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There’s something incredibly comforting about a classic Potato Salad, especially when it’s tailored just for you! This single serving recipe transforms the traditional crowd-pleaser into a personal treat. Imagine a creamy, flavorful salad made with one russet potato, coupled with the crunch of onions and celery, all tied together with a tangy blend of mayonnaise and dijon mustard. It’s a delightful balance of textures and flavors, perfect for a quick lunch or as a side.
Explore our variety of single serving side dish salads for more delightful options: Try the classic and creamy Macaroni Salad, the crunchy and nutritious Broccoli Salad, the zesty Mexican Street Corn Salad, or the protein-rich and satisfying Chicken Salad.
Why You’ll Love This Potato Salad Recipe
- Perfect Portion: Ideal for a single serving, making it a hassle-free choice for a meal for one.
- Quick and Easy: With minimal prep and simple ingredients, this recipe is a breeze to whip up.
- Customizable: Easily adaptable with substitutions to suit your pantry or dietary preferences.
- Flavorful: A delightful combination of creamy and crunchy elements with a hint of tanginess.
- Versatile: Great as a standalone dish or as an accompaniment to your favorite mains like Baked Ribs, Baked Chicken Thighs, or Ham and Cheese Sliders.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch potato salad recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Potato: Use a medium russet potato, ideally weighing between 6 and 8.5 ounces, for this small batch potato salad. If your potato is larger or smaller, adjust the other ingredients accordingly. A bigger potato might need more mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, and seasonings, while a smaller one requires less. Remember to taste and tweak the amounts to your liking. Got extra potatoes, use them in Twice Baked Potato Casserole, Clam Chowder or Colcannon.
- Onions and Celery: Add these finely chopped ingredients for an enjoyable crunch and enhanced flavor in your salad. We also use onions and celery in our Split Pea Soup, Chicken and Dumplings, and Tomato Sauce recipes.
- Mayonnaise: For a variation, replace mayonnaise with Greek yogurt or sour cream to alter the texture and tanginess of the salad.
- Dijon Mustard: If Dijon isn’t available, yellow mustard or stone-ground mustard are great alternatives, each bringing a unique flavor profile.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Don’t have apple cider vinegar? No problem. White vinegar or red wine vinegar can be used as substitutes without compromising the salad’s zest.
- Seasonings: The combination of dried dill, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper is recommended, but feel free to experiment with dried basil or other spices you enjoy. Use this recipe as a flexible guide, and personalize it to your taste preferences.
How To Make Potato Salad
- Bake the Potato: Start by thoroughly scrubbing the potato and pierce it all over with the tines of a fork. Then, place it on a baking sheet and bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 50 minutes. Once done, remove it from the oven and let it cool until it’s comfortable to handle. Cut the potato into 1-inch cubes.
- Mix Ingredients: In a small bowl, mix together all the remaining ingredients. Once combined, add the cubed potato and gently toss everything together, ensuring the potato cubes are well-coated with the mixture.
- Chill the Salad: Transfer the potato salad to the refrigerator and let it chill for at least 1 hour. This step allows the flavors to meld together, enhancing the overall taste of the salad.
Expert Tips
- Potato Varieties: While russet potatoes are great for this recipe, feel free to use gold or red potatoes as an alternative. These varieties often yield better results when boiled in salted water.
- Boiling Potatoes: To boil the potatoes, start by scrubbing and rinsing them thoroughly. Cut them into 1-inch cubes for even cooking. Place the cubed potatoes in a medium-sized pot, cover them with water, and set the pot over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook the potatoes just until they are fork-tender, which should take about 5-8 minutes.
- Doubling the Recipe: This potato salad recipe is easily scalable. If you’re looking to serve more, simply double the ingredients to make a larger batch.
- Additional Ingredients for Flavor: Customize your potato salad by adding these flavorful ingredients:
- Diced pimento for a sweet and mild pepper taste.
- Pickle relish for a tangy twist.
- Fresh herbs like chives, parsley, thyme, or basil can enhance the salad’s freshness and aroma.
- Hard-boiled eggs add a rich, protein-packed element.
- Crumbled bacon for a smoky, savory note.
RELATED: How To Freeze Bacon
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it tastes even better when the flavors meld overnight.
It’s best enjoyed within 1-2 days.
Absolutely! Yukon golds are a great alternative.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page. Examples of the dishes I use at One Dish Kitchen can be found on our Store page.
If you’ve tried this easy potato salad recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Potato Salad For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (6 to 8 ounce) russet potato
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- ¼ cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Scrub potato thoroughly with a brush under running water. Pat dry. Prick potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place potato on a baking sheet and bake for 50-60 minutes. (The potato is done when the skin is dry and the inside feels completely soft when pierced). Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the potato and toss to coat. Add an additional pinch or two of salt and pepper, if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Notes
- Potato Varieties: While russet potatoes are great for this recipe, feel free to use gold or red potatoes as an alternative. These varieties often yield better results when boiled in salted water.
- Boiling Potatoes: To boil the potatoes, start by scrubbing and rinsing them thoroughly. Cut them into 1-inch cubes for even cooking. Place the cubed potatoes in a medium-sized pot, cover them with water, and set the pot over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook the potatoes just until they are fork-tender, which should take about 5-8 minutes.
- Doubling the Recipe: This potato salad recipe is easily scalable. If you’re looking to serve more, simply double the ingredients to make a larger batch.
- Additional Ingredients for Flavor: Customize your potato salad by adding these flavorful ingredients:
- Diced pimento for a sweet and mild pepper taste.
- Pickle relish for a tangy twist.
- Fresh herbs like chives, parsley, thyme, or basil can enhance the salad’s freshness and aroma.
- Hard-boiled eggs add a rich, protein-packed element.
- Crumbled bacon for a smoky, savory note.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Where’s the sugar? Anytime you add vinegar to a recipe you need sugar. I put sugar in my salad even though I don’t add vinegar because I use Miracle Whip instead of mayo.
We don’t feel the salad needs sugar but you can certainly add it if you like.
I made this with a baked 8 oz. Yukon gold potato and Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise (didn’t have any and didn’t want to go to the store or make some). It was yummy and made plenty as written for the two of us
I have several cooking for one books but your recipes are by far the best. Most are not too complicated but yet are so delicious. Wish you would publish another cookbook. Big fan of you.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m thrilled that you enjoy the recipes and find them simple yet delicious. Your encouragement about another cookbook is truly motivating and gives me plenty to consider for the future.
Thank you for being such a fantastic supporter!
I have been making various ones of your recipes for a few years using microwave and slow cooker thank you. I have now bought a small air fryer and wondered if you have any ideas on how to adapt your recipes to this new method of cooking.
Thank you from UK.
I’m so happy to know you are enjoying our recipes. Our recipes are not tested with an air fryer but an air fryer is just a small convection oven so anything that can be made in a regular oven can be made in an air fryer. You’ll just need to reduce the cooking time as convection ovens cook faster due to how they circulate heat using a fan.
Terrific recipe.
Easy to put together and yummy to eat!