This creamy mashed potato salad starts with leftover mashed potatoes and gets a flavor boost from mayo, mustard, eggs, and pickle relish. It's the kind of side dish that gets requested at every cookout.
What makes this potato salad different
This mashed potato salad recipe is inspired by my dad, who made it often when I was a kid. He always called it "Hillbilly Potato Salad", and the name stuck. It may not be traditional, but the creamy texture and tangy flavor have made it a staple at our house.
Unlike classic versions like our Red Potato Salad or Old Fashioned Potato Salad, this one starts with leftover mashed potatoes. It's a clever way to reduce food waste and turn last night's side dish into something totally new and absolutely crave-worthy.
Next time you're making Creamy Mashed Potatoes for dinner, make a little extra. You'll want leftovers to whip up this easy salad the next day.
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Ingredients
- MASHED POTATOES: boil and mash potatoes, then let them cool. Or use leftover Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
- PICKLE RELISH: we sweet pickle relish. You can also used diced sweet pickles
- MAYONNAISE: we prefer Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise or Duke's Real Mayonnaise. Do not use Miracle Whip.
- HARD BOILED EGGS: large or extra large eggs, hard boiled and finely chopped
- YELLOW MUSTARD: traditional yellow mustard works best
- GREEN ONION: fresh green onions (scallions)
- SALT: sea salt or kosher salt
- BLACK PEPPER: freshly ground black pepper
- PAPRIKA: adds a little kick of flavor
*see recipe card for quantities.
Featured review
❝ This potato salad recipe is so easy to make and so perfect to serve during the Summer months. I love eating it with grilled salmon or a burger. It is just really satisfying.❞
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Instructions
- Mix the base: in a large mixing bowl, combine leftover mashed potatoes and mayonnaise. Stir until smooth and fully blended.
- Add onions: slice green onion in ⅛" rounds and add them to the bowl.
- Stir in the flavor: add mustard, pickle relish, hardboiled eggs, salt and pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly combined and creamy.
- Garnish: transfer the salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika for a pop of color.
- Serve: chill until ready to serve, or enjoy at room temperature. This salad pairs perfectly with Grilled Ribeye Steak, Smash Burgers, or other BBQ favorites.
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🔪Top tip
Cold, leftover mashed potatoes work best for this recipe.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Make ahead: mashed potato salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance. After mixing, cover tightly and refrigerate to let the flavors meld. Give it a gentle sir before serving for the best creamy texture.
- Do not freeze.
🥔 More Leftover Mashed Potato recipes
- PIEROGI PIZZA: Creamy mashed potatoes, a blend of cheeses, and sautéed onions, all nestled in a crunchy crust.
- BROCCOLI POTATO CHEESE SOUP: the ultimate comfort food in a bowl. Creamy, cheesy, totally delicious.
- BROILED MASHED POTATOES WITH ROASTED SPROUTS: A comforting one pan meal.
FAQ
Yes! This mashed potato salad tastes even better when made a few hours (up to 24 hours) ahead. Just cover and refrigerate, then stir gently before serving.
The potatoes you have! We like creamer potatoes, red skinned potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes for this recipe to give it great creamy texture.
Yes, this recipe uses mayonnaise combined with mustard and relish for a creamy and tangy flavor.
We prefer this recipe served room temperature or cold. It provides and nice contrast to warm grilled meats, like burgers, steak or chicken.
Yes, you can omit the hard-boiled eggs if you prefer. The salad will still be creamy and flavorful.
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- If you enjoyed it, please leave us a comment with ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mashed Potato Salad recipe
Creamy mashed potato salad starts with leftover mashed potatoes, flavored with mustard, mayo, and relish. Simple, nostalgic, always a hit.
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 6 C cold mashed potatoes
- 1 C sweet pickle relish or diced sweet pickles
- 2 C mayonnaise
- 6 hard boiled eggs (finely chopped)
- ¾ C yellow mustard
- 1 green onion
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. paprika
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine mashed potatoes and mayonnaise. Mix until well blended
- Slice green onion in ⅛ inch slices add to mixture
- Add remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika for color
- Serve with your favorite summer grilled foods
Notes
- Cold, leftover mashed potatoes work best for this recipe.
- Make ahead: mashed potato salad tastes even better when made a few hours (up to 1 day) ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then stir gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 0 min
- Category: side dish
- Cuisine: Home style American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cup
- Calories: 684
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 1672.4 mg
- Fat: 63.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 23.8 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 50.6 mg
Tami says
I will be making this tonight. My boys absolutely love this recipe.. Quite unique and incredibly delicious.. Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, I don't have green onions. Hopefully a yellow onion will do.
kaia says
yummy
Jackie says
thanks Kaia! We're glad you like it!!
Sharon says
Oh my goodness! This absolutely made my day! My Dad also made this every spring & summer starting with Easter dinner and finishing for the year on Labor Day. We sadly lost him in 2010 and although we watched him many times, I just couldn’t seem to replicate his magic dish (although I’ve tried many times). THIS IS IT!!! I couldn’t shake my Easter craving for it so I once again searched the internet and boom! - your recipe popped right up. Strangely, my Dad was not the chef in the family but the couple of dishes he made were beyond amazing! Another strange coincidence, although we have been in Texas for 4 generations, our family too is originally from Glade Hollow, Virginia and I do know this was a handed down recipe. Wouldn’t it be cool to find that it absolutely is a Virginia mountain recipe?? I’ll keep researching. Thank you so much for sharing. It really felt like my Dad was right in my kitchen making this with me
Jackie says
Sharon,
You have made OUR day!!! What a wonderful story!! It warms our heart, especially during these times. We are so happy to have found a kindred spirit, united in love of this OUTSTANDING potato salad (we have on weekly rotation these days)! We absolutely must do some research to see where Keith's dad acquired the recipe. We will be back in touch! Thank you again so much for sharing. It means a lot.
Yang says
This potato salad recipe is so easy to make and so perfect to serve during the Summer months. I love eating it with grilled salmon or a burger. It is just really satisfying. You have such wonderful recipes on your blog and Instagram, the photos are gorgeous. Thank you.
Jackie says
thank you so much Yang! We really appreciate your kind words!! This potato salad is a family favorite!!
Elizabeth says
I gave this recipe a try, but it came out very salty. Hubby said it was "interesting"
Jackie says
Thanks for the feedback Elizabeth.
karen says
Does this actually use 3/4 mustard?
Jackie says
Hi Karen,
Thanks for stopping by! Yes, 3/4 cup mustard is correct. We like it with a strong mustard base (remember it serves 4-6 people). If you are worried, add a bit of mustard at a time to adjust to your taste. Please let us know how it turned out!