Creamy Potato Cucumber Salad
Creamy Potato Cucumber Salad is my mom’s award-winning recipe! This delicious potato cucumber salad has all the classic ingredients like hard-cooked eggs and a creamy mayonnaise dressing, but it’s kicked up with horseradish and the coolness of cucumber for an award-winning combination. Perfect with Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs or Cajun Chicken Drumsticks!
“One of the best potato salads I’ve ever had! Will definitely make this over and over again!”
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
My mother always made the BEST potato salad, but this one really rocked, and with it, won the Wisconsin Potato Cooking Contest in 1990. The judges loved the addition of cucumber and horseradish for a cool, kicked-up version of classic potato salad! She won and placed in many cooking contests, including an award for this Moroccan Beef Stew.
The combination of potatoes and cucumbers is an “old-world” touch, and potatoes and horseradish are a culinary match made in heaven!
This potato cucumber salad recipe is the perfect side dish for summer cookouts, potlucks, holidays, or when you’re craving something cool and creamy!
Let’s make it!
How to Make Creamy Potato Cucumber Salad:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this easy potato salad recipe, along with how to prep the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Russet Potatoes: I like Russet potatoes in potato salads with mayonnaise or that have a creamy dressing because of their starchy, dry texture; the two play off each other for a creamier potato salad. However, you can use Yukon gold or red potatoes if you prefer a salad with contrasting textures because they maintain their texture.
- Cucumber: Use English, also called “hothouse” or “seedless” cucumbers. They’re less watery than Kirby cucumbers.
- Hard-Cooked Eggs: Check out all my tips on hard-cooking eggs so they’re easy to peel in this deviled eggs post. It includes a stovetop method along with cooking them in the Instant Pot.
- Mayonnaise: My mom was a Hellmann’s girl, but living in the South has made me a Duke’s girl. Use your favorite mayonnaise.
- Sour Cream: You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream if you prefer or don’t have sour cream.
- Dijon Mustard: My mother used horseradish mustard in her original recipe. We like the extra kick of using horseradish on its own and mustard on its own.
- Horseradish: Horseradish is produced from the root of the horseradish plant. It belongs to the mustard and wasabi family and is related to vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, so it’s very good for you. Look for prepared horseradish near the condiments or refrigerated foods area.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, and mustard together in a small bowl.
- Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Peel the Russet potatoes and cut them into even chunks. (If using Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeling is optional.) See my Chef Tips and Tricks below for why my potatoes are cut the way they are.
- Place a large rimmed sheet pan into the freezer to chill.
- Cover with cold water and generously salt the water.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.
- Drain and cool quickly on the cold sheet pan.
- Once cooled, transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the celery, scallions, cucumber, and eggs.
- Pour dressing over the potato cucumber salad and gently toss the dressing with the potatoes and vegetables.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Chill until ready to serve.
- Transfer to a bowl and serve!
- An award-winning Creamy Potato and Cucumber Salad that will be the hit of your get-together!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Whether you use waxy or starchy potatoes is a personal preference. If you prefer a salad with contrasting textures, use waxy as they will maintain their texture the best. If you prefer a salad with a softer, more creamy texture, Russets are what you want.
- Cut the potatoes into similar-sized chunks so the potatoes all cook at the same rate. According to the Idaho Potato Commission, a part of the cell structure in Russets that runs down the middle or length of each potato can take a little longer to be fully cooked. Just cutting the Russets into chunks could result in their being overcooked. Rather, cutting the potato into four even, long pieces and then halving them as shown above, allows this cell structure to be better exposed.
- Always start the potatoes in cold, generously salted water. Starting the potatoes in cold water ensures even cooking.
- Drain and cool quickly. Don’t leave them in the pot because they will continue to cook. When you place the potatoes on to boil, place a large sheet pan in the freezer. Then, after draining well, spread the potatoes out on the chilled baking sheet to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Potato salad is an American classic. However, it is believed to have originated in Germany in the 1600s. Cookbooks published in the 1900s in this country have versions of the American-style potato salad we love and enjoy at picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings today!
Yes, you can make it one day ahead of time. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Potato salad is extremely perishable. However, the mayonnaise is not the culprit. Bacteria love potatoes and eggs, so don’t let a potato salad sit out for more than two hours at your get-together if the surrounding temperature is less than 90 degrees. It should not sit out for more than one hour if it’s over that. To be safe, keep the potato salad on ice, no matter the temperature.
Storage:
- Keep refrigerated and cold when serving. Potato salad can last in the refrigerator for up to five days if stored safely.
Serve with:
- Nashville Hot Fried Chicken
- BBQ Chicken Sliders
- Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Peach Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
- Maryland Crab Cakes
More great potato salad recipes you’ll love!
- French Potato Salad
- Potato and Green Bean Salad
- Potato Salad with Horseradish Dressing
- Recipe for German Potato Salad
Get all my potato recipes at Potato Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Creamy Potato Cucumber Salad
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup mayonnaise - regular or light
- 3/4 cup sour cream - regular or light
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish - or to taste
- 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard - or to taste
- 1 bag (5-pound) Russet potatoes - peeled and cubed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- 3 stalks celery - chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 bunch large scallions - or 2 bunches of small scallions, white and light green part, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 medium English cucumber - peeled if desired, chopped
- 4 hard-cooked eggs - chopped
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish and mustard in a small bowl and mix well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
- Peel the Russet potatoes and cut them into even chunks. (Peeling is optional if using Yukon gold or red potatoes.) Place a large rimmed sheet pan into the freezer to chill.
- Cover with cold water and generously salt the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15- 20 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife.
- Drain well and spread out on the chilled sheet pan to cool. Once cooled, transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the celery, scallions, cucumber and eggs.
- Pour the dressing over the potato cucumber salad and gently stir it into the salad. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Chill until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
- Use red or Yukon Gold in place of Russets.
- Use plain yogurt in place of sour cream.
- Always start the potatoes in cold, generously salted water. Starting the potatoes in cold water ensures even cooking.
- When you place the potatoes on to boil, place a large sheet pan in the freezer. Then, after draining, spread the potatoes out on the chilled baking sheet to cool.
- Can be made 1 day ahead of time. Keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
One of the best potato salads I’ve ever had! Will definitely make this over and over again!
Hi, Molly, Thanks so very much and so happy you enjoyed! Really appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
This was soooo good! Thanks for sharing! My husband loves potato salad so I thought I would make this for Father’s Day. While I was making it, he kept on sampling. I hope there’s some left for dinner!!! He and I both loved it!
Thanks so much and so happy you both loved this recipe. Means a lot because this was my mom’s recipe. Happy belated Father’s Day to your husband and appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
That’s a really nice tribute to your mother, Carol. You did her proud following in her footsteps as your recipes are always worthy of contest winners themselves. This one looks really good (can’t think of one that hasn’t that you’ve posted).
Hi, Cherylynn, Thanks so very much! I sincerely appreciate you and your kind words. I try. :). Thanks again!
I stayed up until 1 am making this and ate it on my way to work. Sooo good! I added a tablespoon of heavy cream and sprinkled smoked paprika on top.
Hi, Cindy! You totally made my day and my mom would be SOOOO happy! So glad you enjoyed and yes on the smoked paprika! Thanks again!!
That’s so cool about your mom wining Wisconsin Potato Cooking Contest so this recipe must be delicious! I like that you used cucumber instead of pickle relish in your potato salad. I will have to give that a try! And does the sour cream add more of a tangy flavor? (I like tangy potato salad lol) Never had that in my potato salad before.
Thanks, Gina! My mom actually won numerous cooking contests. She was something else! I think the sour cream and the mayonnaise balance each other out. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
What a classic dish! Interesting to use both sour cream and mayo–don’t think I’ve seen that before
Hi, Lizzy and thanks! Sour cream and mayo are a great combination, especially for potato salad. Thanks again!