Instant Pot Potato Salad

Instant Pot potato salad will absolutely become your new favorite way to make a classic creamy, tangy potato salad. It’s much faster than any other method but the flavors are on point! No waiting for water to boil, or potatoes and eggs to cook separately because this one-pot pressure cooker method does the work for you!

The potato is such a versatile vegetable and is definitely a year-round staple, but potato salad? That has summertime written all over it! Any vegetable that can go from fried to mashed, to boiled, grilled, and roasted is definitely one to be admired. This salad is just one of the many reasons I love potatoes.

If you’ve never made pressure cooker potato salad you’re in for a game-changer. This recipe results in a salad that is loaded with flavor and texture. It’s creamy, tangy, and zesty, with tender potatoes, crunchy pickles, and perfectly hardboiled eggs in every bite. Best of all, the Instant Pot does all the work in 10 minutes, making this a one-pot recipe you’ll want to keep handy. It’s definitely a go-to recipe for BBQs, potlucks, and picnics because it’s easily portable and serves a crowd, but it’s also simple enough to whip up on any given night.

It’s a quick and easy way to making the best Instant Pot potato salad ready for the dinner table in no time. All you do is add the potatoes and the eggs and allow them to come to pressure together with perfectly cooked results every time. Beyond that, it’s just a matter of combining the dressing, and if you want a potato salad with bacon, crumble up a couple of pieces and add that in for a salty crunch!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Simple to make in a fraction of the time and less effort than traditionally made potato salad. No waiting for water to boil, no boiling eggs or potatoes ahead of time.
• It’s a one-pot dish that makes for easy clean up! It’s also great for serving a crowd. The liner of the Instant Pot can be used to serve the potato salad right from there. No need to transfer it to a serving dish if you don’t want to.
• It’s delicious! It has all of the best components of an old-fashioned potato salad. Tender potatoes, a creamy tangy dressing, and loads of texture from the eggs, bacon, and pickles. Classic ingredients are made with a modern twist.
• A family-friendly dish that everyone loves. It’s a cost-effective way to serve a large family or a crowd of guests as it makes a lot!
• Leftovers can be enjoyed for days. Have it again as a side for dinner, or a bowl on its own for lunch.
• Customizable and better than any store-bought potato salad. Controlling what goes in and what stays out of it is a great way to keep it healthy and taste exactly how you like it.

WHAT KIND OF POTATOES ARE BEST FOR POTATO SALAD?

When using a pressure cooker for potato salad you want potatoes that will hold their structure and not get too mushy when under pressure. Yukon gold or red potatoes are good choices because of their lower starch content and sturdy waxy texture. Russets, although are higher in starch and may hold their structure a bit less, are still a classic choice for potato salad. It depends on your preference, but any of the above-mentioned will work. I say, whatever’s on sale, go for it!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

This recipe includes my favorite ingredients to add to potato salad. It’s totally flexible so feel free to play around with it to your liking.

• Water – Needed at the bottom of the pot to cook potatoes when it comes to pressure.
• Potatoes – I use yukon gold or russets in this recipe. Peeled and cut into 1″ cubes.
• Eggs – You’ll need 3 for this recipe, however feel free to add more just to hard boil some extra eggs for later!
• Mayonnaise – Any storebought or homemade mayo will work. It’s the creamy base for the dressing.
• Yellow mustard – Gives the dressing a sharpness and tang which is a nice balance to the creaminess.
• Celery – Diced celery rib adds a crispness for texture, which is a nice component.
• Pickles – Chopped dill pickles are a classic ingredient, however some poeple do like to add sweet pickles. The choice is yours.
• Dill – Fresh dill adds a herbed flavor that adds a bit of vibrancy to the otherwise heavy dish.
• Salt & pepper – To taste.
• Bacon – Cook and crumble a couple of pieces of bacon for added salty, smoky, crunch. Leave it out for a vegetarian option.

HOW TO MAKE POTATO SALAD IN THE INSTANT POT

Please scroll ⬇️ to the recipe card to see the full ingredient amounts and instructions.

Step 1: Place water in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add in trivet if you have one for potatoes to sit on, and if not, place potatoes directly into the water. Place eggs on top of the potatoes.

Step 2: Close the lid and turn the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high or manual for 4 minutes and quick release once the cooking time is up. It is important not to allow the pressure to release naturally or this will cause your potatoes to overcook and become mushy.

Step 3: Uncover the lid, drain the potatoes and allow them to cool. You can place them back in the Instant Pot or transfer them to another bowl. Remove the eggs but there’s no need to run them under cold water.

Step 4: In the meantime, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing (mayo, mustard, celery, pickles, dill, salt, and pepper) in a large bowl and set aside. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and chop them up.

Step 5: Once the potatoes are completely cool, fold them along with the eggs into the dressing. Garnish with bacon and enjoy!

TIP: If you’re not ready to serve it right away, not to worry, the flavors will continue to meld as it sits in the fridge and become even tastier!

HOW DO I KEEP POTATO SALAD FROM GETTING WATERY?

There is nothing worse than a watery dressing on a potato salad! I can tell you, my kids won’t eat it if it looks funny! First thing’s first, you want to make sure your potatoes are fully cooled before adding the mayonnaise mixture. The reason for this is any remaining steam coming from the potatoes will create a watery mess out of the dressing and it won’t look cute and it will taste weird. You also want to make sure you’re using the right kind of potato one that will hold its structure and not fall apart causing more of a mess. Last, if you can help it, use a trivet or steamer basket to avoid having the potatoes touching the water. You can work around it for sure, but it’s just one more added way to avoid watery potato salad.

DO I NEED TO PEEL THE POTATOES?

That depends! Potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes have thin delicate skin that is easily digestible and is thin enough to go unnoticed. For russet potatoes, which have thicker, coarser skin, I highly recommend you peel them. It makes for a much more pleasing bite.

Tips & Variations

• When cutting your potatoes, try as best as you can to get them all to a similar size. Since you won’t be cutting them any further before serving, you’ll want to make sure they’re uniform in size not only for even cooking but because it’s nicer to eat it that way. Big chunks of potato are harder for kids to bite into!
• I can’t reiterate this enough. Use a trivet if you have one, and wait for potatoes to cool before mixing in the dressing!
• Use sweet pickles instead of dill if that’s your thing. As well you can counterbalance those with a little added vinegar.
• To avoid cracked eggs while cooking, bring them to room temperature before cooking them. It’s no guarantee that you still won’t have cracked eggs, which is why you can always add in a few extra eggs for good measure. Plus, you’ll have extra hardboiled eggs for egg salad later on. Win-win!
• You do not need to run the eggs under cold water when you remove them from the pot. Just let it rest at room temperature until it is cool enough to peel.
• Like your potato salad with a little kick? Swap the yellow mustard for dijon or toss in a couple of chopped jalapenos (seeds removed!).
• Double the recipe for a crowd or very hungry teenagers!

WAYS TO SERVE IT

Potato salad is a delicious welcome side dish to most, if not all, BBQ main dishes! These air fryer hamburgers and pulled pork sliders are my favorite meals to have with a side of potato salad. It is also great paired with ribs, steak, grilled chicken, and alongside other sides like instant pot mac and cheese, corn on the cob, and a slice of cornbread.

Make meal prep easy by portioning out smaller portions alongside this tuna salad without mayo for a healthy and satisfying lunch the next few days.

CAN I MAKE IT AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely, make this recipe up to 24 hours ahead. As I said, the flavors will become even better as they marry overnight. Just before serving, have yourself a little spoonful to see whether or not you’ll need to add any extra seasoning.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS

You don’t want to keep potato salad out for too long just because of the mayonnaise, especially if you’re serving it outside in the summertime. I’d say 30 minutes max unless you having sitting above some ice. This will extend the time it can be left out by no more than 2 hours. Keep stored in the fridge, covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

RECIPE