Sour cream potato salad is a creamy, tangy side dish made with tender potatoes, crisp celery, and sliced green onions. This recipe skips heavy dressing in favor of a balanced sour cream-based mixture that keeps the salad fresh and flavorful.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Sour Cream Potato Salad
🕒 Ready In: ~30 minutes (plus chilling)
👪 Serves: 6 servings
🍽 Calories: ~290 per serving (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Potatoes, sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free; vegetarian
👌 Difficulty: Easy - boil and mix
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The potatoes are boiled until just tender, then tossed with a simple dressing made from sour cream, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard. Chilling the salad before serving allows the flavors to come together while keeping the texture light and creamy.
If you enjoy classic potato salad variations like this, you might also like our Deviled Egg Dip, Loaded Potato Salad, or Mexican Coleslaw. These recipes work well for cookouts, potlucks, and easy weeknight meals.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love this Sour Cream Potato Salad:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make Sour Cream Potato Salad:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Sour Cream Potato Salad FAQs:
- More Side Dish Recipes You'll Love
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- Sour Cream Potato Salad
Why You'll Love this Sour Cream Potato Salad:
Creamy and Tangy: The combination of sour cream, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard creates a balanced dressing that's rich without being heavy.
Classic, Simple Ingredients: Made with pantry staples and fresh vegetables for familiar, comforting flavor.
Tender Potatoes: Boiling the potatoes just until fork-tender keeps them soft without falling apart.
Great for Make-Ahead: Chilling the salad allows the flavors to develop, making it ideal for prepping ahead of time.
Perfect for Potlucks: A reliable side dish that pairs well with grilled meats, sandwiches, or cookout favorites.
Key Ingredients:
- russet potatoes. Their fluffy texture absorbs the dressing well. Yukon golds or red potatoes can also be used for a slightly firmer salad.
- green onions. Mild and slightly sweet, they give a subtle onion flavor that balances the creamy dressing.
- sour cream. Adds tang and lightens the dressing, use full-fat for the richest flavor.
- mayonnaise. Gives the dressing body and creaminess. Use Homemade Mayonnaise for the best flavor.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Use Red or Yukon Gold Potatoes: Swap russets for red or Yukon Gold potatoes for a slightly creamier texture and less peeling.
- Make It Lighter: Use light sour cream or Greek yogurt in place of regular sour cream for a lighter dressing.
- Add Fresh Herbs: Stir in chopped dill or parsley for extra freshness.
- Extra Crunch: Add diced pickles or relish for a tangy crunch.
- Bacon Option: Fold in cooked, crumbled bacon just before serving for a heartier potato salad.
How to Make Sour Cream Potato Salad:
- Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart.
- Drain the potatoes well and let them cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, celery, and green onions.
- Add the sour cream dressing and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve to allow the flavors to meld.
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Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Start Potatoes in Cold Water: This helps the potatoes cook evenly from the inside out.
- Don't Overcook: Cook just until fork-tender so the potatoes hold their shape when mixed.
- Cool Completely Before Mixing: Adding the dressing to hot potatoes can cause it to thin and become watery.
- Mix Gently: Toss carefully to avoid breaking the potatoes and turning the salad mushy.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerating the potato salad for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to blend and improves texture.
How to Store:
Refrigerator: Store potato salad in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Stir before serving, as the dressing can settle slightly while chilled.
Freezer: Not recommended, as the creamy dressing can separate and change texture when thawed.
Make ahead: Prepare the salad up to a day in advance for the best flavor. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and add any garnishes just before serving.
Sour Cream Potato Salad FAQs:
Yes, sour cream potato salad can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for several hours before serving. Chilling helps the flavors meld and improves the overall texture.
To keep sour cream potato salad from getting watery, allow the potatoes to cool completely before adding the dressing and drain them well after boiling. Excess moisture in warm potatoes can thin the dressing.
Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes all work well for sour cream potato salad. Yukon Gold and red potatoes hold their shape slightly better, while russets create a softer, creamier texture.
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Sour Cream Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- ½ cup green onions, sliced
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart.
- Drain the potatoes well and let them cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, celery, and green onions.
- Add the sour cream dressing and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve to allow the flavors to meld.
Nutrition
Notes
- Start Potatoes in Cold Water: This helps the potatoes cook evenly from the inside out.
- Don't Overcook: Cook just until fork-tender so the potatoes hold their shape when mixed.
- Cool Completely Before Mixing: Adding the dressing to hot potatoes can cause it to thin and become watery.
- Mix Gently: Toss carefully to avoid breaking the potatoes and turning the salad mushy.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerating the potato salad for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to blend and improves texture.
Kae says
My go-to for potlucks, everyone always loves it!
Alice says
This recipe is very similar to my own. Love using light sour cream with the mayo, to reduce the fat and calories. I used 3lbs. red skinned potatoes with your same measurements of sour cream, mayo, celery and onions. It was a hit!