Texas Potato Salad

My Texas style potato salad is creamy, crunchy and a little spicy. It features tender potatoes, crunchy celery, tangy quick pickled onions and jalapeños, with hard boiled eggs in a creamy and punchy mayonnaise-mustard dressing. Share this reader favorite, for a mouthwatering side dish with all things, grilled, BBQ and summer!

If time permits, make at least one day ahead. One maker commented "...it's better on the second day." I agree!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword Sweet Potato Salad

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 15

Total Time 55

Servings -6 Servings

Calories 299kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

2 pounds (930 grams) German Butterball or Yukon Gold Potatoes sliced into 1" cubes, skin on
3/4 tablespoons + 1 3/4 teaspoons Fine Sea Salt divided

For the Quick Pickle:

1/3 cup (70 grams) Red Wine Vinegar
1 tablespoon Cane Sugar
1 cup (130 grams) Red Onion sliced thin into 1/2 moons, about 1/2 an onion
2 Fresh Jalapeños , medium, 1-sliced into rings, 1 minced (seeds included) with 1/2 the minced reserved for garnish

For the Dressing:

5 tablespoons (78 grams) Yellow Mustard
5 tablespoons (68 grams) Mayonnaise I like Vegenaise
1 teaspoon Ground Pepper
1/16 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper ground

Finish the Salad:

2 -3 Hard Boiled Eggs 2 for the salad, 1 for garnish (optional), peeled and chopped *see notes or full recipe linked here for my fuss free egg peel method
1/2 cup (65 grams) Celery thinly sliced, about 1 rib
2 tablespoons Finely Chopped Chives for garnish
Smoky Paprika (optional)

Instructions

For the Potatoes:

In a large stock-pot, add potatoes and cover with cold water filling to 2 inches (5 cm) above potatoes. Add 3/4 tablespoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for between 8-15 minutes. Butterball potatoes take about 8-9 minutes and Youkon Gold take between 12-15 minutes to cook. Simmer until just fork tender, but not mushy. Drain.
*Keep an eye on the potatoes. If they're cut smaller, they'll cook faster.
Transfer potatoes into a large mixing bowl and add 3 tablespoons of pickling brine (see quick pickle below). Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

To Quick Pickle:

In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add onions, sliced jalapeños and half the minced jalapeños to the brine (reserve the other half for garnish). Marinate for at least 20 minutes stirring occasionally (the pickling juice will not cover the onion and jalapeños). Drain, reserving pickling brine**.
Add pickled jalapeños and onions to the mixing bowl with the potatoes. Set aside.

For the Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, ground pepper, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/16th teaspoon cayenne. Set aside.

To Finish:

Add the chopped hard boiled eggs and celery to the mixing bowl with the potatoes. Pour the dressing over potatoes reserving a few tablespoons to taste. Use a silicon spatula to gently mix potato salad together, making sure to scrape bottom of the mixing bowl to incorporate all the ingredients.
Taste for seasoning adjustment, adding reserved dressing if desired and sprinkling in a bit more pickling brine to taste. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the remaining minced jalapeños, chives and a light sprinkle of smoky paprika if using. Note: taste the salad and minced jalapeños before adding to the salad since jalapeños vary widely in the heat.
Flavor development will improve as the salad chills in the fridge, and the spicy will increase in intensity. Keep this in mind when adjusting flavors or adding that last bit of jalapeños as a garnish (I add them all).
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Just before serving, sprinkle just a bit of paprika over the top. This is optional but gives the salad a nice finish.

To Store:

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Video

Notes

*Steamed Hard Boiled Eggs: In a medium sauce pot, bring one inch of water to a boil. Meanwhile place the large eggs in a steamer basket, in one layer. Once the water is boiling and steam is visible, set the steamer basket/insert into/onto the sauce pot. Place the lid on the pot. Set a timer for 13 minutes and steam the eggs. Prepare an ice bath. After 13 minutes, use tongs, transfer the cooked eggs into the ice bath. Allow the eggs to cool for 15 minutes (set a timer once again) in the ice bath. Once cool, peel and enjoy in the potato salad.

**All but 1 1/2 Tbs of pickling juice will be leftover. The leftovers can be used to make a spicy vinaigrette if desired.

Store leftovers in a lidded container, in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Nutrition