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.
Scarlett
This is very nearly my recipe except the relish which I had never heard of. But having found it easily in my grocery I tried it and voila, new secret recipe!
Alex
For the sweet salad cubes, have you tried to use Bubbies' pickles? I think they would taste better here because they're naturally-fermented kosher dill pickles.
Gary White
I have not tried them or even heard of them before.
Cindi
wow... i have not tried it yet but since it is the way i make my own... except i do use onions and celery... so i know how gooooood it is... have been loving it for years... ty for sharing with the world...
RichV
Thank you once again, Gary. I've been wanting to stop buying this at the grocery.
Denise
Will all of the potatoes and eggs fit in a 6 quart instant pot?
Gary White
Yes.
Dom
When you say mayo, are you using real mayo or miracle whip? I'd love to try this recipe but want to get it right.
Gary White
I'm definitely not speaking of Miracle Whip, not a fan. I prefer Hellmans or Dukes.
Heather
I was so excited to read “I want absolutely no crunch” because that is what has always stopped me from liking potato salad,,, but then you went and threw pickles in it! How is there no crunch with the sweet salad cubes?
Gary White
You can substitute the sweet relish for the sweet salad cubes to minimize the crunch. However, compared to onion and celery, the slight crunch of sweet pickles is barely noticeable. 🙂
Taletta Wilson
I have messed up potato salad more times than I can count, but this one was spot on and will be my go to from here on out! Thanks!
Lo
Did I read correctly in replies
The original recipe had 3 dozen eggs??
Wow!
I also learned an easy way to cook eggs in the IP is to crack them into a IP safe bowl
And place them in that way creating a cooked “egg loaf” you then just chop up
You could possibly layer that container in over the potatoes and cook them together eliminating the peeling the eggs 😉
Gary White
Well, I also downsized the recipe quite a bit. There are also 3xs as many potatoes. It was enough to feed a small army! But the ratio is still the same.
Johnnie
Do you peel the potatoes first?
Gary White
Yes. And cut them up.
Bigfoot
Sorry, it needs celery, onions,dill relish cubes, more mustard, and maybe some jalapeno powder.
Gary White
Not if you don't like those things. Lol...
Clara Bowman
Maybe yours does but this isn't YOUR recipe. Just movealong and makeyour own.
Lisa
Really? Post your own (completely different) recipe instead of telling this person to add your ingredients to HIS recipe
Denise
Made this today. It's a hit. Love it. Having with Easter Ham and collard greens.
Dianna
This recipe sounds yummy! I can't wait to try it!
Cristie
I don’t have a steamer basket for my instant pot. Can I do it without?
Chef Gary
I know you can cook the potatoes directly in water, not sure about the eggs in the IP.
Stephanie
I crack my eggs into a bowl and place directly over potatoes to cook in the IP. Then use a pizza cutter to “chop” the eggs when cool. Great time saver if you’ve already cleaned your prep area.
Brian
Made a batch this morning for some BBQ this evening and my wife is in heaven. She said it's the best potato salad she's ever had.
Could not find the sweet salad cubes at 3! grocery stores so use normal relish instead.
But I get the feeling I'll be making it often so I'll keep an eye out or even do a quick Amazon order for some.
Chef Gary
That's awesome! It's an adaptation of the potato salad my mom has been making my whole life. I'm surprised you couldn't find the sweet salad cubes. I've never had a problem finding them, even at Walmart. Where do you live? I'm now wondering if it's a regional thing. I'm in Florida.
Krista
I’m in rural Alberta, Canada and I have never seen or heard of Sweet Salad Cubes. I’m assuming I could use relish instead?
Chef Gary
Yes, sweet salad cubes are a form of sweet relish. They're just cut larger to add extra crunch to salads. But they have the same flavor.
Debbie
No sweet salad cubes here in California so I just use sweet pickles and chop the heck out of them. Love me some chunks of sweet pickle in my potato salad, also you can never have to many eggs. Love this recipe.
Becky
I love egg salad and I love potato salad, this was the perfect blend of both! It was hard to stop eating it!
Dianne
I love this. How can I cut it down to just a coupe portions - there is only one of me.
Carroll
Put your cursor on the "16" (number of servings) and a slide bar will appear. Just move the marker to the left or right to change the number of servings.
VT
I don't see where it shows number of servings on the recipe I see.
Gary White
It's in the gray portion of the recipe card, under the "print" "pin" "rate" buttons. This recipe has 16 servings. 🙂
Wendy
Looks like I'll be serving this up soon.
Sarah Yaus
Why do you need so many eggs??? 3 dozen.....really?? Also, I have never heard of sweet salad cubes before! Very confusing recipe for something that should be so simple.
Chef Gary
Why so many eggs? Because that's the way my mom always made it. And sweet salad cubes are in every grocery store next to the relish. You've just never looked for them. What's wrong with being different? Otherwise, all recipes would be the same 🙂
James
The recipe calls for 12 eggs (one dozen) and 3lbs (3 pounds potatoes)
Cristie
This is old but it only calls for 12 eggs not 3 dozen!
Chef Gary
Yeah, I rewrote the recipe - with a downsized version.
BONNIE J USSERY
My preference is dill cubes/relish instead of sweet. I always use the dill in all my salads such as chicken, etc. It's just my taste preference but otherwise a great recipe.
Angel's roadie
What are "sweet salad cubes"? That one has me baffled.
Chef Gary
It's kinda like pickle relish, but sweet instead of dill. But not actually like the sweet relish. Very mild, slightly sweet. Instead of that bold dill taste.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mt.-Olive-Sweet-Salad-Cubes-24-oz/10290681
Amy
I believe it was to read "sweet pickles". Had me going too. lol
Gary
Hi Amy. For this recipe we use sweet salad cubes as seen here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1V8853/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_OoeDCb1CZV7B8