My husband’s family loves enjoying this classic potato salad at family get-togethers!
Sometimes he volunteers to make this for a family party or barbecue. Whether it’s a big family party or a potluck, this is an easy recipe that makes a great side dish for a lot of people! We love enjoying potato salad at summer cookouts!
One of our favorite summer time meals is Marinated & Grilled Meat, this Potato Salad, Chocolate Cake and Homemade Ice Cream!
Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
With farming and raising food part of the rich history on both sides of our family we’ve got so many old-fashioned recipes that are just as good old comfort food!
This Old-Fashioned Potato Salad has been served on the farmhouse tables of several people on my husband’s side of the family. He’s the one that makes this recipe in our house.
I asked my husband for tips on making this family favorite dish. He said, “Potato salad isn’t about measuring out ingredients, it’s about feel or what your taste preference is.” And I had to pause because he just doesn’t use the word feel or feelings very often.
I collected myself and asked him to explain more about the feel of a great potato salad. He dug deep and replied, “If it needs more salt, add more salt, if it needs more moisture add more mayo, for a little more crunch add a little more celery.”
At this point some of you are thinking, wow he should have his own cooking show. Two things you should know about Farmer Joe, he’s not a man of many words, so the shows would be short. Secondly, I asked him why the pieces of celery were so big. I was curious if that’s also part of the family tradition? He replied, “Nope, it’s just the best I could do. I’m not very good at chopping.”
Traditionally a nice firm boiled egg was made by placing eggs in a pot of boiling water for 12 minutes. Now we find that making Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs is a helpful time-saver for our family.
Any further interest in him hosting or serving as a guest on a cooking show, just message me on any social channel, I’ll serve as his agent.
You might have noticed by now that Joe is a practical guy, so logically he used our basic Anchor Hocking glass bowl to serve the Potato Salad in. Another classic side dish that our family really enjoys is this Easy Potluck Pasta Salad. Cheers to great side dishes like these!
How Long to Boil Potatoes for Potato Salad
Wash potatoes, then peel and cube into bite sized pieces or slightly smaller before dropping them in a pot of boiling water.
The amount of time to boil potatoes varies greatly based on how full the pot is, how big the cubes are and your desired tenderness of the finished potatoes. Check potatoes with a fork every five minutes until they are close to desired tenderness.
We prefer potatoes that just barely fall off the fork. Potatoes that easily fall off of a fork will work fine in the salad, they will just create a much softer potato salad that may be more like a mashed potato salad.
Ingredients Needed for Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
- 5 pounds of potatoes
- 8 hard boiled eggs
- 3 stalks celery
- 15 ounces mayonaise
- 2 teaspoons salt
Tips for Making Farmhouse Potato Salad
- Plan to taste several samples as you go along to get the flavor combinations just right.
- For more crunch add more celery.
- If salt isn’t detectable add a pinch or two at a time and stir well until the desired flavor is achieved.
- If the mixture seems dry add more mayonnaise.
- For full flavor use regular mayo, using a lighter version will definitely change the flavors in the recipe.
- The egg yolks can give this recipe a yellowish tinge, but there is no mustard used in this potato salad.
How to Make Farmhouse Potato Salad
- Add bite size cubes of potatoes into a pot of boiling water and boil until the potatoes are just barely fork tender. Drain potatoes
- Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Other Big Batch Potato Recipes
Other Summer Picnic Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe for Farmhouse Potato Salad
Farmhouse Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 5 pounds potatoes cubed
- 8 eggs hard boiled & chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 15 ounces mayo
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Boil potatoes until they are soft and fork tender. The potatoes are fork tender when you put a fork in the potatoes they fall off the fork.
- Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate. Be aware of food safety and store the potato salad safely in the refrigerator when not in use.
Nutrition
This recipe has been included in The Southern Bite’s Weekly Meal Plan!
There has to be yellow mustard in it. Although it’s not listed in the ingredients. What gives it the yell I was color?
My husband said the egg yolks made it yellow :).
I doubt it is yellow from the egg yolks. I have made potato salad with eggs (no mustard) and it never turned yellow like this potato salad. I’ve also made potato salad similar to what this looks like many times and that is when I added French’s yellow mustard and it looked exactly like this. However, I also added finely chopped green pepper, salt, pepper, garlic powder and celery salt and sprinkled some paprika on top of the finished potato salad. This is exactly what it looked like with yellow mustard. Because I’ve made potato salad many times I think this recipe needs more spice in it. Sprinkle the spices on the bowl of potatoes, eggs, and green peppers. Then you should mix the mayo and mustard together (to taste) in a small bowl and then mix it into the potato salad. Mix well and then sprinkle a little papriks on top. Delicious!
I think the whole point of the original post was that there are no “shoulds” in making potato salad. To each his own. LOL!
There’s nothing better than potato salad to make it feel like summer. Clearly this one is picnic ready!
Have to have mustard in mine along with Hellmann’s, vinegar,, and some sweet relish…..we also like Vidalia onion diced into the tater salad along with the eggs and celery. The mustard is what gives it that tang and nice yellow color.
Sounds like a great variation of a potato salad! The egg yolks give this one the yellow color, but mustard could be a great addition!
This looks delicious! I love how the egg yolk is incorporated, my Grandma’s Potato Salad was the same way. Tell Farmer Joe thanks for sharing the tips!!
Mmmmm!! Sounds like a perfect addition to any summer picnic! 🙂
i’ve never made potato salad but i love it – this one seems easy!