Perfect Dill Potato Salad

Here is my favorite dill potato salad recipe, with tender potato cubes, hard-boiled eggs, crunchy dill pickles, and a creamy dressing made with mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and plenty of fresh dill.

This potato salad is what I bring to every summer barbecue and potluck. My family always asks me to make extra because it disappears so fast. There’s something about that tangy dill and pickle combo that keeps everyone coming back for more.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

For potato salad, you’ll want to reach for waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or new potatoes instead of russets. Waxy potatoes hold their shape better after boiling and won’t turn mushy or fall apart when you mix them with the dressing. Russets are too starchy and tend to break down, giving you a gluey texture that nobody wants in their potato salad. If you can’t find the exact variety, just look for potatoes labeled as “boiling potatoes” at the store – those will work perfectly for this recipe.

Options for Substitutions

This potato salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Mayonnaise: You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream for a lighter version, or mix half mayo and half yogurt for a nice balance. The texture will be slightly thinner but still creamy.
• White wine vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar work just fine here. You’ll still get that tangy kick.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard is a solid substitute, though you might want to use a bit less since it’s sharper. Whole grain mustard also works if you like a bit of texture.
• Potatoes: Waxy potatoes like Yukon gold, red potatoes, or fingerlings are best for potato salad since they hold their shape. Avoid russets as they tend to fall apart and get mushy.
• Dill pickles: Sweet pickles or bread and butter pickles can replace dill pickles if that’s what you have, though the flavor will be sweeter. You could also use chopped cornichons.
• Fresh dill: If you don’t have fresh dill, use 2 teaspoons of dried dill instead. Fresh parsley also works in a pinch, though the flavor will be different.
• Microgreens: These are totally optional for garnish. Skip them or use fresh parsley, chives, or even extra green onions instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with potato salad is adding the dressing while the potatoes are still warm, which can turn your salad into a mushy, watery disaster – always let your boiled potatoes cool completely before mixing.

Overcooking your potatoes is another common error that leads to a mushy texture, so aim for fork-tender but still firm, which usually means checking them around the 15-minute mark depending on their size.

When it comes to the eggs, boiling them for too long creates that unappealing gray-green ring around the yolk, so stick to 10-12 minutes of boiling followed by an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

Finally, don’t dress your potato salad too far in advance – add the mayonnaise mixture about an hour before serving so the flavors meld without the salad becoming watery from the vegetables releasing moisture.

What to Serve With Dill Potato Salad?

Dill potato salad is a natural fit for any backyard barbecue or picnic, so I love pairing it with grilled meats like burgers, hot dogs, or chicken thighs. It also works great alongside other summer cookout favorites like coleslaw, baked beans, or corn on the cob for a full spread. If you’re keeping things simple, this potato salad is filling enough to serve with just some sliced deli meats and cheese for an easy lunch. The creamy, tangy flavors also complement grilled fish or shrimp really well if you’re going for a lighter meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your dill potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to mingle together. Just give it a good stir before serving since the dressing might settle a bit.

Make Ahead: This is a great dish to prep ahead for parties or meal prep. You can boil the potatoes and eggs up to 2 days in advance and store them separately in the fridge. Just mix everything together with the dressing a few hours before serving, and add the microgreens right before you’re ready to eat so they stay fresh and crisp.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1350
• Protein: 40-48 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-115 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 4.5 fl oz mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard (I use Maille for a smoother texture)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp finely minced shallot

For the salad:

• 4 potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes before boiling)
• 6 eggs
• 4 dill pickles (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 4 green onions
• 2.5 tbsp fresh dill
• salt to taste

For the garnish:

• 2 tbsp microgreens

Step 1: Start Potatoes and Eggs Cooking

• 4 potatoes
• 6 eggs
• salt to taste

Place potatoes and eggs in a large pot and cover with cold salted water.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.

Cook for 12-15 minutes until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork and eggs are hard-boiled.

While they cook, you’ll have time to prepare the remaining ingredients.

Once done, transfer potatoes and eggs to separate bowls of ice water to cool completely—this stops the cooking process and makes them easier to peel.

Step 2: Prepare Remaining Ingredients

• 4 dill pickles
• 4 green onions
• 2.5 tbsp fresh dill
• 2 tbsp microgreens

While the potatoes and eggs cool, dice the dill pickles into 1/4-inch pieces, slice the green onions (both white and green parts), and finely mince the fresh dill.

I like to keep the dill separate into two portions—about 1.5 tablespoons for mixing into the salad and 1 tablespoon reserved for topping, as this gives you better control over the fresh herb flavor distribution.

Step 3: Build the Dressing

• 4.5 fl oz mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp finely minced shallot

In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, black pepper, water, and minced shallot until smooth and well combined.

The water helps loosen the mayo to the right consistency for coating everything evenly.

Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—I find that quality mustard like Maille gives a smoother, more refined flavor than sharper varieties.

Step 4: Peel, Chop, and Combine

• cooled potatoes from Step 1
• cooled eggs from Step 1
• diced pickles from Step 2
• sliced green onions from Step 2
• 1.5 tbsp fresh dill from Step 2

Once cooled, peel the eggs and cut them into 1/2-inch chunks.

Drain the cooled potatoes thoroughly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, chunked eggs, diced pickles, sliced green onions, and the reserved 1.5 tablespoons of fresh dill.

Gently fold everything together to avoid breaking up the potatoes.

Step 5: Dress and Season the Salad

• dressing mixture from Step 3
• combined salad from Step 4
• salt to taste

Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the potato mixture and fold gently until everything is evenly coated.

Season with salt to taste, starting with a light hand and adding more as needed since the pickles and dressing already contain salt.

Chill until ready to serve—even 15 minutes makes a difference in helping the flavors meld.

Step 6: Finish and Serve

• 1 tbsp reserved fresh dill from Step 2
• 2 tbsp microgreens

Just before serving, top the chilled potato salad with the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh dill and the microgreens for a bright, fresh finish.

The microgreens add a delicate peppery note that complements the dill beautifully.

Perfect Dill Potato Salad

Delicious Perfect Dill Potato Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 55 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 47 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 1275

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing

• 4.5 fl oz mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's mayonnaise)
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp dijon mustard (I use Maille for a smoother texture)
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp finely minced shallot

For the salad

• 4 potatoes (cut into 1-inch cubes before boiling)
• 6 eggs
• 4 dill pickles (diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 4 green onions
• 2.5 tbsp fresh dill
• salt to taste

For the garnish

• 2 tbsp microgreens

Method

 

1. Place potatoes and eggs in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork and eggs are hard-boiled. While they cook, you'll have time to prepare the remaining ingredients. Once done, transfer potatoes and eggs to separate bowls of ice water to cool completely—this stops the cooking process and makes them easier to peel.
2. While the potatoes and eggs cool, dice the dill pickles into 1/4-inch pieces, slice the green onions (both white and green parts), and finely mince the fresh dill. I like to keep the dill separate into two portions—about 1.5 tablespoons for mixing into the salad and 1 tablespoon reserved for topping, as this gives you better control over the fresh herb flavor distribution.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, black pepper, water, and minced shallot until smooth and well combined. The water helps loosen the mayo to the right consistency for coating everything evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed—I find that quality mustard like Maille gives a smoother, more refined flavor than sharper varieties.
4. Once cooled, peel the eggs and cut them into 1/2-inch chunks. Drain the cooled potatoes thoroughly. In a large mixing bowl, combine the potatoes, chunked eggs, diced pickles, sliced green onions, and the reserved 1.5 tablespoons of fresh dill. Gently fold everything together to avoid breaking up the potatoes.
5. Pour the dressing from Step 3 over the potato mixture and fold gently until everything is evenly coated. Season with salt to taste, starting with a light hand and adding more as needed since the pickles and dressing already contain salt. Chill until ready to serve—even 15 minutes makes a difference in helping the flavors meld.
6. Just before serving, top the chilled potato salad with the remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh dill and the microgreens for a bright, fresh finish. The microgreens add a delicate peppery note that complements the dill beautifully.