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Instant Pot Potato Salad is the FASTEST (and tastiest) potato salad recipe you will ever make! Made with tender potatoes, perfectly cooked eggs, and a classic mayonnaise-based dressing, this recipe is easy enough for a weeknight AND scalable for potlucks and cookouts.
Potato Salad the EASY Way
The Instant Pot reigns supreme in speeding up the process of making so many things. My recipes for Instant Pot dried beans, Instant Pot yogurt, Instant Pot baked potatoes, and Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs come to mind immediately.
But potato salad? Was it possible to make my family's favorite classic potato salad recipe in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely, and the process is almost magical!
By cooking the potato and eggs together in the Instant Pot, this recipe drastically cuts cooking time and the number of pots and pans, without sacrificing ANY flavor!
Whether you want to enjoy potato salad alongside Instant Pot Brats or Grilled BBQ Chicken for a simple weeknight dinner or make a double batch to complete your summer cookout menu, this Instant Pot Potato Salad recipe will be your go-to potato salad.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
The ingredients for this Instant Pot potato salad are simple. No mustard. No pickles. Just classic old-fashioned flavors. That said, feel free to add what you like to make potato salad just the way your family likes it!
- Russet Potatoes: For a creamy potato salad, starchy russet potatoes are best. Waxy potatoes, like red potatoes or gold potatoes, won't produce the creamy texture that is standard in classic potato salad and are better suited for Ranch Potato Salad or Italian Potato Salad.
- Eggs: Use standard large eggs and let them come to room temperature to reduce the chance of cracking when cooked. I also recommend rinsing them well to remove any dirt.
- Mayonnaise: For the best flavor, I recommend real mayonnaise, like Hellman's or Duke's, not Miracle Whip. Reduced-Fat Mayo is fine, but don't use fat-free, as the flavor will change drastically.
- Vinegar: Distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar is best. The vinegar adds a bit of tang and enhances the dressing's flavor.
- Celery + Onions: For crunch and flavor.
How To Make Instant Pot Potato Salad
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Potatoes. Wash, peel, and cube the potatoes into 1-inch cubes.
- Layer Potatoes and Eggs in Instant Pot. Pour water into the inner pot and place a trivet or steamer basket designed for the Instant Pot inside the inner pot. Lay the cubed potatoes on the trivet (or in the basket) and nestle the eggs on top.
- Pressure Cook. To ensure the eggs and potatoes are perfectly cooked, use precise timing. Cook for 4 minutes on high pressure. Yes, I normally hard-boil eggs in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes, but because it takes slightly longer to come to pressure due to the added volume of potatoes, I find 4 minutes perfect.
- Release Pressure. Once the cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for exactly 5 minutes. Then do a quick release of pressure. Place the eggs in an ice bath and let the potatoes cool slightly.
- Make Potato Salad Dressing. While the potatoes and eggs cool, whisk together the dressing, celery, and onions in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix it all together. Peel and chop the eggs, and mix into the dressing. Then gently fold in the potatoes until everything is evenly combined.
- Chill before Serving. Cover the potato salad and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes--I find 2-3 hours best. This lets the flavors meld.
Instant Pot Potato Salad FAQs
I always suggest hard-boiling 4-6 eggs, even though this recipe only calls for 2 hard-boiled eggs. Even with room-temperature eggs, they sometimes crack. And it never hurts to have extra for breakfast, a snack, or to make egg salad. And of course, feel free to add more than 2 eggs to this potato salad.
Some people like to crack the eggs into a small pan, place the pan on the potatoes, and cook as directed. Then chop the cooked egg loaf and add it to the potato salad dressing. Personally, I find the eggs a bit rubbery when prepared this way.
Yes! You can easily double this recipe to fit in a 6 or 8-quart instant pot.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving Instant Pot Potato Salad alongside burgers, homemade baked beans, and sour cream cucumber salad for a perfect summer feast.
That said, this Instant Pot Potato Salad recipe is easy enough to enjoy any night of the week and is the perfect side dish for the following dishes.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Potato Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups cubed)
- 2-4 large eggs
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- ½ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup minced yellow onion
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and cube the potatoes into even 1-inch-sized cubes.
- Pour 1½ cups of cold tap water into the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Add a steamer basket or trivet over the water. Place the cubed potatoes in the steamer basket. Gently nestle the eggs on top of the potatoes.
- Close the pressure cooker and check ensure the vent knob is sealed. Cook on HIGH pressure for 4 minutes. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook function, then use the plus or minus buttons to adjust the timer to 4 minutes.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes. Then do a quick release of pressure.
- Remove the eggs and place them in ice water. Remove the potatoes and let them cool slightly while you prepare the potato salad dressing.
- To prepare the potato salad dressing, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, celery, onion, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Peel the hard-boiled eggs, then cube them into bite-size pieces. Add the eggs to the mayonnaise mixture and mix to combine.
- Add the potatoes and gently fold together until everything is well combined.
- Refrigerate for at least 60 minutes before serving, best after 2-3 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is THE bestest! SO so happy I tried it!
I am so happy you enjoyed, Robin!
I doubled recipe and it was great!!
And yes it’s so easy to add eggs in with potatoes!!
Wonderful Mae! Thanks for sharing!
Great recipe! So easy in the Instapot!
Boiling the potatoes does make them mushy. This way does not. Will never make hard boiled eggs in the stove again & easy to peel!
How long for doubling please?
Hi there! The cooking time will remain the same regardless of doubling. Enjoy!
Can you add pickle relish to this Potato a salad Recipe after pressure cooking the potatoes and eggs? If so how much relish would you use?
Absolutely! I would start with 2 tablespoons and give it a taste and then you can add in more if needed.
I have a potato salad recipe that uses red potatoes. Can I cook the red potatoes in the instant pot. I noticed you said not for red or gold potatoes, why?
I just don't find the texture of red potatoes to work for this potato salad, but yes, you can certainly cook your red potatoes this way for your recipe 🙂
Just as easy to do this on the stove top
That is a great tip to cook your eggs on the stove-top with your potatoes as well.
Hi. I'm curious why you suggest russet potatoes for potato salad? Russets are a mealy type of potato that loses shape and turns to mash easily when cooked. I've always used red potatoes for salads because this type of potato retains its shape when cooked. I learned this lesson long ago at my first attempt at the German type of potato salad and I what ended up with was a mashed potato salad.
Hi Diane! Red potatoes are classic in German potato salad. In the classic mayo-based potato salad, the creaminess from the russets is key. However, you can make this using red potatoes. It just won't be as creamy.