Mary's Potato Salad, so easy using your Instant Pot!

Does your family love potato salad? Want a delicious yet easy-to-make potato salad? Mary's Potato Salad is the potato salad of my youth, with potatoes, eggs, onions, pickles, celery, and a delicious mustard dressing. Now made even easier with the help of your electric pressure cooker...

This is what I think of when someone says Potato Salad.

I have been eating this potato salad my entire life! And quite honestly like many, the potato salad I love is the potato salad that my mom made! Not surprising because favorite family recipes will always play a role in our meal plans. There is nothing better than food memories to make you want to keep cooking in the kitchen.

But if I may be completely honest,

making Mary's Potato Salad was a messy job. First, the potatoes were boiled and allowed to cool down long enough to pick them up and scrape off the outside peel. Eggs were boiled separately, and like the potatoes cooled long enough to peel. And while I am being so honest I must admit that fresh eggs don't peel very easily and that was my absolute least favorite part...but you know how it is, if you want potato salad, and potato salad is on the menu, you make potato salad!

It's not just for summer!

I have looked forward to spring and summer weather for years, just so I could make this potato salad! But here in Montana these last few years, I have learned that the easiest way to brighten up any day (warm or cold) is to make a meal that is a little bit out of the ordinary for the season. Yes, you guessed it, there is nothing better than pan-fried hamburgers and Mary's Potato Salad even in the dead of winter! And with potatoes in the root cellar and a coop full of hens, it turns out great every time...

And then something wonderful happened.

After mastering Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot, I wondered about using my electric pressure cooker for some of the prep work for Mary's Potato Salad. And from there, the following technique was tried, and successful on the first go! It is quite easy, and even if you prefer your own potato salad recipe I think you will appreciate the updated preparation available to you, simply by using your Instant Pot. ..Come on along, I will show you!

Some thoughts on this recipe:

You can make this potato salad as chunky as you like! I use a "S" shaped potato masher to "cut" the potato into pieces. To make smaller pieces of potato and egg, simply turn the masher and cut through a few more times.

But if you are a traditionalist, feel free to dice the potatoes and eggs with a small kitchen knife.

Use your favorite sour or sweet pickles. We use what we have pulled from the root cellar, so it is never the same salad twice, but it is always delicious!

The one hard and fast rule for using the pressure cooker is that you need to cut your potatoes into pieces that will cook in the same amount of time as the eggs. Otherwise the eggs will overcook and the whites will be tough.

And lastly, right after the NPR time is up, immediately open the Instant Pot to allow the inside heat to escape to prevent further cooking!

And finally this! Like most appliances, I have discovered that my Instant Pot cooks slightly different, from the many recipes I have tried, indicate. My current model seems to need an additional minute or two. Adjust the cooking time listed in the recipe if needed for your particular model.

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

russet potatoes or new red potatoes
large eggs
sour/dill pickles
sweet/bread and butter style pickles
onion
celery
mayonnaise
sour cream
ballpark mustard
salt
pepper
granulated garlic powder

You will also need the following:

potato peeler
"S" shaped potato masher
kitchen knife
cutting board
Large stainless steel mixing bowl
2 c size glass measuring cup
silicone spatula
pressure cooker, electric or stove-top

Now we are ready to begin!

Mary's Potato Salad

from memory and my mom Mary

note: I used a 3QT model Instant Pot

UPDATE: 07.10.2023

6 medium-sized russet potatoes or equivalent new red potatoes

6 large eggs

1 medium-sized onion OR a bunch of green onions

2 - 3 ribs of celery

1 c diced dill or sour pickles

3/4 c diced sweet pickles

2 T of the dill pickle brine

1 c mayonnaise

3/4 c sour cream

1/4 c ballpark mustard

salt

pepper

garlic powder

Peel the potatoes and cut lengthwise into quarters. Or into one inch chunks.

Break the eggs into the 2 cup glass measuring cup.

Place 2 cups water into the pan, add a trivet, then a steamer basket or steam pan to hold the potatoes and the eggs.

Place the measuring cup with the eggs in the center of the steam basket, then place the quartered potato pieces around the eggs.

OR,

You may also cook the eggs (in the shell) with the potatoes. I like this technique better and especially when I want additional hard cooked eggs for other recipes or snacking. The additional extra eggs does not increase cooking time.

Secure the lid, program to cook for 11 minutes, then complete a NPR rest for an additional 5 minutes. But not longer to avoid overcooking the eggs.

Carefully open the valve, let the steam escape, and let the potatoes and eggs cool.

When cool enough to safely handle, remove from the pressure cooker.

Place the potato pieces into the bottom of a large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Peel the eggs if cooked in the shell.

Arrange the potato pieces in an even layer at the bottom of the mixing bowl. Using the potato masher, press down cutting the potato pieces into chunks, lift and cut down again until the layer of potatoes has been cut into pieces.

Push to one side, add the eggs, using the potato masher, but into pieces. Take a quick look for texture and if desired, cut through the potatoes or eggs to achieve the texture desired.

Set the cut potatoes and eggs aside. Peel and dice the onion or if using green onions, wash, dry, and slice thinly.

Wash, dry, and mince the celery. Chop both the sweet and sour pickles.

Add the onions, pickles, and celery to the bowl with the potatoes.

Season the potatoes and eggs generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and brine from pickles. Combine all ingredients together.

Spoon into a serving bowl, dust with paprika if desired, and top with a celery leaf for color! Chill until serving time.

Storage options for Mary's Potato Salad. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. I do not recommend freezing this recipe.

UPDATE: For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Mary's Potato Salad has been included below.

You may also enjoy:

Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Apples with Pecans

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

#eatmorevegetables!

Thanks for stopping by!

We offer new and delicious recipes as well as DIY ideas for your home, regularly. Feel free to drop us an email request for any question or recipe you may be looking for. In addition, like all our guests, we invite you to come for a visit again and again for new recipes, and my down-home take on frugal ways to keep your home in tip top shape.

Hey you, don’t miss a post! Please consider following Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household. To follow by email, and/or by RSS feed, complete the application located on the right-hand side of the blog. Please Note, some posts may contain affiliate links, thank you for supporting Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household.

PS, friends, and family who love good food and household ideas might love us too! Tell them about us, and thanks for the referral!

You may also enjoy, Creative writing from the heart... stories of life, living, and family.

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household proudly shares with these generous link parties featured here.

Printable "copy and paste" version: