This is the Best Potato Salad I have ever had! At the time we were eating this meal, I kept commenting how wonderful this salad is. I think my words were that it was “Killer.” And I’m not exaggerating!
This was back in 2014 and three couples were on a Houseboat Vacation on Rainy River in northern Minnesota on the Canadian line. It was MaryJo’s brother John and his wife Flora. Cousin Al and wife Sue. And MaryJo and I.
We took turns cooking meals every day….Al and Sue one day. MaryJo and I the next. Then it came to John and Flora.
We had just caught a bunch of walleyes and northern pike and John fried those up beautifully. Flora was in charge of the potato salad.
This was a recipe she had developed over years of trial and error and she assured us that this was the best.
This is not your mama’s recipe!
I have always made potato salad with gobs of mayonnaise and a few squirts of yellow mustard. And of course some sugar to sweeten the whole thing. Just like my mom used to make. This salad has none of that.
You see, Flora is a physician and very health conscious. She’s like wake up at 4:30 am and take a 3 mile run before getting ready for work healthy.
So this salad is probably quite different than you’ve ever experienced. I know it was for me. But it is so danged good. The flavors of the ingredients work so well together. And what is unique is the tang you get from the dried mustard powder. You would serve this with any grilled meats and I know it was wonderful with fresh fried walleye.
How to Make The Best Potato Salad
I remember both of my grandmothers boiling whole potatoes, then peeling them to make potato salad. This creates a potato that kind of crumbles when you cut it into pieces and the texture is perfect for the salad. The potatoes remain quite starchy too unlike they would be if peeled, chopped, then boiled.
Chop the peppers into small pieces and the flavors will get distributed better. When you take a bite, the crunch is there and this is especially true of the celery. It’s only one stalk of celery and 1/2 of each red and green pepper but when chopped fine, they will be there in every bite.
And the sweet pickle relish. Each bite will have a hint of sweet pickles. And it’s a tangy sweetness that blends with the other ingredients.
Finally, what really makes this unique is the dried mustard powder. It gives the flavor a little heat and you would swear that there was a touch of cayenne pepper in there. It’s a good heat though, not the burn your mouth type heat. It’s a flavor that pairs well with grilled meat. You know, like perfect picnic grilling party flavors.
The next time you’re grilling out, give this best potato salad recipe a try. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Here’s a couple more side dish recipes you might like: Grilled Potato Salad Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts Mexican Street Corn Salad

How to Make The Best Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 5 medium russet potatoes, (about 2 pounds)
- 1/2 green pepper , 1/4" diced
- 1/2 red pepper ,1/4" diced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion , small diced
- 1 stalk celery , finely sliced
- 2 tbsp heaping tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons dry powdered mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pink himilayan sea salt
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise, (heaping tbsp, 55 grams)
- chopped fresh parsley as a garnish, optional
- sweet paprika for color, if desired
Instructions
- Place whole potatoes in a stock pot with cold water, bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook until fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins with a spoon or the back of a small knife. Then chop into pieces 1/2 to 3/4 inches.
- Place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and fold together making sure to distribute the mayonnaise well. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve cold or at room temperature.
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