Instant Pot Potato Salad

Thanks to the instant pot, you can complete a classic potato salad before the summer barbecue chicken comes off the grill.

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Potato salad is considered an American tradition, especially during barbecue season. However, the iconic salad was likely brought to us by German immigrants, who are famous for their warm potato salad with a vinegar-based dressing. Eventually, the American potato salad we all know and love evolved from a German-style into a mayonnaise-based, chilled, creamy potato salad.

I have a love-hate relationship with potato salad. I love that I can change it up and stray from a recipe when I want to add a little of this or a little of that. You can’t go wrong with potato salad if you start with a decent base recipe. The part I have never enjoyed is waiting for the potatoes to boil. Patience is not my virtue. That’s all changed now that I am addicted to my instant pot! This little super appliance gets the job done in half the time.

The instant pot potato salad recipe we are looking at today has a wonderful bite, thanks to mustard and pickle juice. Potato salad needs a little snap, or it’s boring. Plus, you need side dishes that can keep up with spicy barbecue sauces and grilled burgers.

If you are impatient like me, you will appreciate how quickly this potato salad comes together. I don’t understand how an instant pot does it, but I am just going with it. It works. No more slaving away over boiling water, wondering if the potatoes will ever get soft. The simplicity and ease of instant pot potato salad are some of the best parts of this recipe.

Is Instant Pot Potato Salad Healthy?

Potatoes are excellent food. They provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are low in calories. They are also cholesterol—and fat-free. So, as a base for a salad, potatoes are a great start. As mentioned, potato salad is easy to play with until you get it just as you want it. For example, substitutions are necessary for a vegan or dairy-free diet.

This recipe contains mayonnaise, buttermilk, and eggs, which may not be suitable for some diets. Thankfully, there are alternatives if those items don’t suit your nutrition goals. Our no-mayo potato salad suggests a sour cream and mustard blend instead of mayo. And this healthy potato salad recipe calls for olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard for flavor, eliminating buttermilk, mayo, and eggs altogether.

Why is it important to allow the potatoes to cool?

We all lead busy lives, and sometimes you want that potato salad done already. It’s tempting to keep moving along with the recipe and ignore the whole “allow the potatoes to cool” part. I get it. However, letting the cooked potatoes cool down before completing the recipe is essential.

When you mix hot potatoes with mayonnaise and buttermilk, you risk getting curdled ingredients. Picture your pretty potato salad with chunks of curdled buttermilk and lumpy mayo. It might taste okay, but it will look unappetizing, and the texture will change. Let the potatoes sit a while until they come to room temperature, and then mix in the other ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup water
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
3 large eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup mayonnaise, preferably low-fat
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 ribs celery, diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 pickles, minced, plus a splash of pickle juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Add water and potatoes to the Instant Pot, then top with eggs.

Seal

Secure the Instant Pot lid and set to sealing.

Cook

Set to high pressure for 4 minutes, then quick release.

Chill

Remove eggs, drain potatoes, and cool.

Mix

Mash egg yolks and combine with dressing ingredients.

Combine

Toss dressing with potatoes, add egg whites and veggies.

Chill

Stir well and refrigerate to blend flavors.

Serve

Enjoy the chilled and flavorful potato salad.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

You can easily store your potato salad for five days in the refrigerator. Keep it in a sealed, airtight container. Freezing isn’t recommended since the potatoes won’t have a good texture after freezing, and mayo does not freeze well either.

Can I use different potatoes?

If you prefer a different potato over Yukon Gold, that is absolutely fine. You can use Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or russets for this recipe. Keep in mind that the cooking time may vary slightly. Also, plan on not peeling the red potatoes since the skin is so thin, and it will soften when cooked.

What are some other things to add to potato salad?

If you want to add more flavor or texture to the salad, try crumbled turkey or vegan bacon, or chopped nuts for a salty crunch. Dried fruits, such as cranberries, add a delightful sweetness and chewy texture to your potato salad. Think outside the box and have fun experimenting.

can i use Dijon mustard?

Although this recipe calls for yellow mustard, you can definitely switch to Dijon mustard if you prefer a spicier outcome.

Serving Suggestions

Potato salad is a beautiful side dish for many meals. The ones that easily come to mind are instant pot steak, hot dogs, and veggie burgers. One of my favorite ways to enjoy potato salad is with a mix of other salads for lunch or dinner. I like a plate full of broccoli salad, potato salad, and cucumber salad. It’s a meal bursting with crunch, flavor, and nutrients.