Even though this is the recipe we grew up on, it is better described as Amish-style potato salad, made made famous by Walmart deli. My mom’s naturally gluten free potato salad recipe has a classic, old fashioned sweet, tangy taste dotted with pimentos, sweet pickles, and hard boiled eggs.
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Gluten-Free Potato Salad – Amish Style!
Of course it’s easy and convenient to pick up a deli tub of potato salad when heading to summer picnics, BBQs, or potlucks, but there is a trade off for that convenience.
First off all there is the matter of freshness. I find Walmart potato salad to have a strong apple cider vinegar taste, which becomes more pronounced as it sits.
Plus, the ingredients and preparation may not be safe if you are looking for a gluten free potato salad recipe. You run the risk of cross contamination where it is prepped and possible unsafe ingredients, like barley or malt from preservatives.
Making a homemade recipe not only guarantees the best homemade potato salad taste, but like my 5-minute creamy GF coleslaw recipe or a never-mushy picnic-style gluten-free macaroni salad they are great make-ahead ideas for entertaining.
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Ingredient Tid Bits
This recipe makes enough for about 8 side dish servings. If preparing for a large gathering or crowd, the ingredients may be doubled. We also like to serve homemade potato salad alongside German-style dishes, like gluten-free dumplings and sauerkraut.
- Pimentos – Find chopped pimentos by the pickles and condiments section. Adds a sweet, tangy layer of flavor.
- Sweet gherkin pickles – While many recipes call for sweet pickle relish, using jarred gherkins are a little sweeter, crisper, and the pickle juice flavors the dressing instead of vinegar.
- Celery seed – This is not interchangeable with celery salt, which will make your dish overly salty. If you cannot find celery seed, simply leave out.
- Sugar – Almost all Amish recipes contain sugar, some up to 1/2 cup! When testing the recipe I found one tablespoon was adequate for an added hint of sweetness with the pickles, but it may be left out entirely. If you are aiming for a copycat Walmart recipe, add 1-2 tablespoons sugar to mayo dressing, otherwise omit the sugar for hint of sweet taste!
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Best method for cooking potatoes (Mom’s way)
Let’s avoid a common mistake – waterlogged, overcooked chunks of potatoes. Mom always cooked potatoes in a way that left them tender, but they still held their shape.
First, use the right type of potato. Waxy potatoes, like red potatoes are best. Yukon golds will also work, but they have a softer, creamy texture. Just be sure to drain them as soon as they become tender.
Then boil the potatoes whole, without peeling first. Start with cold water in a large pot, enough water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil, and cook until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Drain and then leave the potatoes to sit for several hours. In fact, Mom leaves them sit overnight at room temperature. Don’t place them in the refrigerator or they will steam, making a watery potato salad.
Once they have cooled, use your fingernails to peel off the skins or a vegetable peeler, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
Combine dressing
In a large bowl (big enough to add the potatoes and hard boiled eggs to), stir together the dressing mixture – mayo, minced onion, diced celery, pimentos, sweet pickles, pickle juice, optional sugar, yellow mustard, celery seed, salt, and pepper.
Gently stir in potatoes and eggs
Add the cooled, peeled, and chopped potatoes with chopped hard boiled eggs and fold everything together to combine. For the best flavor, transfer to an airtight container and chill 3 hours, up to overnight, before serving. World’s best GF potato salad awaits!
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Classic Gluten-Free Potato Salad (Mom’s Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red potatoes, whole with skins on
- 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounce jar chopped pimentos, well drained
- ⅓ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced sweet gherkin pickles, (not relish)
- 2 tablespoons onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice, (from gherkin pickle jar)
- 1 tablespoon (optional) granulated sugar, (see recipe notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon celery seed, (not celery salt)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place scrubbed whole potatoes, with their skins on, in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until fork tender.2 pounds red potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and then leave them in the colander at room temperature for several hours, up to overnight, so they cool completely. Once they have cooled, use your fingernails or a vegetable peeler to peel off the skins, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large bowl stir together the dressing mixture, all the remaining ingredients except the hard boiled eggs.1 cup mayonnaise, 4 ounce jar chopped pimentos, ⅓ cup diced celery, ¼ cup diced sweet gherkin pickles, 2 tablespoons onion, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon pickle juice, 1 tablespoon (optional) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon celery seed, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Add the potatoes and chopped eggs to the bowl and stir to gently combine. Transfer to an airtight container and chill 3 hours, up to overnight, before serving.3 hard boiled eggs
Notes
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I added sliced black olives. Yummy potato salad. I have a peppercorn grinder from Trader Joe’s so used fresh ground pepper.
Sounds delicious, Chrisandra! Thanks for the note!
Best,
Melissa
A very good recipe! Modified to my taste. Didn’t find pimentos particularly necessary especially since I didn’t have any on hand. “New” red potatoes are sold in a 1-1/2 lb. bag here in rural OH where we live so I adjusted the rest of the recipe slightly downward. Love onion in potato salad so I minced yellow onion on hand & used a bit more than the recipe calls for. Chillin’ in the fridge now & will chop and gently stir in the hard-boiled eggs right before dining. Can’t wait. Will have as a side with breaded cod for the first run. I’m thinking alongside hot dogs or smoked sausage the next day. Then with a cheeseburger the day after that. Midnight snack, too.
You are making me hungry with all these suggestions! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa