

Who says you have to pick just one potato? This rendition uses two varieties: Yukon gold and sweet potatoes. Spicy sausage, peppery dressing, and a handful of spinach make this one fully loaded potato salad.

You probably already have the grill fired up for chicken, seafood, burgers, or brats. So why not keep it going and whip up this side while you’re at it? Chopped potatoes, crumbled bacon, hard-cooked eggs, and a tangy maple-mustard vinaigrette make this one distinctive (and unforgettably delicious) potato salad recipe.

A vinegar-mustard dressing, fresh herbs, and sausage jazz up this easy potato salad recipe. But don’t just take our word for it that you should give this a try. One BH&G home cook says, “This is one awesome salad; slightly reminiscent of German potato salad. I've made it several times to rave reviews from friends and family. Highly recommend.”

Don’t have time to chill your dish before your meal? No sweat. This is one spud salad that’s best served warm. The roasted vegan potato salad is infused with mango chutney, curry powder, fresh baby spinach, and pine nuts to offer a taste of Indian flavors. Plus it’s surprisingly speedy—the entire dish takes less than an hour to make.