Red Potato Salad Recipe with Fresh Dill

This Red Potato Salad Recipe with Fresh Dill combines tender baby red potatoes with a creamy sour cream and mustard dressing, plenty of fresh dill, and crisp red onion for a lighter take on classic potato salad. Perfect for summer barbecues, picnics, potlucks, and family dinners, it’s a fresh side dish that pairs beautifully with grilled meats without relying on heavy mayonnaise.

What I love most about this recipe is that it feels substantial without being heavy. Mixing the dressing with the warm potatoes allows them to absorb all the bright flavours of the fresh dill, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice, while the red onion adds just the right amount of crunch. It’s one of those simple summer side dishes that disappears quickly whenever grilled meats are on the menu.

Unlike traditional mayonnaise-based potato salads, this Red Potato Salad Recipe uses sour cream, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil to create a creamy, tangy dressing that complements the baby red potatoes without overpowering their flavour. It’s easy to make ahead, travels well to picnics and potlucks, and pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, burgers, sausages, steaks, and other summer favourites.

Quick Answer

Red Potato Salad is a potato salad made with waxy red potatoes that hold their shape after cooking, creating a firm, creamy texture. This version uses fresh dill, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and whole grain mustard instead of a traditional mayonnaise dressing for a lighter, brighter summer side dish.

I’ve made this dill potato salad for backyard barbecues, family gatherings, and casual weeknight dinners, and it always gets recipe requests. I always mix the dressing into the potatoes while they’re still warm because warm potatoes absorb the flavors far better than cold ones. That simple step helps season the potatoes throughout instead of leaving the dressing sitting on the outside.

Why You’ll Love This Red Potato Salad Recipe 

Perfect Summer Side: This Red Potato Salad Recipe pairs beautifully with grilled burgers, chicken, sausages, steaks, and other barbecue favourites. If you enjoy cooking with potatoes, you might also like my How to Make Mashed Potato Four Ways or Easy Herbed Baby Potatoes in the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer for more simple potato side dishes.

Fresh Dill Flavour: Plenty of fresh dill gives this potato salad its bright, herb-forward flavour without overpowering the creamy dressing.

Creamy Without Heavy Mayo: Sour cream, Dijon mustard, and whole grain mustard create a lighter dressing while still delivering plenty of creamy texture.

Let’s Make This Creamy Dill Potato Salad Recipe With Baby Potatoes

Begin by washing the baby potatoes and cutting them in half. Place them in a large pot of cold water and bring them to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender but still holding their shape. You want tender red potatoes, not mashed potatoes.

Once cooked, drain the potatoes and gently pat away any excess moisture with a paper towel. This step helps the creamy dressing cling to the potatoes instead of becoming diluted. While the potatoes are still warm, transfer them to a large bowl with the chopped fresh dill and diced red onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, and minced garlic. The combination creates a creamy dressing with plenty of tang from the mustard and lemon juice while allowing the flavor of fresh dill to remain the star of the salad.

Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and gently stir until everything is evenly coated. I always mix the dressing into warm potatoes because they absorb the flavors better than cold potatoes, giving the finished dill potato salad more flavor throughout rather than leaving the dressing sitting on the surface.

Allow the salad to chill before serving, although it can also be enjoyed slightly warm. The baby potatoes remain firm after stirring, creating a creamy dill potato salad with plenty of texture from the potatoes, red onion, and fresh herbs.

Serve this dill potato salad alongside grilled chicken, burgers, sausages, or your favorite barbecue dishes. It also travels well for potlucks, summer picnics, and outdoor gatherings.

Ingredients

This Red Potato Salad Recipe uses simple, fresh ingredients that come together to create a creamy summer side dish with bright dill flavour and tender baby red potatoes.

Baby Red Potatoes: These waxy potatoes hold their shape well after cooking and stirring, making them ideal for potato salad. Their creamy texture works especially well with the dill and mustard dressing.

Fresh Dill: Fresh dill is the signature flavor in this dill potato salad. A generous amount gives the salad its bright, fresh taste and pairs naturally with the creamy dressing.

Red Onion: Red onion adds color, crunch, and a mild bite that balances the creamy potatoes and dressing without overpowering the fresh dill.

Sour Cream: Sour cream forms the base of the creamy dressing. It adds richness while keeping the salad lighter than a traditional mayonnaise-based potato salad.

Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds tang and helps blend the dressing ingredients together into a smooth, creamy coating for the potatoes.

Whole Grain Mustard: Whole grain mustard adds texture and extra mustard flavor. The mustard seeds provide small bursts of flavor throughout the salad.

Fresh Lemon Juice: Lemon juice brightens the dressing and helps balance the richness of the sour cream and olive oil.

Olive Oil: A small amount of olive oil smooths out the dressing and helps it coat the warm potatoes evenly.

Honey: Honey softens the sharpness of the mustard and lemon juice without making the salad noticeably sweet.

Black Pepper: Black pepper adds a mild warmth that helps round out the flavors in the dressing.

Substitutions and Add-Ins For This Good Potato Salad

Baby Potatoes: Baby yellow potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or other waxy potatoes work well in place of the baby red potatoes. Avoid starchy potatoes, which are more likely to fall apart when mixed with the dressing.

Fresh Dill: Fresh dill is one of the signature flavors in this dill potato salad and is strongly recommended. If you’re not a dill fan, fresh parsley, chives, or tarragon can be substituted for a different herb profile.

Red Onion: Green onions, sweet onions, or white onions can be used instead. Fresh chives also make a nice addition.

Sour Cream: Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted for a slightly lighter dressing. Crème fraîche also works well and creates an extra creamy texture.

Dijon Mustard: If you don’t have Dijon mustard, a small amount of dry mustard powder can be used to add similar flavor to the dressing.

Whole Grain Mustard: Every brand tastes slightly different. Some are more tangy, while others are sweeter. Feel free to experiment with your favorite brand to find the flavor you enjoy most.

Fresh Lemon Juice: Apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar can be used if lemons aren’t available.

Olive Oil: Avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or another neutral oil may be substituted.

Honey: A small amount of sugar or agave syrup can be used instead.

If you’d like to make this creamy dill potato salad a little heartier, try adding chopped celery for extra crunch, diced bell peppers for sweetness and color, sliced radishes for a peppery bite, or chopped hard-boiled eggs for additional protein. Fresh chives also pair beautifully with the dill and mustard dressing. Keep in mind that adding several extra ingredients may require a little more dressing to maintain the same creamy texture throughout the salad.

Expert Tips, Serving and Storing Suggestions

Tip 1: Use plenty of fresh dill. Fresh dill is one of the main flavors in this creamy dill potato salad. Look for bright green bunches without yellowing or wilting for the best flavor and appearance.

Tip 2: Mix the dressing into warm potatoes. I always add the dressing while the potatoes are still warm. Warm potatoes absorb the flavors better than cold potatoes, helping the Dijon mustard, fresh dill, and lemon juice season the potatoes throughout rather than simply coating the outside.

Tip 3: Pat the potatoes dry after draining. Removing excess moisture helps the creamy dressing cling to the potatoes and prevents the salad from becoming watery as it sits.

Tip 4: Chill before serving. While this salad can be enjoyed slightly warm, chilling it for at least an hour allows the flavors to blend together and gives the dressing time to fully develop.

Serve this Red Potato Salad Recipe alongside grilled burgers, steaks, chicken, sausages, or barbecue ribs for an easy summer meal. It also pairs well with my Easy BBQ Hamburg Skewers with Homemade Molasses Barbecue Sauce, BBQ Chicken Drumsticks with Smoky Homemade Spice Rub, or Grilled Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions for backyard cookouts and family gatherings.

For summer potlucks, I often serve this potato salad with my Ham Macaroni Salad with Peas and Cheddar, Easy Four Bean Marinated Summer Salad with Celery Seed, or Easy Tomato Cucumber Summer Salad with Fresh Basil. Together they create an easy spread of make-ahead summer salads that travel well to picnics, family reunions, and backyard barbecues.

Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The flavors often improve after a day in the fridge, making it an excellent make-ahead side dish. Because this recipe relies on fresh dill and a creamy dressing, it is not recommended for freezing.