Instant Pot Potato Salad
Instant Pot Potato Salad – the easiest way to make potato salad! The potatoes and eggs cook at the same time in your Instant Pot pressure cooker.
When you’re cooking dinner on the grill, you can’t beat a side of potato salad to go with your meal. This red potato salad is one of my favorite recipes, but now that I’ve tried making potato salad in the Instant Pot I don’t think I’ll make it any other way!
Like most Instant Pot recipes, cooking potatoes for potato salad in the Instant Pot is hands-off and so easy to do. You won’t have to keep checking on your potatoes to see if they are done, as you would if you cooked them on the stove.
The best part is that you can also cook hard boiled eggs for your potato salad, right in the Instant Pot, at the same time as you cook the potatoes! Both potatoes and eggs will be perfectly cooked and ready to make the most delicious potato salad. Like eggs? Try my deviled eggs and egg salad.
This Instant Pot potato salad has tender potatoes, crunchy celery and eggs in a creamy dressing. Pickle relish and finely chopped onion add even more flavor. I’ve given you a few suggestions for potato salad ingredient variations below, so you can make your best potato salad.
Serve this potato salad with pulled pork, turkey burgers or grilled pork chops. It’s a crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for a BBQ!
If you’re new to using an Instant Pot, read my simple Instant Pot directions before getting started.
What kind of potatoes are best for potato salad?
I recommend using yellow or gold potatoes, such as Yukon golds, or red potatoes in this recipe. These varieties of potatoes hold their shape well and don’t fall apart when you cook them. Since these potatoes have thin skin, you don’t need to peel them before using.
I tested this Instant Pot potato salad recipe with Russet potatoes, and they did not work well. The potatoes fell apart after cooking… and I ended up making mashed potatoes.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Potato Salad
- For best results, you’ll want to cook the potatoes in a steamer basket in your Instant Pot. If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can set the potatoes on top of the metal trivet that came with your Instant Pot.
- Be sure to add 1 1/2 cups of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot before putting the potatoes in. The water is needed to create the steam pressure, which will cook the potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces, not smaller, or they will overcook. Try to make all of the potato pieces approximately the same size so that they will cook evenly.
- Before setting the eggs on top of the potatoes, check the eggs for small cracks. This will reduce the chances that any of the eggs will crack open as they cook.
- Quick release the pressure as soon as the cooking cycle ends so that the potatoes don’t overcook.
- Carefully take the cooked potatoes out of the Instant Pot and lay them in a single layer on a large plate or baking dish to cool. You want to cool the potatoes completely before combining them with the dressing.
- After you mix all of the potato salad ingredients together, taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- The dressing will thicken up as it sits and coats the potatoes.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Potato salad tastes best after it chills in the refrigerator since the flavors have time to blend together. Chill the potato salad for at least two hours before serving. It will taste even better on the second day!
You can store leftover potato salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
For food safety, never leave potato salad out at room temperature for more than two hours. Salads with mayonnaise-based dressings can spoil quickly if they are left out of the refrigerator, especially on a hot day.
Instant Pot Potato Salad Variations
- This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard, which is perfect for my tastes. You can reduce the amount of mustard if you don’t care for the flavor.
- Try adding a tablespoon of pickle juice to the dressing.
- You can sprinkle the potato salad with sweet paprika before serving.
- Use red onion, sweet yellow onion, or no onion at all depending on your preferences.
- You can make this without the hard boiled eggs if you prefer.
- For a lighter potato salad, substitute half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
More Instant Pot Side Dishes
Instant Pot Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 eggs
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup pickle relish, sweet or dill
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Pour 1 ½ cups water in the Instant Pot inner pot. Add a steamer basket to the pot. (If you don't have a steamer basket, you can set the potato pieces on the metal trivet that came with the Instant Pot.) Put the potato pieces in the steamer basket and set the eggs on top of the potatoes.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to the sealing position. Pressure cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.
- As soon as the cook time ends, quick release the pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position using the handle of a long spoon. As soon as the steam escapes and the pin drops down, open the Instant Pot lid.
- Immediately put the eggs in a bowl of ice water. Carefully transfer the potatoes to a large plate or baking sheet, in a single layer, and allow them to cool.
- While the potatoes cool, chop the celery and onion. Then mix up the dressing: whisk together the mayonnaise, pickle relish, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator until the potatoes have cooled completely.
- Peel and chop the hard boiled eggs. Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the chopped eggs, celery, onion and dressing to the bowl. Stir until combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Chill potato salad in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Potato salad may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Do not leave potato salad out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
So this sounded too good to be true, but this recipe is awesome! It’s true just 2 minutes in the instapot and the potatoes were perfect for potato salad. I didn’t even peal mine – just let the skin on. Best part is you can make this recipe or any favorite potato salad recipe. I will never boil potatoes on the stove again!
I also did two hard boiled eggs. I should have rinsed them under cold water right when they came out because they were a little over cooked. But nothing bad and still fine in my salad.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Yes, you definitely want to put the eggs in a bowl of ice water as soon as they come out (recipe step 4) to stop the cooking process and make them easier to peel. 🙂
I made this potato salad today; terrific! I got many compliments from family members! I made a few changes due to temporary dental issues: I substituted 1/2 tsp celery salt for stalks, and 1-1/2 tsp onion powder for the 1/4 cup chopped onion. I also did not have apple cider vinegar on hand and used rice vinegar instead. It still was great and family said it was the best they’d ever tasted. Thank you for this recipe, I’ll be making this again, and probably soon!
I need to triple this recipe. That’s 4 cups of water. I have a streamer basket but some of the potatoes will be in the water. Is that OK?
Hi Angie,
You do not need to increase the amount of water when doubling or tripling this recipe. The water is needed to allow the Instant Pot to pressurize, and 1.5 cups will be enough even if you increase the amount of potatoes and eggs. However, you’ll need to make sure that you can fit a triple amount of potatoes and eggs in the pot at once. 🙂
This was excellent and I got many comments. I can’t wait to make it again.
I’ve made this twice in the past month and everyone loves it! Both times I used russet potatoes and peeled them, and they cook perfect in 4 minutes.
Instead of all mayonnaise, I like to use 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup ranch salad dressing. The ranch dressing adds a really nice flavor.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Shelley,
Thank you because I’m using russets today. I did peel them I’m using a silicone steamer basket which I always found I have to increase the time so I did 5 minutes we’ll see how it turns out.
Just finished making your recipe for Instant Pot Potato Salad. Turned out great! Thank you so much, or as we say here in Hawaii… Much Mahalos! Awesome tasting potato salad! I followed you recipe exactly and it turned out prefect. I’m looking forward to trying more of your Instant Pot recipes. We recently bought our first Instant Pot and really need more of these good recipes…
Have made this twice now. Perfect both times! Love cooking the eggs with the potatoes! Great recipe!
My eggs were only half done and the potato one inch chunks not cooked enough- I have the eight qt duo and I put them in a basket with the right amount of watervfor fout minutes. The 555 method for eggs works perfectly so how can the eggs in this recipe get done in only 4?
Hi Becky, I’m sorry that your eggs and potatoes were not cooked all the way. I’m wondering if your Instant Pot was sealed and/or pressurized properly? In my 8 quart pot Instant Pot hard boiled eggs cook in 5 minutes with a quick release. They cook faster in this recipe because the pot takes longer to come to pressure with more ingredients in the pot, and the potatoes and eggs begin cooking while the pot is pressurizing.
Do you use a metal or a silicone steamer basket? In my experience when you use a silicone steamer basket you have to increase the time.
Is it possible to double this recipe in the 8qt?
I haven’t tried this one as a double recipe in my 8 quart pot, but I think it should fit fine. Double all ingredients (except the water) and keep the cook time the same.
My eggs take 7 minutes to cook in the 6 quart instant pot, so I’m guessing I will have to cook eggs and potatoes separately?
Yes, you might. However the eggs may cook a little faster than usual in this recipe because the pot will take longer to pressurize with the increased volume in the pot. (Some cooking happens while the pot is pressurizing).
I just made this recipe – and it was AWESOME! The easiest potato salad ever. I added more eggs (9) but some are not in the salad. Pulled them, stuck them in a bowl of ice water, cooled the potatoes, and a HUGE pot of glorious potato salad in under 1 hour!!! How amazing is that? I will never make it any other way – ever!
I mixed half light Mayo and half Light Miracle whip. Also used Rice vinegar, 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish and 1/2 cup sweet onion. Added a couple more eggs. Thank you so much for the instant pot recipe. Love my 6 quart but had never tried eggs in it.
Great recipe, just like my mom made!
I made this with red potatoes. BEST potato salad recipe I have ever come across! Thank you!
I have an 8 qt. Duo as Becky did with the same problem. Underdone eggs and potatoes. And yes, it came up to pressure. I’ll admit I’m new to this instant pot, but I have the original presto cooker and I know how that works.
Worked like a charm! I added a little pickle juice and sugar.
Can you cut recipe in half and what time would you use
To make a half recipe, use the same cook time as the original recipe. Also, do not halve the water, since the full amount of water is needed to allow the pot to pressurize.
I have not followed the recipe exactly as I have my own ingredients which are similiar but I did use it for the Instant Pot Cooking. I loved the way the Potatoes and Eggs cooked. They were perfect and the receipe is awesome as well. For people that are new to Instant Pot for the regular amount of ingredients the recipe calls for which is better to use. I have two the 8 quart Instant Pot and then I have a smaller Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart. I think I used the 6 quart and if I recall correctly it was full to the top so it may work better with an 8 quart which is what I will try today.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Great way to boil potatoes and eggs together.
Is there any reason I can’t make the “ egg loaf” in a pan on top of the potatoes?
Saving the step of peeling and chopping the eggs. After they cook i can cut them in whatever size I like.
I have never tried that so I can’t advise on if it would cook through in the same amount of time. If you decide to give it a try, let me know how it turns out.
I made this in my 3qt today. The cook time was perfect. I had the eggs in the ice bath for about 5mins and it peeled easily. I subbed a little pickle juice for the ACV.
I added one extra potato & egg. Also, some dill pickle juice. I like the pickle taste not just vinegar. Very happy with the way it turned out. Lol, I rarely follow a recipe for potato salad, this was so easy, done and in the fridge. I guess summer is officially here. My first potato salad of the season.
Would I be able to use Trader Joe’s dill yellow mustard?
Yes, that should work fine if you enjoy the flavor.
Have made this recipe several times. Hubby and I both, really enjoy the flavor-Just good old-fashion potato salad!!
Can’t give 5 stars as I did not make the whole recipe. I am not a extra fan and so only used the potatoes and eggs. However, as I am learning to use my instant pot for more and more things, I am finding that it is great to have an Instant Pot. The potatoes and eggs came out perfectly and it allowed me to have a lot of free time. Thanks for the assist!!