Dad’s Famous Potato Salad

June 30, 2011 By Leanne Vogel July 16, 2015

The summer months bring back so many fantastic childhood memories. In the summer… You could catch me hiding with my dad under the dinning room table, chowing down on dipped Oreos in milk right before dinner. I could also be found doing flips in the lake with my little sister screaming “free willy!” [Weird? Maybe. But, if you were as obsessed with Free Willy as I was at 7, it will all make sense!] It was normal to see me waking up at 4am and dragging my dad to the boat for an early morning water ski session before everyone else woke up.

Although it’s been a couple of years since I’ve attempted a cartwheel in the water, I can tell you that one of our summer activities has stuck around. Enjoying my dad’s potato salad.

I’m not even kidding you when I say his salad is the best in the land. And lucky for you, he’s willing to share the mystery ingredient that makes it absolutely mouthwatering.

The secret’s in the pickle juice… shhh

Now, you’re probably thinking – pickle juice? What the hay? Trust me, this salad will change your life. I promise. Neighbors will offer to mow your lawn, your significant other will do the dishes, and you can count on your daily meditation being uninterrupted for at least a week… if there’s a batch of salad in the fridge! It does magical things, I tell you! I’ve added a bunch of veggies to his original recipe, cause let’s face it, that’s what I do!

Dad’s Famous Potato Salad

Author: Leanne Vogel

Recipe type: Vegan [option], Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar free, Yeast free, Corn free

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 6 cups of potato salad

My dad’s famous potato salad with a secret ingredient that changes it all!

Ingredients

5 white russet potatoes, cubed – do not peel! [yield – 6 cups]
5 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces *see note
2 stalks celery, diced
4 dill pickles, finely chopped [yield: ⅓ cup]
½ medium green pepper, chopped
⅓ cup red onions, finely diced
5 radishes, sliced
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
½ cup canola mayonnaise *see note
2 tablespoon pickle juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill
½ teaspoon herbamare
Freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Fill a medium sized saucepan with water, cover, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a fork and place on a paper towel [or cloth]-lined plate and pat dry.
Combine mayo, pickle juice, mustard, dill, herbamare, and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the bacon, celery, pickles, pepper, red onions, and radishes. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir to evenly coat. Drop in cooked potatoes and mix gently. Spoon salad into a 1½ qt. or 1.4L casserole dish and top with hard boiled eggs.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Notes

to make vegan, switch canola mayonnaise with veganaise, remove eggs, and try these “bacon” bits

View Nutritional Information (once on page scroll down) My setup… more on this tomorrow!