Featured Comment
From Cherie: “Great recipe, simple yet delicious. Very versatile and easy to switch up ingredients to make it your own.”
From Cate: “I have made this several times and it my absolute favorite! SO delicious! Thanks for a great recipe.”
From Pam: “This really is the best potato salad recipe. I’ve made it twice the last month and it’s so good!”
Recipe Overview
⏱️ Time to Taste: 30 minutes + 1 hour chilling
✨ Texture: Creamy, crunchy potato salad with a silky sour cream–mayo base
🥣 Ease: Easy (just simple chopping, boiling, and mixing)
🥔 Key Ingredients: Red potatoes, mayo, sour cream, hard-boiled eggs, celery, sweet pickles, green onions, and white wine vinegar
🎉 Best For: Summer BBQs, picnics, potlucks, holidays, and make-ahead gatherings
❤️ Why You’ll Love It: This potato salad gets its standout flavor and texture from my simple trick of tossing the warm potatoes in a tangy vinegar mixture before adding the other ingredients. This recipe will be your new go-to summer side dish!
I love that so many summer BBQ dishes are naturally gluten-free. Give me a plate with baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, and watermelon and I’m a happy camper. Pair that with my gluten-free strawberry cream cheese trifle for dessert, and that’s the perfect summer menu to me!
When it comes to potato salad, this one is my absolute favorite and the recipe I’m kind of known for in my family. Besides cookies, it’s the number one thing everyone always asks me to bring to get-togethers.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make the best potato salad. Jump to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Red potatoes: I swap the typical waxy potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes for red potatoes (just a personal preference).
- Green onion: In comparison to red onions, green onions have a milder flavor. You can use the white part for a stronger flavor, and the green ends for garnish!
- White wine vinegar: The creamy dressing is made of a combination of mayo, sour cream, and white vinegar—no yellow mustard, Miracle Whip, or pickle juice here!
- Sweet pickles: I love swapping dill pickles for sweet pickles to add a different, sweeter flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Potato Salad
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
Boil the Potatoes: I find that cutting the potatoes into 1/2″ pieces creates the perfect size chunks for potato salad. I toss them in salted water and bring the pot to a boil to cook until fork-tender.
Prep the Vinegar Mixture: While the potatoes are boiling, I prep the white wine vinegar mixture so it’s ready for my #1 trick for the best taste and texture!
Drain & Toss: Drain the potatoes, then throw them into the vinegar mixture while they’re still warm. I find a rubber spatula works best to gently mix them up.
Prep the Creamy Layer: I whisk the mayo and sour cream together in a separate bowl so they are evenly combined, then fold the mixture into the potatoes.
Combine Ingredients: Here’s where you’ll take the flavors to the next level! Add the remaining ingredients to the potato mixture and give them a gentle stir using a rubber spatula.
Chill & Serve: The flavors and textures get even better the longer the potato salad chills. I usually cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour, but no more than 6 hours.
Make-Ahead/Storage/Freezing Instructions
To Make-Ahead: This potato salad is best eaten the same day it’s made. It can be chilled for up to 6 hours before serving.
To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If the potato salad sits out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour in the heat), it’s best to discard it for food safety.
To Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing potato salad. The creamy base will separate and become watery once thawed. The potatoes will also lose some of their texture.
Can I Make Potato Salad In Advance?
It is best to make potato salad the day you’re going to eat it. It tastes great if the flavors have some chance to meld together, but all potato salads can turn watery if they sit too long.
If you want to make it in advance (up to 6 hours) be sure to use red-skinned potatoes. Starchy or white potatoes (like Russet potatoes) don’t hold up as well.
How Long Can Potato Salad Sit Out?
For food safety reasons, potato salad should not sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if out in the summer heat. This recipe contains mayo and sour cream so it’s best to keep it chilled.
What Does This Potato Salad Taste Like?
Creamy, tangy, and perfectly balanced, this potato salad tastes like a classic deli-style version with rich sour cream–mayo dressing, a subtle vinegar zing, and pops of crunch from celery and sweet pickles.
The Best Potato Salad Tips
- Cut the potatoes in 1/2-inch chunks before cooking. Don’t cut them any smaller or they will absorb too much water.
- Generously season the water with salt before boiling the potatoes. This is key to great flavor!
- Toss the hot potatoes in the vinegar mixture. Wait until the potatoes have fully cooled before folding in the sour cream/mayo mixture.
- Use a mixture of sour cream + mayo for extra creaminess.
- Let the potato salad chill for at least 1 hour so the flavors have time to meld.
More Gluten-Free Sides
Gluten-Free Potato Salad (BEST EVER!)
Video
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds red-skin potatoes, cut in half and into 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3-4 hard boiled eggs, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced (including some of the inner leaves for flavor)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
- 1/4 cup sweet pickles, diced
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Generously salt the water and add the cut potatoes.
- Boil until fork tender for about 15-20 minutes, checking every couple minutes towards the end of cooking. Drain the potatoes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar.
- Pour the warm potatoes into the vinegar mixture and gently mix with a rubber spatula to combine.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream. Pour over the potatoes and gently fold in.
- Add the remaining ingredients and gently stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in June 2017. It was updated with new photos and instructions in July 2026.
Can you use Yukon gold potatoes instead of red potatoes.? I was not sure if that would change the flavor and or texture. Of the potato salad.
Yes that would work great! Either potato works and it shouldn’t change the flavor or texture too much.
Most excellent. We are not huge Mayonnaise fans, so we reduced the mayo down to 1/4 cup, and added 1/4 cup of FAGE 0% Plain yogurt. It turned out fantastic and did not have a mayo taste to it. Adding the Vinegar/Salt/Sugar/Pepper seasoning mixture was an outstanding idea and made a nice impact on the salad.. I also used sweet pickle relish (1/4 cup) and it did the trick.
Hi! This looks alot like my recipe but instead of using vinegar and sugar to the hot potatoes, I use the sweet pickle juice mixed with fresh garlic, onion powder and salt and pepper. It does get into the potatoes and gives it extra flavor! I also use a couple dill strips with the gherkins! Sounds crazy but it balances out the gherkins with a tangy flavor! I love that you can take a fantastic recipe like this and tweak it to make it your own!
Tried this and it’s my new favorite recipe for potato salad. Added dill pickles – delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this for my Memorial Day barbecue. I used rice wine vinegar and it was so delicious! Will definitely make it again
Amazing!! This really is the best potato salad recipe I’ve even made. Love the trick with the vinegar and the addition of sweet pickles.
Amazing! Just made this. Made slight adjustments to fulfill everyone’s needs in the house it is a definite do-over!
This was bar none, the best potato salad I’ve ever tasted. I used Costco bicolor baby potatoes and the dip in vinegar and small amount of sugar when drained taters are still hot, really gave it zing. Five stars folks. It’s a classic!!!
This is bar none, the BEST potato salad I’ve ever tasted. Truly a perfect classic. Five stars
Wow I made your receipe of potatoe salad and it is delicous! Love the vinegar salt, pepper and sugar mix soaked into the potatoes! It really is a good receipe. Oh and I made it for a big family party so I tripled it!! Thanks Debbie
Very similar to what I make, and a little trick I do is to use pickled eggs instead of plain hard boiled eggs. Definitely kicks it up a notch!
In the recipe for Best Potatoe Salad Ever…. it calls for 2 1/2 pounds of red potatoes….not having a scale, approximately how many red potatoes are used?
This looks amazing! Would it still be good without the sweet pickles? I can’t stand those..
Yes that should work!
Was looking for a new potato salad recipe. Found this. Didn’t have green onions on hand so use some red onion. Never used the vinegar mixture or sour cream before. Other than the onion I made this the way you posted. This is so delicious! My husband loves it. Thank you for sharing. For sure, this is my new go to receipe!
Thanks for the comment! I’m so glad you and your husband loved it!
This salad looks so good.