Sour Cream Potato Salad

By
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich
John Mitzewich is a food writer, recipe video producer, and culinary school instructor with more than 20 years of experience in the food industry.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/8/22
Potato salad with sour cream dressing and celery in a serving bowl

The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Chill Time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
246 Calories
11g Fat
34g Carbs
5g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 246
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 631mg 27%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 16mg 80%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 2mg 10%
Potassium 871mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

A sour cream dressing turns a basic potato salad recipe into something special for your next summer cookout. This salad can be made with russet, red, or Yukon gold potatoes. A waxier potato such as the red potato will hold its shape better after being cooked. You may also enjoy using more than one kind of potato in the dish, perhaps even red, white, and blue baby potatoes.

Sour cream replaces some of the mayonnaise, resulting in a very creamy and slightly tangy potato salad. Serve it at your next cookout as a delicious side dish for grilled meat.

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds potatoes

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the potato water

  • 2 medium ribs celery, diced

  • 4 green onions, white and light green parts, chopped

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • Black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for sour cream potato salad recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  2. Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife and drain.

    Potatoes in a large pot

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  3. When cool enough to handle, peel and cube the potatoes.

    Peeled and diced potatoes on a cutting board

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, celery, and green onions.

    Potatoes, celery, and green onions in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  5. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Mix.

    Sour cream, mayonnaise, condiments, and spices in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  6. Add the dressing to the potatoes and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

    Potatoes evenly tossed with sour cream dressing in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

  7. Cover and refrigerate the potato salad for at least 2 hours before serving for best results. Enjoy.

    Sour cream potato salad in a glass serving bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

Tips

  • This potato salad doesn't contain eggs, so it is less risky (when made with commercial mayonnaise) to take to a potluck or picnic where it may be at room temperature for an hour or more. However, it should be kept refrigerated before you place it on the table. Leftovers should be promptly refrigerated and eaten within a day or two.
  • By boiling your potatoes in salted water, you will be pre-seasoning them and you can use less added salt.
  • Leave the skins on the potatoes if you prefer a more rustic potato salad. This also saves you time and the inevitable nicks from the knife or peeler. However, scrub the potatoes well before cooking. Remove any eyes from the potatoes as those contain chemicals that are undesirable.
  • An easy method for cooking the potatoes is to cube your potatoes and cook them in a microwave-safe steamer in the microwave. You won't need to add any extra water and it is easy to test them for doneness. Potatoes will be less likely to crumble or be soggy when cooked in the microwave rather than boiled.
  • Make sure your potatoes are cool before mixing. If they're warm, you can end up with a watery potato salad.

Recipe Variations

  • Substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream or the mayonnaise for a lighter option.
  • The recipe will work with reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream if you prefer.
  • Add herbs to the potato salad such as fresh or dried dill or chopped fresh parsley.
  • A tablespoon or more of dill relish, sweet pickle relish, or chopped pickled peppers can add more flavor.