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Creamy, tangy, loaded with crunchy pickles, and bursting with flavour, this Dill Pickle Potato Salad will be on repeat all summer long. It’s the perfect twist on a classic and adds a big punch of flavour to any meal — from backyard BBQs to make-ahead weekday lunches. If you’re a dill pickle lover, there’s a strong chance this will become your new go-to side dish. It also happens to be Whole30 compliant.
Why You’ll Love This Dill Pickle Potato Salad
- Bold Flavour: Crunchy dill pickles, plenty of fresh dill, and a tangy and creamy dressing work together to deliver the ultimate combination of flavour.
- Texture: The contrast of tender potatoes and crunchy pickles tossed in a creamy and tangy dressing pairs perfectly with some crispy bacon and jammy eggs.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: This Dill Pickle Potato Salad can be enjoyed warm and fresh or prepared ahead of time, making it perfect for meal prep, picnics or your next summer BBQ.
- Crowd-Pleaser: It’s always a huge hit with guests and easy to scale for a big crowd.
- Whole30: You probably wouldn’t guess it but this Dill Pickle Potato Salad is perfect for anyone doing a round of Whole30 or living their Food Freedom.
Ingredients You Need for Dill Pickle Potato Salad
- Baby Potatoes: Sometimes called creamer potatoes. They’re small, cook quickly, have a thin skin that doesn’t need to be peeled, are easy to break apart with your hands (no knife needed) and perfect for potato salads because the insides are tender and creamy.
- Dill Pickles: The pickles are just as important as the potatoes so be sure to use a brand that you like and cut them into large slices so you maximize the texture and taste. You want some of the juiciness, some of the crunch and all of the flavour.
- Fresh Dill: We want to echo the flavours of the pickle so adding fresh dill is a must here. Plus, dill and potatoes are an elite combo.
- Green Onion: I like green onion here because of the colour and the more mellow flavour profile. You could substitute diced red onion or shallots if preferred.
- Chives: For a bit more flavour and colour, add some finely chopped fresh chives. They’ll give the dill pickle potato salad some garlicky aroma and flavour without the strength of actual garlic.
- Mayonnaise: Using an avocado-oil mayonnaise will keep things Whole30 and healthier than one made with canola oil or other seed oils.
- Whole-Grain Mustard: Look for a good-quality, whole-grain mustard that is tasty and made with minimal ingredients. You can also use a Dijon mustard if that’s what you have. It will most likely be sharper in flavour and you won’t get the same look or texture from the whole mustard seeds but it will still be delicious.
- Dill Pickle Juice: Add a splash of the dill pickle juice to the dressing for extra flavour. Don’t skip it!
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This will help balance the richness of the mayonnaise and make the dressing really come to life.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: It’s optional, but adding some hard-boiled eggs on top of the dill pickle potato salad will add a lean source of protein and some texture. Depending on what you plan on serving the potato salad with, you can omit the eggs.
- Beef Bacon: Also optional, but I love the flavour and texture of crispy beef bacon on top of the potato salad.
How to Make Dill Pickle Potato Salad
- Boil the Potatoes and Eggs: Add the potatoes to a large pot of water along with a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, carefully add the eggs and cook for exactly 7 minutes (or to your desired level of doneness – 6 minutes for jammy yolks, 10 minutes for hard-boiled). Transfer the eggs to an ice bath and let them cool before peeling the shells. Cook the potatoes until fork-tender, around 15 minutes total then drain and let cool slightly.
- Fry the Bacon: In a separate pan, cook the beef bacon until golden brown and slightly crispy. Transfer the beef bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess grease.
- Mix: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, pickle juice, dill, chives, green onion, salt, and pepper.
- Combine: Roughly tear the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and add them to the dressing along with the sliced pickles. Toss gently to coat but avoid over-mixing or the potatoes will lose their texture. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, mayonnaise or pickle juice, as desired
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, transfer the potato salad onto a large platter, top with the sliced eggs, beef bacon and garnish with fresh dill.
For the Best Potato Salad!
- Boil the Potatoes Whole: Boiling the potatoes whole, with their skins intact, in salted water is a must. Even if you plan on peeling the skins before serving you should still boil the potatoes whole, with the skins on because it will give you a much better texture, flavour, overall shape to the potatoes and more of the nutrients will remain intact. If you cut or peel the potatoes before boiling, they will release their starch in the water, are more likely to overcook and will give you a more mushy finished product.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes: They should be fork-tender but still hold their shape when tossed in the dressing. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a mushy mashed-potato salad.
- Chill Before Serving: Creamy-based potato salads like this one will benefit from a bit of time in the fridge. It gives the flavours a chance to get to know each other, the mayonnaise will stiffen back up and the potatoes will have a nicer texture.
- Good-Quality Pickles: The better the pickle, the better the salad. Moishe’s and Bubbies are both great but feel free to use your favourite. It should be something you personally like.
- Taste and Adjust: Be sure to taste for seasoning along the way and adjust with salt and pepper as desired. If the dressing is too thick, add more pickle juice. If it’s too thin, add more mayonnaise. If the flavours aren’t as pronounced as you like, add more dill, chives or green onion.
Ingredient Substitution Ideas
- Potatoes: Baby potatoes are my first choice but if you can’t find them, use waxy potatoes like Yukon golds or red potatoes.
- Mayonnaise: Swap with Greek yogurt for a lower-calorie and higher-protein potato salad.
- Whole-Grain Mustard: Substitute with Dijon or yellow mustard if you’re really in a pinch. You can also try spicy brown mustard for more punch.
- Pickles: Swap dill pickles with half-sours or spicy ones for some heat. You can also add pickled jalapeños for an extra kick!
- Green Onion: You can add diced red onion for colour and sharpness, but green onions or shallots are milder alternatives.
- Beef Bacon: Substitute pork or turkey bacon or omit it altogether to keep things vegetarian.
- Eggs: Omit the eggs if you have an allergy or simply don’t want them.
Serving Suggestions
This dill pickle potato salad is incredibly versatile. Try it with:
- Grilled Meats: Burgers, BBQ chicken, ribs or steak are all top contenders.
- Sandwiches: Especially deli-style subs or a nice Club.
- Fish: Smoked, baked or grilled salmon pairs beautifully with all of the flavours in this Dill Pickle Potato Salad.
Reheating and Storage Tips
This salad is best served cold or at room temperature, but here’s how to handle leftovers:
- Storage: Keep covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Not recommended — this Dill Pickle Potato Salad is meant to be enjoyed chilled or at room temp.
- Make-Ahead: You can prep it up to 24 hours in advance. In fact, the flavour improves as it sits!
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this potato salad vegan?
Yes. Substitute the mayo with vegan mayo and skip the eggs and bacon.
Can I use sweet pickles instead?
Absolutely. Sweet pickles will give the salad a different, slightly sweeter profile. Adjust other seasonings to taste.
How do I prevent the potatoes from becoming mushy?
Don’t over-boil! Check doneness early with a fork. As soon as they’re tender, drain and let them cool to stop the cooking process.
Can I freeze potato salad?
No, freezing isn’t recommended. The texture of the potatoes and mayo dressing changes and becomes watery and grainy once thawed.
Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Creamy, tangy, loaded with crunchy pickles, and bursting with flavour, this Dill Pickle Potato Salad will be on repeat all summer long.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby potatoes
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/3 cup avocado-oil mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced dill pickles, around 2 large pickles
- 4 large eggs
- 5 slices beef bacon
Instructions
- Scrub potatoes clean of any dirt and remove any spuds. Add the potatoes to a stockpot and cover with water. Add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully submerge the eggs and cook for exactly 7 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath and cool for 5 minutes before peeling. Cook the potatoes until completely fork-tender, around 15 minutes total. Drain the water and let the potatoes cool completely.
- Add the beef bacon to a separate skillet and place over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until golden brown, around 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown and slightly crispy, around 3 more minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess grease. Set aside until cooled then slice into large pieces.
- In a large bowl, combe the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill pickle juice, mustard, dill, green onion, chives and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk to combine. Using your hands, roughly tear the potatoes into bite-sized chunks and add them to the dressing along with the sliced pickles. Gently toss until the potatoes are fully coated in the dressing. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
- Transfer the potato salad to a large serving platter. Slice the eggs in half or quarters and arrange overtop of the salad. Garnish with the sliced beef bacon and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 494kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 190mg, Sodium: 718mg, Potassium: 1164mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 728IU, Vitamin C: 51mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!
About the Author
Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.
What do you do with the four eggs and bacon?
Thanks for spotting the typo! I’ve edited the recipe to include those instructions.
Excellent
Lovely springtime and early summer dish!
So delectable. My new favorite potato salad. I remember picking through other potato salads for the pickles and eggs growing up. Not this recipe. It has enough of all the best ingredients assembled in the best order and bacon! 😍😍