Amish Potato Salad is a summer time staple. This side dish recipe is made with chunks of potatoes, onion and red pepper tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing. Amish Potato Salad is the best for serving at backyard barbecues and cookouts.
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Growing up near an Amish community in Delaware meant having some of their most popular recipes available anytime we wanted them. We often buy Amish Potato Salad and Amish Pasta Salad, but I just recently learned how to make Amish Broccoli Salad too!
Having recently bought Amish Potato Salad from just about every local grocery store, including Byler’s which is an Amish-owned grocery store, I quickly realized that they are all slightly different.
My recipe below is a copycat recipe using some of the most commonly found ingredients in all of the different variations that I tried. I’ve also included some of the most common adaptations.
Why This Recipe Works
Potato salad is a quick and easy side dish. It can be made ahead of time, if needed.
Amish potato salad dressing is sweeter and tangier than traditional potato salad. This recipe tastes very similar to store-bought Amish potato salad but without all of the added preservatives and thickeners.
This recipe is perfect for summer barbecues, cookouts and potlucks.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: waxy varieties like new or Yukon gold potatoes, work best.
- Onion
- Red Pepper
- Sweet Relish
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream
- Yellow Mustard
- Sugar
- Spices: onion powder, celery salt or celery seed.
The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.
Prep!
Peel your potatoes and cut into bite size pieces.
Finely dice the onion and red pepper.
Create!
Add potatoes to a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
Drain potatoes and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them. Transfer to a large bowl with the onion and red pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, relish, mustard, sugar, onion powder and celery salt. Taste and adjust seasonings, as desired.
Add the dressing to the potatoes and toss to combine.
Present!
Garnish with green onion slices or parsley, if desired.
Common Adaptations
Amish potato salad recipes vary greatly. Here are some of the most common adaptations that you may want to take. For the most part, the dressing is very similar between all of the recipes that I tried.
- Omit relish.
- Omit red pepper.
- Add 3 or 4 chopped hard boiled eggs.
- Add 1/4 cup diced celery.
Tips and Techniques
- While you can use any type of potato, waxy potato varieties, like new or Yukon gold, are the best to use for potato salad.
- Store any leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-5 days. If the potato salad sat out for longer than 2 hours in temperatures above 40°F, discard it.
FAQ’s
Can You Make Amish Potato Salad Ahead Of Time?
Yes. You can make potato salad ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.
Can You Freeze Amish Potato Salad?
Freezing potato salad is not recommended.
Can You Make Potato Salad Ahead Of Time?
Yes. You can make potato salad up to 3 days in advance so long as you store it in the refrigerator right away.
Should Potato Salad Be Served Warm Or Cold?
You can serve potato salad either warm or chilled. If potato salad is kept at 40°F or above for longer than 2 hours, it should be discarded. However, keeping it in the refrigerator extends its shelf life to 3-5 days.
What Is The Best Type Of Potato To Use For Potato Salad?
While you can use any type of potato, waxy potato varieties are the best to use for potato salad. They hold their shape and prevent your potato salad from getting too watery. Some varieties to look for are red, fingerling, new, and Yukon gold.
More Summer Side Dish Recipes
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Amish Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds potatoes (peeled and cut into bite size pieces)
- 1/4 cup onion (diced very small)
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper (diced very small)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt (or celery seed + salt to taste)
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 5-10 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.
- Drain potatoes and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool them. Transfer to a large bowl with the onion and red pepper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, relish, mustard, sugar, onion powder and celery salt. Taste and adjust season, as desired.
- Add dressing to the potatoes and toss to combine.
Notes
Tips and Techniques
- While you can use any type of potato, waxy potato varieties, like new or Yukon gold, are the best to use for potato salad.
- Store any leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Use within 3-5 days. If the potato salad sat out for longer than 2 hours in temperatures above 40°F, discard it.
Nutrition
Natalie says
What an interesting salad. Love added sweet relish. I will definitely give it a try. Looks dleiicous!
Lindsay says
potato salad without mustard is not worth eating, in my opinion, lol! Seriously though, this recipe reminds me of my grandmas, and it’s perfect.
pam says
I made this for my sister-in-law who grew up near an Amish community in Pennsylvania. She loved it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Dannii says
Potato salad is the ultimate comfort food and this sounds amazing with the sour cream/
Eliza says
What a great recipe! This homemade Amish potato salad is going to have a permanent place in our picnics and potlucks. Thanks for all the great tips, too. Another winner from Delicious Little Bites!
Savita says
This salad looks so creamy and delicious. Can’t wait to try it out.