I am amazed and dismayed that I have not yet shared my recipe for Potato Salad with you all. I LOVE potato salad. In fact, I have an entire chapter devoted to Potato Salad in my book, With Fresh Eyes. I told the story of how, after my Better Than Ever eye surgery, I was craving potato salad and my friend Gloria, not knowing of my hankering, brought it the next day as part of the lunch she’d made for us. What I didn’t say in my book is that her recipe is very similar to mine. It was God’s added blessing that He provided not just the potato salad but the way I particularly like it. Both Gloria and I have received many complements for our recipes over the years and it was one more thing that made our friendship strong.
Truth #1
I never measure for potato salad. She did, so I got her to share her recipe with me. I like her recipe because it makes a small amount. If you need it for company or a pot luck, you can easily double the recipe. And if you just want to make it for your family because you need a potato salad fix, well, here you go.
Truth #2
Gloria’s is almost but not quite like mine. So I’ve adapted the recipe below to include my way. What made her salad so delightful that day during my recovery is to discover she used some of the same secrets that I do. Here’s a combination of our trade secrets to making great tasting potato salad:
- Russet potatoes are good; red potatoes are better.
- For the dressing, use an equal amount of sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Use both dill pickles and sweet gherkins.
- Gloria includes 1 tsp cider vinegar in her recipe. I use about a tablespoon of pickle juice, if needed, to moisten the salad.
- I tend to be more generous with the chopped celery and I refuse to put raw onions in the salad.
- I use mayonnaise, not Miracle Whip.
- I cook my potatoes in an electric pressure cooker (InstaPot)—ten minutes, release pressure immediately.
- Because the size of your potatoes and pickles vary, you about have to make potato salad according to how it looks and how it tastes. Use my recipe as a basis then adjust the ingredients as you like.
And remember, the cook gets tasting privileges. Just wash your spoon before you grab that second, just to make sure, “Yeah, right” bite.
Gloria has gone on to her heavenly home and I miss her so much. She was truly the closest of friends. I still smile and think of her every time I decide to make potato salad. And perhaps the memories help to make recipes extra special and extra tasty.
So, here is my–and Gloria’s–recipe for potato salad.
Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 medium red potatoes
- 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped celery, more if desired
- 1//4 cup grated dill pickle
- 1/4 cup grated sweet gherkin pickle
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp cider vinegar OR 1 T pickle juice
- paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Wash potatoes and cut in half. Cook in boiling water about 15-20 minutes, until tender. (Or cook in Electric pressure cooker ten minutes, quick release.) Rinse in cold water. Peel and cut into cubes (about 4 cups cubed).
- Add eggs, celery, and pickles. Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and vinegar (or pickle juice). Stir into salad. Add more mayonnaise& sour cream if salad seems too dry. Spoon into serving dish, sprinkle paprika on top, cover, and refrigerate till time to serve.
great sounding recipe! will.have to try it! per large print bibles, I got one for my good friend who has macular degeneration that appears to not have a remedy. she also had diabetes which prevents her from taking certain meds for her eyes. all this is coupled with a heart condition, tricky business to say the least. the good news she’knows Jesus as I do so we are counting on Dr. Jesus for her healing. she is also an accomplished artist. she is a very good friend and I am so glad for her inspiration!