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These 15 Potato Salads Will Make You The Envy Of Any Backyard BBQ

Your summer cookouts will thank you.

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potato salad in a bowl with sliced jalapenos, bacon, and cheese
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

Listen, I'm not trying to offend any hot dog or burger aficionados, but I think it needs to be said: side dishes are what really separates an okay BBQ from a great BBQ. And what’s a more classic BBQ side than potato salad? While a simple potato salad can be wonderful—and truly, our tried and true version is the best—there’s so many more flavor options to choose from. Check out these 15 potato salad recipes to see what we mean. They’re guaranteed winners, whether you bring them to a potluck, place them on a holiday spread, or serve them alongside your casual summer weeknight dinners.

Want something chock full of all the best ingredients, like bacon, hard-boiled eggs, jalapeños, ranch dressing…? Our Southern potato salad, our bacon-ranch potato salad, our hot German potato salad, and our buffalo chicken potato salad are for you. The best part? Because they do have a little bit more going on than your average side dish, they also make for great packed lunches too.

Looking for something a little lighter? Potato salad can do it all! Try our French potato salad, our antipasto potato salad, or our Greek chicken potato salad to see many of the ways you can make it SO tasty, even without tons and tons of mayonnaise. Feel free to take inspiration from these and get creative with your mix-ins too.

You know what goes hand-in-hand with potato salad come summertime? Pasta salad! Check out our top pasta salad recipes and all our favorite summer side salads too.

1

Classic Potato Salad

classic potato salad with pickles, onions, and topped with paprika and chives
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: SIMON ANDREWS

A classic potato salad is a must-have at every picnic and BBQ, and ours is the best—it's creamy and tangy, with a little bit of crunch from the onion and pickles. If you’re looking for a classic, no-fuss potato salad that won’t disappoint, this is it.

Get the Classic Potato Salad recipe.

2

French Potato Salad

baby red potatoes tossed in garlic mustard dressing with parsley dill and tarragon
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM

We all love a classic mayo-based potato salad, but it’s time to elevate and try something with a little more… je ne sais quoi. In this recipe, tender, creamy potatoes get tossed with a garlicky mustard dressing and showered with plenty of fresh chopped herbs to create this simple and satisfying version of the crowd-pleasing side.

Get the French Potato Salad recipe.

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3

Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad

potato salad in a bowl with sliced jalapenos, bacon, and cheese
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE

For this recipe, we decided to take the flavors of jalapeño poppers and add them to this classic potato side. With crispy bacon, hot jalapeños, shredded cheddar cheese, and a simple dressing, this potato salad adds a kick of heat to the classic that we can't get enough of.

Get the Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad recipe.

4

Tzatziki Potato Salad

tzatziki potato salad
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

This tzatziki-inspired version of potato salad is very dill-forward and nicely lemony and bright with yogurt, crunchy cucumber—both fresh and pickled—and creamy boiled baby red potatoes. Add in a bit of zesty red onions and a pinch of MSG, and you’ve got a paradox of refreshing indulgence.

Get the Tzatziki Potato Salad recipe.

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5

Southern Potato Salad

southern potato salad
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: LAURA REGE

Tender Yukon gold potatoes paired with hard-boiled eggs, celery, sweet pickles, and red onion make this Southern-style potato salad the perfect sidekick to summer barbecues, family gatherings, weeknight dinners, and more.

Get the Southern Potato Salad recipe.

6

Antipasto Potato Salad

antipasto potato salad tossed together with fresh basil and parsley
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: SIMON ANDREWS

Potato salad is about as classic a summer side as it gets, and we love experimenting with different flavor combinations. If you’re looking to lighten up your usual potato salad, look no further—this version is bursting with all the flavors of your favorite antipasto.

Get the Antipasto Potato Salad recipe.

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7

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

loaded baked potato salad
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Imagine a loaded baked potato and potato salad coming together to make the ultimate year-round side, and you’ve pretty much got it. Complete with crispy bacon, scallions, and cheddar cheese, this potato salad will have you thinking you’re in your favorite steakhouse.

Get the Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe.

8

Hot German Potato Salad

potato salad with chopped onions and bacon
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Unlike regular mayo-based potato salad, German potato salad is served warm, or even hot, with a bacon vinaigrette. We repeat, bacon vinaigrette. If you've never made a dressing with bacon fat, you're in for a treat.

Get the Hot German Potato Salad recipe.

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9

Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad

Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad Recipe
Ethan Calabrese

Bacon and ranch dressing make everything better. That's the rule we follow at Delish—and potato salad is no exception. This is the perfect side dish for any backyard BBQ.

Get the Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad recipe.

10

Red Potato Salad

red potato salad with celery and red onion
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE

This potato salad is simple, with 2 types of mustard and some pickled red onions. With only 2/3 cup of mayo, it isn't too creamy but you still get the richness you expect. Serve this as your perfect side to a hot dog or some juicy grilled chicken.

Get the Red Potato Salad recipe.

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11

Greek Chicken Potato Salad

greek chicken potato salad
Parker feierbach

This potato salad is soon-to-be your new favorite work lunch. Full of grilled chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta cheese, and plenty of dill, it's fresh, easy, and a total time saver, perfect for busy summer days.

Get the Greek Chicken Potato Salad recipe.

12

Buffalo Chicken Potato Salad

buffalo chicken potato salad vertical
Jonathan Boulton

This spicy side has everything you love about buffalo chicken—buffalo sauce, celery, and blue cheese—with all the added goodness of potato salad.

Get the Buffalo Chicken Potato Salad recipe.

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13

Ranch Potato Salad

dish, food, cuisine, ingredient, biryani, produce, recipe, hyderabadi biriyani, side dish, kabsa,

Ranch + bacon + cheddar = an unbeatable combination. Consider this your new go-to summer side.

Get the Ranch Potato Salad recipe.

14

Jalapeño-Cheddar Potato Salad

Jalapeno Potato Salad Vertical
John Komar

A potato salad is only as good as its mix-ins. Which is why many potato salads go untouched at a cookout. Hard-boiled eggs? No thanks. Instead, we'll take ours with pickled jalapeños, bacon, green onions, and cheddar, please!

Get the Jalapeño-Cheddar Potato Salad recipe.

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15

Grilled Lemon Butter Potato Salad

grilled lemon potato salad
Delish

We would never show up to a potluck without a potato salad in hand, and grilled version outdoes all the other mayo-ridden ones every time. It's a fresher, lighter version everyone will love—get ready to be the most popular person at the BBQ!

Get the Grilled Lemon Butter Potato Salad recipe.

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