- Ingredients and Substitutions
- How to Make Instant Pot Potato Salad
- No Instant Pot? Boil them instead.
- The Instant Pot I L❤️VE!
- The steamer basket I use!
- Oops! What went wrong?
- Instant Pot potato salad FAQs
- Instant Pot Potato Salad Recipe
- What to serve with Instant Pot potato salad
- More cold sides for the cookout table
The Southern potato salad that finally won me over
Having lived in Texas my entire life, you’d think I grew up eating potato salad at every potluck or July 4th BBQ.
But in fact, I never really cared much for the popular side dish because it was often way too rich and overloaded with mayonnaise.
That is, until I had the classic Southern potato salad from the family I married into. They ruined me, and now I can’t make it any other way!
These days I make it as Instant Pot Potato Salad, where the russets and the eggs pressure cook at the same time in the same pot. No boiling water on the stove in July, and no second pan for the eggs.
If you want the stovetop version with celery and a little more crunch, that’s my Classic Potato Salad with Bacon.
Turns out I never disliked potato salad. I’d just never had the right one.
What makes this potato salad work
- It’s not overly mayonnaise-y. The flavors are balanced with just the right amount of mustard and dill pickle relish to offset the rich, creamy mayo.
- Russet potatoes are used instead of waxy potatoes. These starchier potatoes break down more easily and give the salad more of a mashed-potato feel.
- Both hard-boiled eggs and crumbled bacon go in, and the eggs cook right on top of the potatoes.
- Duke’s mayonnaise is a MUST. I’ve been a Hellmann’s girl my whole life, but this more subtle mayonnaise gives the salad its unique flavor.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Russet potatoes: Unlike other recipes that tout waxy potatoes as the best for potato salad, we’re using good ole’ fashioned russets. They’re starchier, break down more easily, and turn incredibly tender under pressure.
- Eggs: These get hard-boiled right on top of the potatoes, much like we do when making Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs.
- Mayonnaise: The type you get really matters, and Duke’s is my pick for the most authentic Southern taste. Hellmann’s works too, and Miracle Whip will make the finished dish a little sweeter.
- Mustard: Regular yellow is best here, though Dijon works if that’s what you have. Steer clear of spicy mustard since it will overpower the salad.
- Dill pickle relish: Dill is what makes this taste Southern instead of sweet and creamy, but sweet relish can be used. You can also just chop up dill pickles if you don’t have relish on hand.
- Bacon: You want this already cooked and crumbled, so Air Fryer Bacon is the easiest route. Leave it out if you’re going vegetarian.
- Fresh dill: Totally optional, but a little chopped dill on top right before serving keeps it from looking like a beige bowl.
How to Make Instant Pot Potato Salad
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Peel and cube the potatoes.
Rinse and scrub the potatoes to get rid of any visible dirt, then peel them with a vegetable peeler. Cut them into 1- to 2-inch chunks, keeping them close to the same size.
Add the water and hit sauté while you peel. The pot will already be hot when the potatoes go in, so it comes up to pressure a lot faster.
Pressure cook the potatoes and eggs together.
Pour the water into a 6-quart Instant Pot and set either a trivet or a steamer basket inside. Add the potatoes, place the eggs right on top, then secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 5 minutes.
As soon as the timer goes off, turn the valve to quick release.
The Instant Pot I L❤️VE!
Not all pressure cookers are the same. The 6-quart Duo Plus is the one I reach for, since the sauté function does real work before the lid goes on and the controls are simple enough that you don’t need the manual.
Drain and mash the potatoes.
Lift out the basket or trivet and carefully pour off the water, then set the eggs in a bowl of ice water to cool.
Add the potatoes back into the pot and break them apart with a potato masher or a large fork, stopping while you can still see big pieces.
The steamer basket I use!
I use this OXO steamer basket for pretty much ALL my steamed veggies. (The plastic handle is a lifesaver – you can grab it right out of a hot pot without burning yourself!)
It fits inside most pots and collapses for easy storage.
Whisk the dressing.
Add the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl and whisk until it’s completely smooth. Do this while the potatoes cook so it’s ready the second they come out.
Peel and dice the eggs.
Once the eggs have sat in the ice bath for 5 to 10 minutes and feel cool, crack the bottom of each one on the counter and roll it to crack the shell all over.
Slice them lengthwise into quarters, then coarsely chop until you have smaller chunks.
Mix everything together, chill, and serve.
Add the dressing, crumbled bacon, eggs, and potatoes to a large bowl and stir just until everything is mixed. Overworking it will break the potatoes down too far.
Give it at least 2 hours in the fridge. You can serve it warm, but the flavors pull together as it chills, and it’s even better the next day.
Oops! What went wrong?
My potatoes turned to mush. What happened?
Cut size and timing are usually the culprits. Keep the chunks closer to 2 inches than 1, and release the pressure the second the timer beeps, since even an extra minute of carryover heat softens them fast.
Why is my potato salad watery after chilling?
Make sure you pour off all of the cooking water before the potatoes go back into the pot. Anything left in the bottom will thin out the dressing as the salad chills.
The dressing tastes flat. Can I fix it?
Add salt a little at a time and taste as you go, since potatoes soak up way more than you’d expect. A spoonful more relish will wake it back up too.
My eggs cracked in the pot.
They were probably straight out of the fridge, which makes the shells more likely to split. Let them sit on the counter while you peel the potatoes and they’ll hold up better.
Instant Pot potato salad FAQs
Five minutes at high pressure with a quick release, for russets cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks. Smaller pieces or waxy potatoes need less time than that.
For this one, yes. Russet skins are thick and they separate from the potato under pressure, so you’d end up picking them back out of the salad.
Yes, and it’s better that way. Make it 1 to 2 days ahead, or cook the potatoes and eggs the day before and mix it the day of.
You can, and the salad still works. It’ll just be a little less rich, since the eggs are part of what makes it creamy.
Not this version. The mayo and mustard dressing is the whole character of a Southern potato salad, and swapping in yogurt or sour cream gives you a different dish entirely.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended. The texture changes a lot once it thaws, and the dressing never comes back together the same way.
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Instant Pot Potato Salad Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
- 1 ½ cups water
- 3 large large eggs
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard or Dijon
- ⅓ cup dill pickle relish
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 4 ounces bacon cooked and crumbled
- Fresh dill finely chopped, optional
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub potatoes to remove any visible dirt, and then peel using a vegetable peeler. Cut the potatoes into 1- to 2-inch chunks.2 pounds russet potatoes
- Pour the water into a 6-quart Instant Pot and set either a trivet or a steamer basket inside. Add the potatoes and then place the eggs on top. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Immediately release the pressure as soon as the timer goes off.1 ½ cups water, 3 large large eggs
- Meanwhile, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, salt, and black pepper in a medium-sized bowl.¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, ⅓ cup dill pickle relish, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Once cooked, remove the basket or trivet from the pot and pour out the water. Add the potatoes back into the pot. Using a potato masher or a large fork, break apart the potatoes into smaller chunks, being careful not to overly mash them.
- Let the hard-boiled eggs soak in an ice water bath for 5-10 minutes, or until cool to the touch. Peel and then coarsely chop them.
- Add the mayo-mustard sauce, crumbled bacon, and eggs to the potatoes. Stir until everything is just mixed.4 ounces bacon
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 2 hours to serve chilled. Sprinkle with freshly chopped dill and enjoy!Fresh dill
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Video
Notes
- Mayonnaise: Duke’s mayonnaise is by far the BEST mayo to use in this recipe. Hellmann’s is a close second if you’re not able to find it!
- Potatoes: Russets are what make this soft and Southern-style. Waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red will hold their shape but need less time under pressure.
- Prep-Ahead: This dish is even better the next day. Either make the whole potato salad up to 1-2 days ahead of time, or cook the eggs and potatoes the day before.
- Storage: Keep potato salad in an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Not recommended. The texture changes a lot once it thaws, and the dressing never comes back together the same way.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with Instant Pot potato salad
This is cookout food, so it usually lands next to something off the grill. If burgers are the plan, my Burger Seasoning is the one thing I’d tell you not to skip.
Chicken Caesar Burgers and Korean Beef Burgers are both great with it, and Grilled Greek Chicken Kabobs work if you want something a little lighter on the plate.
When it’s too hot to stand over a grill, Slow Cooker BBQ Shredded Chicken or Honey Mustard Chicken gets you to the same place indoors.
For a full spread, add Southern Homemade Coleslaw, Honey Jalapeño Cornbread, and Classic Deviled Eggs. That plus this potato salad covers the entire side of the table.
More cold sides for the cookout table
Potato salad never sits on that table alone. These are the ones that end up right next to it.
How much is in a serving?? One Cup??
One person’s idea of a serving is often different to another person!
This recipe makes 10 servings.
Shoot. I tried this and 6 minutes REALLY overcooked my potatoes. I used yukon gold and even measured to make sure they were 1/2 in. Looks like we are having mashed potatoes instead. Next time I will try 3-4 minutes.
Thank you for your feedback, Terri! I’ll be re-testing this recipe soon so will update with any changes I find. But to help troubleshoot, did you happen to leave the potatoes in much past the timer?