A tangy twist on a classic favorite, this dill pickle potato salad combines creamy potatoes with zesty pickles for a refreshing and flavorful side dish perfect for any gathering. This recipe is made without mayo and instead uses a tangy pickle vinaigrette!
Pickle lovers, this recipe is for you! As an avid pickle lover myself, I think no potato salad is complete without pickles. They add so much flavor, creating a tasty, crunchy and savory bite with each mouthful. Red potatoes act as the perfect starchy base that take on all of the zesty flavor.
This vegetarian side dish is perfect for a bbq, potluck or holiday gatherings. Potato salad with pickles pairs well with beet and black bean burgers, bbq cauliflower tacos, grilled eggplant sandwiches and lentil sloppy joes. I also enjoy making it for meal prep and eating some for lunch each day!
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Why This Recipe is The Best
There are 2 key details that make this recipe truly the best! First, you want to use deli-style dill pickles. I highly recommend using Claussen or Grillo's pickles. I grew up eating Claussen pickles so they are nostalgic for me. Grillo's pickles are similar in taste, as well as the deli-style pickles from Aldi. Make sure to choose a pickle that you love!
That being said, if you would prefer to use Kosher dill pickles or another style of dill pickle, you can but it will be more briny in overall flavor. Choose what is best for you and your taste buds!
The second most important tip for this recipe, is to use the pickle brine in the dressing! This is also why choosing the right pickle is so important. Claussen and Grillo's have a delicious tasting pickle bring (yes I could literally drink it), so make sure you enjoy the flavor of the brine as well.
Ingredient Notes
- Pickles - choose a deli-style dill pickle for this recipe! This recipe has been specifically developed using Claussen pickles. You can find them in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. Grillo's may also be found there.
- Red skin potatoes - keep the skin on to add color and texture to the dish. Potatoes are also great source of potassium!
- Green pepper - this adds some crunch texture (along with the red onion & pickles).
- Fresh dill - I highly recommend using fresh dill over dried dill since it is more flavorful.
- Vinaigrette - combines stone ground mustard, pickle brine, white vinegar, salt, black pepper, parsley and olive oil.
See full list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Potatoes - you can use another variety of potatoes if desired, such as Yukon golds, russet or fingerling potatoes.
- Mustard - you can use either stone-ground mustard or a dijon mustard. I don't recommend using yellow mustard.
- Garbanzo beans - add in a can of chickpeas for some plant-based protein.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain them and sprinkle with vinegar in the strainer.
- Step 2: Mix the dressing together while the potatoes are cooling.
- Step 3: Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
- Step 4: Stir together until evenly distributed.
Hint: allow the potatoes to sit in the colander/strainer for at least 5 minutes so all of the excess water drains off. This will help them soak up all of the flavor in the pickle juice dressing!
Emily's Top Tip
Remember to sprinkle 3 tablespoons of white vinegar on the potatoes when they are sitting in the strainer. This gives them a head start in absorbing that acidic flavor before they get tossed in the dressing. You can also use pickle brine in place of vinegar for this, but I find that vinegar gives it the best taste.
Serving & Storing
Serve this dish warm, room temperature or cold, right out of the fridge. I find that the flavor develops more after the potato salad has a few hours, or a day to marinate in the dressing.
Store any leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing this.
Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs red skinned potatoes , cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 green bell pepper , diced
- ½ cup red onion , diced
- ½ cup dill pickles , diced (add more if desired)
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill , chopped
- 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar (plus 3 more tablespoons to toss on the potatoes as they drain)
- 2 tablespoons pickle brine (from the jar of pickles)
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place the cut potatoes in a large pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat slightly to medium-high, cover with a lid and cook the potatoes for 15-20 minutes until they are fork tender. Drain the potatoes using a strainer or colander, and immediately drizzle them with 3 tablespoons of white vinegar. Let time sit for 5-10 minutes in the strainer so all of the excess water drains out.
- Mix the dressing together. Add the dill, mustard, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of pickle brine to a small bowl. Whisk together until combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked potatoes, green bell pepper, red onion, dill pickles and the dressing. Mix well until everything is combined.
- Serve the salad room temperature (when fresh) or cold from the fridge.
Notes
- I prefer to leave the skin on the potatoes. It think it adds a rustic feel to the dish, as well as more color and texture.
- Make sure to use your favorite brand of pickles; I highly recommend using Claussen or Grillo's (found in the refrigerator section of the grocery store).
Emily says
This recipe was inspired by my grandmothers potato salad. It was always my favorite growing up, and I would always ask her to make it! I hope you enjoy the recipe.