This Instant Pot potato salad cooks the potatoes and eggs together: ½-inch Russet potatoes in a steamer basket, eggs on top, 4 minutes at High Pressure, then a quick release. The eggs go into an ice bath while you get the deviled egg-style dressing ready.
Give yourself at least 2 hours of chilling after mixing. Four minutes is the pressure setting, not the time until a cold bowl of potato salad is ready to serve.
The dressing is deviled egg-style: mayo, mustard, chopped eggs, and sweet salad cubes, with no raw onion crunch. If you like Walmart’s deviled egg potato salad, this has a similar creamy, mustardy character, but it is my recipe, not a copycat formula.
Need an eggless option? Make my vegan potato salad with lemon, dill and Dijon instead. It has its own potato cut, cooking method, and dressing.
Ingredients
I use 3 pounds of Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into even ½-inch chunks. Russets give this salad the softer, fluffier texture I want. Keep that cut consistent and fold gently when mixing so the potatoes do not turn to mush.
The sweet salad cubes bring sweetness, tang, and texture. Along with 12 eggs, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, salt, pepper, and a paprika finish, they give the salad its specific flavor.
How to Make Instant Pot Potato Salad
Pour 1 cup water into the Instant Pot. Set the trivet in the pot and the steamer basket on the trivet.
Add the ½-inch potato pieces to the basket and place the eggs on top of the potatoes. The basket keeps the potatoes above the water; the eggs do not need a separate rack.
Lock the lid and cook at High Pressure for 4 minutes. Prepare a bowl of ice water while they cook.
When the timer finishes, quick-release the pressure. Wait until the cooker has fully depressurized before opening the lid, then move the eggs into the ice bath.
Tip the potatoes into a colander, drain well, and let them cool slightly. Peel and roughly chop the cooled eggs.
Mix the Dressing and Chill
In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sweet salad cubes, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the chopped eggs, then gently fold in the potatoes until everything is coated.
Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with paprika, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Overnight is even better.
No Steamer Basket? Use the Stovetop Method
If you do not have an Instant Pot or the trivet-and-basket setup, cook the potatoes and eggs separately on the stovetop.
Potatoes: Peel and cut into even ½-inch chunks, then boil in salted water until fork-tender. Drain and let them cool slightly.
Eggs: Hard boil them separately, then move them to an ice bath and peel once cool enough to handle.
Use the same dressing and gentle folding method, then chill for at least 2 hours.
Make-Ahead and Storage
This is a good make-ahead recipe for a holiday meal. Plan it before the hot dishes in the Thanksgiving Dinner Game Plan so it can chill while you work on the rest of dinner.
Make ahead: You can make it up to 24 hours in advance. Store it covered in the fridge and give it a stir before serving.
If it looks a little dry after chilling overnight, stir in a small spoonful of mayo before serving.
Storage: Keep the salad refrigerated at 40°F or below and use within 4 days. Return it to the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.
Do not freeze it. Mayo-based potato salad does not come back well once thawed.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Potato Salad (Deviled Egg-Style)
Equipment
- 1 6-quart Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker
- 1 Trivet
- 1 Steamer basket
- 1 Bowl for an ice bath
- 1 Colander
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 cup water
- 12 large eggs
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet salad cubes
- 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Add water and set up the pot. Pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and place the trivet inside. Set a steamer basket on top of the trivet, then add the potatoes to the basket. Place the eggs on top of the potatoes.
- Pressure cook. Lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. When the cook time is done, quickly release the pressure. Wait until the cooker has fully depressurized before opening the lid.
- Cool the eggs. While the potatoes and eggs cook, prepare an ice bath. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath as soon as they come out of the pot. This stops the cooking and makes them easier to peel.
- Drain and cool the potatoes. Pour the cooked potatoes into a colander and let them drain well. Set them aside to cool slightly.
- Make the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet salad cubes, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and well mixed.
- Chop the eggs and mix. Peel the cooled eggs and roughly chop them. Add them to the bowl with the dressing, then gently fold in the potatoes until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill and serve. Transfer the potato salad to a serving dish, sprinkle with paprika, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Overnight is even better.
Video
Notes
- Timing: The total includes at least 2 hours of chilling. Allow additional time for pressure buildup and cooling as needed; the 4-minute pressure setting is not the time until the salad is ready to serve.
- No Instant Pot? Boil the ½-inch potato pieces in salted water until fork-tender and hard boil the eggs separately. Drain the potatoes, cool the eggs in an ice bath, then follow the dressing and chilling steps.
- Make ahead: Prepare up to 24 hours ahead and keep covered in the refrigerator. This salad gets even better after a few hours of chilling.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below and use within 4 days. Return to the refrigerator within 2 hours of serving, or within 1 hour above 90°F.
- Do not freeze. Mayo-based potato salad does not thaw well.
Nutrition
Made this recipe? Leave a star rating and tell me how it turned out.
Krista
Delicious! So easy and turned out perfect!
Kari
I’ve made this four or five times now, and everyone loves it. I use sweet relish and drain it really well (didn’t the first time, and it was more soupy than we like, but we still ate it!). Will probably be making a batch weekly going forward! Thank you.
Heidi
I'm a bit of a potato salad snob but this is this best recipe that I've seen in quite some time quick and easy and very tasty❣️
Donna Schafer
I've made this twice and it is delicious! Big hit! No sweet salad cubes here in southeast Michigan (disappointing, because I could get them in VA when I live there). Anyway, I just diced up sweet pickles. ONE NOTE: The printed version of the recipe says to place potatoes into a colander and drain completely, whereas your post says to place them on a baking sheet to cool. You may want to update the printed version.
Gary White
Thank you so much for the feedback and heads up!
Raquel
Huge hit! I did add finely chopped celery. I like a little more texture. My family said I need to make it this way all the time.
Mary Whitt
What are sweet salad cubes?
Gary White
There's a full description both in the post and notes of the recipe.