Best Amish Potato Salad with Cooked Dressing

Finding a potato salad recipe that actually tastes like something special can be harder than you’d think. Most recipes out there are pretty basic—just potatoes, mayo, and maybe some celery if you’re lucky—and they end up tasting kind of bland and forgettable at your next barbecue or potluck.

That’s what makes this Amish potato salad with cooked dressing so different. The secret is in that homemade cooked dressing, which combines tangy mustard, sweet pickle juice, and a touch of brown sugar to create a flavor that’s creamy, slightly sweet, and way more interesting than your typical mayo-heavy potato salad.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

This recipe calls for a mix of russet and yukon gold potatoes, which is actually a smart combination. The russets give you that classic fluffy texture that soaks up the dressing nicely, while the yukon golds add a buttery flavor and hold their shape a bit better so you don’t end up with total mush. If you can only find one type at the store, don’t stress about it – you can use all of one kind and your potato salad will still turn out great. Just keep in mind that if you go all russets, your salad might be a bit softer, and if you use all yukon golds, it’ll be a touch firmer and waxier.

Options for Substitutions

This potato salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Russet and Yukon gold potatoes: You can use all of one type instead of mixing them – just stick with waxy potatoes like Yukon golds or red potatoes since they hold their shape better. Russets alone tend to get mushy, so if that’s all you have, cook them just until tender and handle gently.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard works fine here. Use the same amount, though the flavor will be a bit milder.
• Gherkin pickles and pickle juice: Any sweet pickles will do – bread and butter pickles are a great option. You can also use dill pickles if you prefer a tangier salad, just use the dill pickle juice too.
• White wine vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or regular white vinegar both work as substitutes without changing much.
• Brown sugar: White sugar is fine if that’s what you have. The flavor will be slightly less rich but still good.
• Mayonnaise: This is pretty essential for the creamy texture, so I’d recommend keeping it as is. In a pinch, you could use half mayo and half sour cream, but the dressing won’t be quite the same.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making this potato salad is overcooking the potatoes, which turns them into mush instead of tender chunks – stick to exactly 1 minute of pressure cooking and don’t skip the 5-minute natural release, as this gentle finish prevents them from breaking apart.

When making the cooked dressing, rushing the tempering process with the egg can leave you with scrambled bits, so make sure to add just a teaspoon of the hot sauce to the beaten egg first and whisk constantly when adding it back to the pot.

Another common error is mixing the salad when the potatoes are cold, but combining everything while the potatoes are still warm helps them absorb all those flavors from the dressing and pickle juice.

Finally, don’t shortcut the 4-hour chill time – this rest period allows the flavors to blend together and the dressing to set properly, making all the difference between a watery salad and one that holds together perfectly.

What to Serve With Amish Potato Salad?

Amish potato salad is perfect for any backyard barbecue or potluck, so I love pairing it with grilled meats like burgers, hot dogs, or BBQ chicken. It also goes great alongside other picnic favorites like baked beans, coleslaw, 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 meat and fresh fruit on the side. The creamy, tangy dressing makes it a natural companion to anything smoky or grilled, so don’t be afraid to serve it with ribs or pulled pork sandwiches too.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This potato salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours, so it’s perfect for making ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors really meld together nicely overnight, making it ideal for potlucks or picnics the next day.

Serve: Always keep this salad chilled until you’re ready to serve, especially since it contains eggs and mayo. Give it a good stir before serving because the dressing can settle at the bottom. If it seems a bit thick after sitting, you can stir in a splash of milk to loosen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1850-2100
• Protein: 38-46 g
• Fat: 95-110 g
• Carbohydrates: 230-260 g

Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 tsp corn starch
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon for a sharper tang)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg (lightly beaten before adding to prevent scrambling)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellmann’s for the creamiest texture)
• 1/4 tsp paprika

For the potatoes and assembly:

• 1.25 lb russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1.25 lb yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 stalks celery (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 10 gherkin pickles (finely chopped for consistent crunch)

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1.25 lb russet potatoes
• 1.25 lb yukon gold potatoes
• 2 stalks celery
• 10 gherkin pickles

Peel and cut both russet and yukon gold potatoes into 1-inch chunks, keeping them in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration.

Finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces and finely chop the gherkin pickles for consistent texture.

Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and efficient.

Step 2: Make the Cooked Dressing Base

• 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 tsp corn starch
• 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg

In a small pot, whisk together the milk and corn starch until smooth, then place over high heat.

Once it begins to boil, stir in the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens—about 2-3 minutes.

Lightly temper the beaten egg by mixing 1 teaspoon of the hot sauce into it, then slowly stir the egg mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly until the sauce reaches 135°F and coats the back of a spoon.

I like to use a thermometer here to ensure the egg is safely cooked without scrambling.

Step 3: Cook the Potatoes and Eggs Together

• prepared potatoes from Step 1
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice
• 3 eggs

Drain the prepared potatoes and add them to a clean pot with the water, salt, vinegar, and sweet pickle juice.

Stir gently to combine, then place the 3 whole eggs directly on top of the potatoes (don’t stir them in).

Cover and pressure cook on high for 1 minute, then allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release before carefully releasing any remaining pressure.

Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to cool and stop the cooking process.

Step 4: Assemble the Amish Potato Salad

• cooked potatoes from Step 3
• cooked dressing from Step 2
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• prepared celery and pickles from Step 1
• hard-boiled eggs from Step 3

While the potatoes are still warm, transfer them to a large bowl and pour the cooked dressing from Step 2 over them, stirring gently to coat evenly.

Fold in the mayonnaise until well combined, then add the diced celery and chopped pickles from Step 1, mixing carefully to maintain the potato chunks.

Peel and chop the cooled hard-boiled eggs and fold them into the salad.

I prefer to add the eggs just before chilling so they stay a bit firmer rather than absorbing too much moisture.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

• 1/4 tsp paprika

Transfer the assembled potato salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly.

Give it a gentle stir before serving, adding a pinch of paprika on top for a traditional Amish touch if desired.

Best Amish Potato Salad with Cooked Dressing

Delicious Best Amish Potato Salad with Cooked Dressing recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 1975

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dressing::

• 1/3 cup milk
• 3/4 tsp corn starch
• 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon for a sharper tang)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg (lightly beaten before adding to prevent scrambling)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellmann's for the creamiest texture)
• 1/4 tsp paprika

For the potatoes and assembly::

• 1.25 lb russet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1.25 lb yukon gold potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 stalks celery (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 10 gherkin pickles (finely chopped for consistent crunch)

Method

 

1. Peel and cut both russet and yukon gold potatoes into 1-inch chunks, keeping them in a bowl of cold water to prevent discoloration. Finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces and finely chop the gherkin pickles for consistent texture. Having everything prepped and ready will make the cooking process smooth and efficient.
2. In a small pot, whisk together the milk and corn starch until smooth, then place over high heat. Once it begins to boil, stir in the Dijon mustard, brown sugar, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, continuing to stir until the mixture thickens—about 2-3 minutes. Lightly temper the beaten egg by mixing 1 teaspoon of the hot sauce into it, then slowly stir the egg mixture back into the pot, whisking constantly until the sauce reaches 135°F and coats the back of a spoon. I like to use a thermometer here to ensure the egg is safely cooked without scrambling.
3. Drain the prepared potatoes and add them to a clean pot with the water, salt, vinegar, and sweet pickle juice. Stir gently to combine, then place the 3 whole eggs directly on top of the potatoes (don't stir them in). Cover and pressure cook on high for 1 minute, then allow 5 minutes of natural pressure release before carefully releasing any remaining pressure. Transfer the eggs to an ice water bath to cool and stop the cooking process.
4. While the potatoes are still warm, transfer them to a large bowl and pour the cooked dressing from Step 2 over them, stirring gently to coat evenly. Fold in the mayonnaise until well combined, then add the diced celery and chopped pickles from Step 1, mixing carefully to maintain the potato chunks. Peel and chop the cooled hard-boiled eggs and fold them into the salad. I prefer to add the eggs just before chilling so they stay a bit firmer rather than absorbing too much moisture.
5. Transfer the assembled potato salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight) to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly. Give it a gentle stir before serving, adding a pinch of paprika on top for a traditional Amish touch if desired.