10 Potato Salads That Always Win the Cookout

Potato salad is the dish that makes or breaks a cookout table. Get it right and people hover near the bowl, sneaking second scoops before the burgers even come off the grill. Get it wrong and it just… sits there.

We’ve pulled together 10 versions that go well beyond the basic, from briny and bold to creamy and garlicky to crispy and totally unexpected. Whether you’re team classic-and-comforting or ready to try something that will genuinely make people stop and ask “wait, what is IN this?”, there’s a recipe in this collection for you.

Classic Creamy Potato Salad

This Classic Creamy Potato Salad is the one you are going to bring to every cookout, potluck, and backyard gathering from now on. The combination of mayo and Miracle Whip is the secret behind its perfectly balanced dressing: creamy but not heavy, a little tangy, and just subtly sweet in all the right ways. Get the recipe

Bacon & Egg Potato Salad

This Bacon & Egg Potato Salad is creamy, tangy, loaded with smoky bacon and generous chunks of hard-boiled egg, and finished with a hit of fresh dill and the bright zing of pickle brine: this is not your average potato salad. This is the one people are going to ask you to bring to every single gathering for the rest of the summer. Get the recipe

German Potato Salad with Bratwurst

This German Potato Salad with Bratwurst has a tangy, mustardy broth, sliced bratwurst tucked into every bite, and a shower of fresh chives on top. Once you try this potato salad you will never go back to the mayonnaise version again. Get the recipe

Dill Pickled Potato Salad

If you’re a pickle lover, brace yourself: this is the Dill Pickled Potato Salad that’s going to ruin all other potato salads for you. It comes together in under 30 minutes of active cooking time and gets even better after chilling in the fridge, which makes it a dream make-ahead dish for cookouts, potlucks, and backyard gatherings. Get the recipe

Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

This Crispy Smashed Potato Salad has golden crispy roasted potatoes, tossed in a cool, herby, creamy dressing and served as a potato salad that absolutely no one saw coming. This is the side dish you bring to the cookout when you want to be the person everyone asks for the recipe. Get the recipe

Eggs Benedict Potato Salad

This Eggs Benedict Potato Salad is the kind of recipe that makes people do a double-take when you describe it, and then immediately ask for seconds after they taste it. It takes all the beloved components of the classic brunch dish and reimagines them as a hearty, make-ahead salad that works just as beautifully at a cookout as it does at a brunch table. Get the recipe

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

This Loaded Baked Potato Salad is piled high with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, cool sour cream, and a shower of green onions. It is everything comfort food lovers dream about and everything cookout hosts need in their back pocket. Get the recipe

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potato Salad

This Garlic Parmesan Roasted Potato Salad takes everything you love about roasted potatoes, those irresistible crispy edges and deeply savory flavor, and turns them into something you can actually bring to a cookout. Get the recipe

Herby Potato Salad with Pistachios

Herby Potato Salad with Pistachios is a vibrant and fresh take on the classic potato salad. This recipe combines tender potatoes, a medley of fresh herbs, and crunchy pistachios, all tossed in a tangy lemon dressing. It’s perfect for picnics, barbecues, or as a flavorful side dish for any meal. Get the recipe

Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad

If you love the creamy, spicy, cheesy goodness of jalapeño poppers, you’re going to want to make this Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad. It takes the classic comfort of potato salad and gives it a bold twist with smoky bacon, tangy pickled jalapeños, and cheddar cheese. Get the recipe