Recipe This | Instant Pot Potato Salad (2024)

Instant Pot Potato Salad. How to use the instant pot to make an amazing one pot potato salad. Everything happens in the instant pot and it is a fantastic dump and start easy pressure cooker recipe.

I am obsessed with making potato salad in the instant pot because it is so easy. It is perfect for instant pot beginners and you can use it as a potluck recipe, as a quick summer side dish and much more.

This instant pot potato recipe was originally published in 2018. We are updating it for you with more pictures, more recipe ideas and even more instant pot potato tips.

Potato Salad In Instant Pot

As a child I absolutely hated potato salad. I thought it was the devil. I mean potatoes are supposed to be warm and it is totally disgusting to have them cold!!!

I think when I originally tried potato salad it would have been as a side dish at a barbecue and the British potato salad is rather boring.

It is literally just potatoes, salad cream and a little seasoning.

From that point forward, whenever there was any potato salad on offer at a barbecue or on a buffet, I would never touch it.

But fast forward to this summer and being on our summer road trip and suddenly ever Lidl we visited had potato salad.

I have never seen so many potato salads before and decided I might as well try it and see if I still hate it.

Well from one small tub purchased in Germany, we all argued over the last mouthful (well apart from Kyle who hates eggs) and before long I had the Instant Pot out and I was in love with Instant Pot Potato Salad.

Irony must play a big part in this Instant Pot Potato Salad. After all, here I am in Germany trying an American style potato salad.

Not only has it been purchased in the most famous German supermarket, but also in Germany. When they rock their own kind of German Potato Salad.

Plus, as well as our free newsletter, we also have a free instant pot mini course. It is ideal for instant pot beginners or those that want to get more confident with their electric pressure cooker. The free course runs for 5 days with a new lesson delivered each day to your inbox.

German Potato Salad Vs American Potato Salad

The potato salad originated in Germany, with many versions around the world including the American version.

In Germany if you have a potato salad it will be free of mayonnaise. Instead you will have your potato salad made in a broth instead. It often includes bacon and vinegar in the ingredients list.

The American potato salad is heavy on the mayonnaise (or in some cases sour cream) and often includes lots of onion and celery too.

The biggest difference for many with the potato salad, is that the German potato salad is served warm, whilst the American potato salad is served cold.

American or German I suddenly wanted to eat Instant Pot potato salad for the rest of the summer!

Instant Pot Potatoes For Potato Salad

What if I said to you that any potatoes can be used to make an instant pot potato salad? In fact, I recommend a potato salad when you have old potatoes that need using up.

It is a great way to rescue your old potatoes that are starting to regrow and if you are on a tight budget its ideal for your contribution to a potluck event. Or if there is a discount on potatoes with a strict use by date, you can also do this with them.

Just take a look at the potatoes that I used in my potato salad:

Don’t they look old?

Yet peeled and chopped and they make a great batch for a potato salad and are certainly not unusable.

Instant Pot Potato Salad With Eggs

I also love that you can cook your eggs for your potato salad, at the same time in the instant pot. Simply place the potatoes and eggs in the instant pot together like this:

Though make sure that the eggs are well positioned so that they wont rattle and then break as the instant pot goes to pressure.

Instant Pot Potato Salad Without Steamer Basket?

I recommend using a steamer basket (this is our number #1 favourite if you don’t have one yet) but if you don’t have a steamer basket, you can place potatoes onto the trivet instead.

Though when you do place them into the trivet, you cant do as many potatoes, but it’s a good emergency plan B whilst you wait for your steamer basket.

Or you can do instant pot boiled potatoes for a potato salad instead. This involves adding your potatoes to the water and then the potatoes with boil instead of steam.

Potato Salad Ingredients

Potatoes – Any potatoes will do, just make sure you don’t chop your potatoes too small. Otherwise, when you go to release pressure your potatoes will look like mashed potatoes.

Eggs – I find that 3 eggs are enough for our potato salad. Though we are often only doing enough for 4 people so you might want to adjust for your portion size.

Seasonings – I love salt, pepper, and oregano in my potato salad. But you can mix and match depending on season and ingredients in.

Mayonnaise – Don’t go too cheap as it will reflect in your potato salad. We went with Hellman’s mayonnaise as it’s our favourite. You could also make your potato salad more special by using our bacon aioli.

These are the main ingredients for a quick potato salad in the instant pot. BUT you can add in extras and make it how you like it.

Then for the kitchen gadgets that we have used in this instant pot recipe, it has just been our Instant Pot 8qt. Though you could use a 3qt or a 6qt and get the same results! Then we used our favourite steamer basket.

How To Make Instant Pot Potato Salad?

• Peel and slice. Start by peeling your potatoes and slicing them. Or get out of this task by buying baby potatoes and use these in your potato salad instead!
• Load. Into the instant pot add the water, steamer basket, potatoes, and eggs. Pressure cook for 4 minutes.
• QPR. Do a quick pressure release as you don’t want mushy potatoes. Then allow to cool a little.
• Mayo. As your potatoes are cooling add your mayonnaise ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
• Mix. Peel and dice your eggs. Load your potatoes and eggs into your mayo and then serve.

How Long Do You Cook Potatoes For Potato Salad In Instant Pot?

How does 4 minutes sound? We call this our 4 minute instant pot potato salad, because time to pressure + 4 minutes is how quick this is.

That is regardless of whether you are filling your instant pot with potatoes to the max line, or you are just making potato salad for two people.

What To Serve With Potato Salad?

Our potato salad is perfect for barbecue days or summer days when you want something different.

I would recommend you try our instant pot dirty water hot dogs or our air fryer rotisserie chicken.

More Delicious Instant Pot Potato Recipes

• Instant Pot Breakfast Potatoes
• Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
• Instant Pot Baby Potatoes

Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!