Creamy Dill Potato Salad for Summer Cookouts
Every summer I make this for my kids' end-of-school cookout, and the bowl comes back empty without fail.
The dressing is sharp from mustard, creamy from good mayo, and loud with fresh dill. It needs 60 minutes in the fridge to settle, and that rest time is the whole point.
Creamy Dill Potato Salad for Summer Cookouts
Tender potatoes in a tangy, herb-loaded dressing that gets better the longer it sits.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 tbsp kosher salt , for the boiling water
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar , divided
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise , full-fat
- 3 tbsp whole-grain Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper , freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt , for the dressing
- 1/3 cup fresh dill , roughly chopped, plus more for topping
- 3 whole celery stalks , thinly sliced
- 4 whole green onions , sliced thin, white and green parts
- 3 whole hard-boiled eggs , peeled and chopped, optional
Instructions
Tips & Notes
- Yukon Golds hold their shape better than russets here. Russets will give you a mushier texture after chilling.
- Starting the potatoes in cold water instead of boiling water helps them cook evenly all the way through.
- The 60-minute chill is not optional. The salad tastes flat and sharp straight from the bowl. The rest mellows it.
- If you want more tang, add a fourth tablespoon of vinegar to the finished salad right before serving rather than into the dressing.
Nutrition per serving · estimated
Why the Potatoes Get Vinegar Before the Dressing
Most recipes dress the potatoes cold. I dress them warm, with vinegar first, because warm potatoes drink up liquid in a way that cold ones simply do not.
That first hit of vinegar builds a layer of flavor into the potato itself, not just on its surface. By the time the creamy dressing goes on, you get depth in every bite instead of a coating that slides off.
Fresh Dill Is the Whole Argument Here
Dried dill will make this taste like a deli container. Fresh dill makes it taste like summer. There is no workaround on that.
I buy one large bunch, use a third of it in the salad, and scatter the rest on top right before it goes to the table. The green against the white dressing is half the reason people reach for a second scoop before the burgers are even off the grill.
