Classic Potato Salad Recipe with Egg (& Miracle Whip!)
This creamy, classic potato salad recipe with egg and Miracle Whip is the perfect nostalgic side dish for Summer barbecues, potlucks, and special occasion dinners.
The Best Potato Salad Recipe with Egg (Made with Miracle Whip!)
I admit – I’m a self-proclaimed potato salad snob.
I absolutely LOVE a good potato salad… but when I see it at a buffet or a restaurant? I take a cautious little scoop and just teeny bite first—because if it’s not good, it’s awful!
After years of taste-testing, I can confidently say this recipe is the one I keep coming back to. It’s creamy, flavorful, a little sweet (thanks to Miracle Whip!), and has that nostalgic comfort-food taste that reminds me of childhood barbecues at Grandma’s house.
Yes, Miracle Whip. Not mayo.
That may be a controversial stance, but if you’re a Miracle Whip fan, I just know you’re going to love this too.
I’ve tested this potato salad recipe many, many times and my husband even declared it the best potato salad he’s ever had. I’ll take that as a win!
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Classic Potato Salad with Egg Recipe
- It’s a classic: tried-and-true flavor you’ll remember from childhood.
- It uses Miracle Whip for that tangy-sweet kick.
- It goes perfectly with barbecued burgers, our favorite grilled chicken marinade, sloppy joes (or turkey sloppy joes), crock pot pulled pork sandwiches, meatloaf, and more!
- It’s a crowd-pleaser and easy to scale up or down.
- Simple ingredients with big flavor.
Ingredients for Miracle Whip Potato Salad
(For exact measurements and instructions, check out the full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
What really are the “classic” potato salad ingredients? In my research, I found the passionately argued requirements differed slightly based on the geographical location of the author. I narrowed it down to these:
- Potatoes: Use Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for a fluffy texture that holds its shape. Boil until fork tender, then cool before dicing.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: Adds richness and texture—dice most of them and save one for garnishing the top.
- Red Onion: Finely diced for a bit of zing and crunch.
- Dill Pickle: Adds tang and balances the sweetness of the dressing. Dice very small for even flavor.
- Vinegar: Tossed with the hot potatoes to boost the flavor from the inside out.
- Miracle Whip: The signature ingredient! Sweeter than mayo and gives that creamy tang.
- Mustard: Adds a touch of sharpness to the dressing.
- Sugar: Adjust to taste for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
- Salt & Pepper: Season to taste.
- Milk (optional): Helps thin out the dressing if needed.
- Paprika & Chopped Chives: Optional garnishes that add flavor and makes it look pretty!
How to Make the Best Classic Potato Salad with Egg
(For all the detailed instructions, refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
This recipe comes together with just a few simple steps. Don’t skip the tips – they’ll help you get perfect results every time!
Tip: Yukon Gold, Russet, or Red potatoes work best for potato salad because they hold their shape well after cooking.
1.Placed cooked and chilled potatoes & eggs in a large bowl with other potato salad ingredients. 
2.Add homemade dressing and stir. 
3.Garnish with sliced eggs and paprika for a nice presentation.
- Cook and Cool the Potatoes: Peel, chop, and boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain and toss with vinegar while still warm. Let them cool completely before dicing.
- Hard-Boil the Eggs: Cover eggs with cold water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit (covered) for 10 minutes. Cool, peel, and dice four eggs. Slice one for the top. (See Video Instructions below)
- Add the Mix-Ins: Combine diced potatoes, diced eggs, finely chopped onion, and pickles in a large mixing bowl.
- Make the Dressing: Stir together Miracle Whip, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust—add milk if it’s too thick or more sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Combine Everything: Gently stir the dressing into the potato mixture. Be careful not to mash the potatoes!
- Garnish and Chill: Top with sliced egg, fresh chives, and a sprinkle of paprika. Cover and chill well before serving.
Helpful Tips When Making This Recipe
- Don’t skip the vinegar step—tossing it with the hot potatoes really boosts the flavor.
- Chill all components before mixing to keep the salad from turning mushy.
- Want your salad creamier? Add a splash more Miracle Whip or milk to the dressing.
- Make it a day ahead—flavors meld beautifully overnight!
How to Make Easy to Peel Hardboiled Eggs on the Stovetop
Click the play button below to see an easy way to make hardboiled eggs on the stovetop – no fancy gadgets required!
Favorite Kitchenware!
You can find my kitchen favorites and other product recommendations in my Amazon shop here on Amazon USA or Amazon Canada. (They are affilate links.)
Variations of classic potato salad
The great thing about potato salad is that it can be tweaked for taste preference, and optional add-ins can make it even more customizable! Here are some ideas:
- Want a more tangy potato salad recipe? Then add some vinegar or pickle juice into the dressing.
- Many traditional potato salad recipes include celery. Add some in if that sounds good to you. It will give it more “crunch”.
- Don’t have red onions? No problem! White or green onions can be substituted instead.
- Red pepper or radishes diced small would add some pretty color to the salad.
- Relish could be added to the dressing instead of using diced pickles.
- Add crumbled bacon for a delicious bacon potato salad.
- If you like mayonnaise better than Miracle Whip, just use it instead of the Miracle Whip.
Grandma Rita’s Kitchen Tips
When you’re making potato salad dressing, take some tips I learned from my mom! Here’s how she did it: To make potato salad dressing, mix together miracle whip, mustard, sugar, and salt & pepper. Then, do a little taste test!
This is where your personal preference comes in, and it’s important! Do you wish it were a little sweeter? Then, add a little sugar. Does it seem too thick? Then add 1-2 Tablespoons milk.
My very favorite potato salad dressing is made with our local grocery store’s generic Miracle Whip “salad dressing”. I find it is sweeter and thinner than the official “Miracle Whip” brand. It requires no additional sugar or milk. However, when I used Miracle Whip salad dressing, I added about 2 Tablespoons milk and an additional 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
FAQs about Potato Salad
“How do I hard-boil eggs?” (refer to the video above to watch this method in action!)
- Place all 5 eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Place the lid on the saucepan.
- Turn the burner heat up to high and bring to a boil.
- Once the water starts a rolling boil, turn off the heat but leave the saucepan (with the lid on) on the burner.
- Set the timer for 10 minutes.
- When the timer buzzes, immediately drain off the hot water, and run a continuous stream of cold water over the eggs in the pan.
- Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, tap gently on the counter top to break the shell and peel.
- Place peeled eggs in the fridge to cool completely.
- Once they are cooled, dice 4 eggs into large-sized dices (3/4 inch) and slice one egg to garnish the top of the salad.
- Add the diced eggs into the bowl with the diced, cooled potatoes.
“How long does potato salad last?“
Potato salad – when stored tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator – can last up to 5 days. It does not freeze well.
Other Summer Side Dish and Salad Recipes:
- Beet and peach salad recipe – a delicious and refreshing salad recipe.
- Cold pasta salad with ketchup dressing
- Strawberry spinach salad with creamy poppyseed dressing
- Broccoli cranberry salad is always a crowd pleaser
- Greek Farmhouse Salad
- Black Bean Salad
- 12 Tasty Summer Salad Recipes
- 39 Best Berry Recipes
- Orange Fluff Marshmallow Salad
Other Potato Recipes You’ll Love!
- If you’re in a rush, diced roasted potatoes make a delicious and quick side dish.
- Roasted Smashed Potatoes are also a great crowd pleasing side dish
- Best of Bridge hashbrown casserole is perfect for potlucks.
- Baked potato with cheese sauce can be a side dish, or even turned into a main dish!
- Scalloped potatoes with mushroom soup is so quick to put together with canned soup.
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Classic Potato Salad Recipe with Egg
This creamy classic potato salad recipe with egg and Miracle whip has been tried, tested, and approved! It's a perfect side dish recipe for Summer!
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or russet potatoes work best for potato salad.)
- 1 Tablespoon vinegar
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/3 cup finely diced dill pickle
- 1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip salad dressing (see note below regarding the specifics of this)
- 1 Tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or more, based on preference)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk, optional (Add if the dressing seems too thick.)
- 2 teaspoons fresh cut chives for garnish
- Sprinkle of paprika
Instructions
Step 1: Cook, cool and dice the potatoes
To prepare the potatoes for potato salad, first wash them well with tap water, peel them, and cut them into large chunks (about 3 inches) that are about the same size. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with cold water I do NOT salt the water at this point, as the salt may make the potatoes watery in the salad later.
Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat down to medium high, and boil (covered with the lid) for about 20 minutes. Check their doneness by poking them with a fork to see if it slides through easily. If so, they are done! Be careful not to overboil them, or they will start to crumble apart in the water.
Once they are cooked, drain off the boiling water and toss them immediately with 1 Tablespoon vinegar. Let them sit in the vinegar in the heated pan for a few minutes. Then transfer to a colander to cool completely. (I put them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process.)
Once cooled completely, dice into large dices – about 1 inch squares and place in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Cook, cool, and dice/ slice the eggs
While the potatoes are cooking, you can also get the eggs cooking as well. Here's How: Place all 5 eggs in a saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Place the lid on the saucepan. Turn the burner heat up to high and bring to a boil. Once the water starts a rolling boil, turn off the heat but leave the saucepan (with the lid on) on the burner. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
When the timer buzzes, immediately drain off the hot water, and run a continuous stream of cold water over the eggs in the pan. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, tap gently on the counter top to break the shell and peel.
Place peeled eggs in the fridge to cool completely.
Once they are cooled, dice 4 eggs into large-sized dices (3/4 inch) and slice one egg to garnish the top of the salad. Add the diced eggs into the bowl with the diced, cooled potatoes.
Step 3: Add diced red onion and finely diced dill pickle to the bowl of potatoes and eggs. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Make potato salad dressing
To make potato salad dressing, mix together miracle whip, mustard, sugar, and salt & pepper. Then, do a little taste test!
This is where your personal preference comes in, and it’s important! Do you wish it were a little sweeter? Then, add a little sugar. Does it seem too thick? Then add 1-2 Tablespoons milk.
Step 5: Stir the dressing into the potato and egg mixture. Garnish with fresh cut chives, egg slices and a sprinkle of paprika
Cover with plastic wrap and chill well in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 580mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 8g
II love potato salad! I am curious as to why you cut up the potatoes after cooking instead of before, as they cook faster in smaller pieces. Is there a reason for that? Also, if using Yukon golds or red skinned potatoes, you can scrub well before cooking and leave the skins on for added nutrition as well as added color, especially with the red ones. A good way to cool down boiled eggs quickly is to transfer them to a bowl of ice water. I’m also curious about tossing the potatoes in vinegar and the reason for that. Trying to learn about different techniques other than what I was taught. Thanks for sharing, I do enjoy your blog and recipes!
This recipe sounds like the Potato Salad my mom and her mom made. They were true southerners from Tennessee. I love it but I don’t make it because our grocery makes the best!❤️
I make what my Southern friend calls “Southern-style” potato salad. It is always requested by family and friends. The diced potatoes and chopped celery have grated onion added. The juice of the onion is evenly distributed with white vinegar and Duke’s mayonnaise. It is a tangier version. I sometimes add parsley for additional color + taste. No eggs!
First time I’ve used Yukon Golds for potato salad – it was delicious! Thanks for sharing!
I’ve made this potato salad a few times this summer for parties and it’s always a hit! YUM!