Creamy Potato Salad with Dill Pickles (Lightened Up Recipe)

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This creamy potato salad with dill pickles is my go-to easy potato salad for BBQs and weekend dinners—tangy, crunchy and tossed in a lighter creamy dressing.

At A Glance

⏱ Ready In: 35 minutes
🍽 Serves: 8
🌱 Diet: Vegetarian, gluten-free
💪 Nutrition Highlights: Lighter dressing using light mayo and sour cream or Greek yogurt
🥕 Main Ingredients: Potatoes, dill pickles, sweet pickles, cucumber, green onions
🔥 Flavor Profile: Creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, crunchy, and fresh
🧊 Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps well for up to 4 days in the fridge
Best Served With: BBQ meats, grilled chicken, burgers, sausages, or roasted vegetables

This creamy potato salad with dill pickles is the one I end up making the most. It’s simple, quick, and made with just a handful of ingredients, but the flavor is spot on.

You get little pops of tangy dill pickles, a touch of sweetness from the sweet pickles, and fresh crunch from cucumber and green onions. Everything is coated in a lighter creamy dressing made with light mayo and light sour cream (or Greek yogurt if that’s what you have in the fridge).

The potatoes stay nice and tender but not mushy, which is key for a good potato salad. The dressing is creamy without feeling heavy, and the pickle juice adds a little tang that really wakes the whole dish up.

It’s one of those potato salads that people always ask about when I bring it to BBQs or family dinners. It’s also surprisingly great for meal prep — I’ll often serve it with grilled chicken or a couple of boiled eggs for a quick lunch.

And yes… my 5-year-old happily eats this one too, which is always a good sign.

🥔🥗 You might also like my other potato salads, such as this crispy smashed potato salad, this Spanish-inspired no-mayo potato salad with Romesco dressing, or this unique potato salad with capers, apple, and crispy bacon. These are all great summer salads, but I make them throughout the year, too.

What You’ll Need

Here is what you’ll need for this creamy potato salad. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.

Potatoes & Crunchy Bits

White potatoes – creamy and hold their shape well for potato salad; I have made this with larger potatoes and baby potatoes; red potatoes will also work and give you a fun color. PS. Leave the skin on if they’re clean for extra texture and fibre.
Fresh cucumber – adds freshness and crunch.
Dill pickles / gherkins – bring tangy acidity and savory flavor.
Sweet pickles – add a little sweetness that balances the tang.
Green onions – mild onion flavor and freshness.

Note: Pickles are a classic flavor booster in creamy salads because they add tang, sweetness, and crunch that balance rich dressings. I love a combination of more savory dill and also sweet (like butter pickles), but you can use one type, just make sure it’s the total amount of both.

Creamy Dressing

Light mayonnaise – the creamy base.
Light sour cream or Greek yogurt – adds tang and lightens the dressing.
Yellow mustard – a little zing.
Pickle juice – subtle acidity and extra pickle flavor.
Salt and pepper – to bring everything together.

How To Make Creamy Potato Salad With Dill Pickles

Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make potato salad with dill pickles and creamy but light dressing.

Add potatoes to a pot with cold water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until just fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.
Drain and let the potatoes cool slightly, then cut into bite-sized cubes.

Dice cucumber, dill pickles, sweet pickles, and green onions.
Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), mustard, pickle juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
Add pickles, cucumber, and green onions to the bowl and follow with potatoes, and gently toss until coated.
Taste; add more salt or pepper if needed. Top with extra green onions or chives and a little black pepper.

Watch The Video

Recipe Tips

Start potatoes in cold water. This helps them cook evenly instead of being mushy outside and undercooked inside.
Don’t overcook the potatoes. They should be tender but still hold their shape. Overcooked potatoes will make the salad mushy.
Let the potatoes cool slightly before mixing. If they’re too hot, the dressing can separate.
Chop everything evenly. Small, uniform pieces make every bite balanced.
For extra flavor. Add a little chopped fresh dill or chives.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir before serving, as the dressing may settle.
Make-ahead tip: This salad actually tastes better after a few hours in the fridge, which makes it perfect for BBQs or meal prep.

Variations

Add hard-boiled eggs for a classic deli-style potato salad.
Add crispy bacon for a smoky twist.
Swap cucumber for celery if you prefer.

Serving Suggestions

This potato salad is basically made for summer meals and BBQs.

Serve it alongside BBQs kabobs or skewers, grilled chicken tenders, burgers, sausages, or steak. It’s also great with grilled vegetables or baked salmon.

For a quick lunch, I often pair it with air fryer chicken wings, shrimp skewers, or steak bites. For a quick lunch, you can pair it with canned tuna, boiled eggs, chickpeas, or grilled halloumi. It turns a simple side dish into a pretty satisfying meal.

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This creamy potato salad with dill pickles is my go-to easy potato salad for BBQs and weekend dinners—tangy, crunchy and tossed in a lighter creamy dressing. Find step-by-step photos and more recipe tips above.

If the potatoes are clean, leave the skin on and trim any blemishes or green spots. Cut into large wedges.
Add potatoes to a medium pot and cover with cold water. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, about 12–15 minutes.
Drain and allow potatoes to cool slightly, then cut into cubes.
While the potatoes cool, dice the cucumber, pickles and green onions.
In a large bowl, whisk together mustard, salt, pepper, pickle juice, mayonnaise and sour cream until smooth.
Add the diced pickles, cucumber, green onions and potatoes to the bowl.
Gently mix until everything is evenly coated in the dressing.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve topped with extra green onions or chives and a little cracked pepper.

Can I make potato salad ahead of time? Yes. It actually tastes better after chilling for a few hours as the flavours meld together, which makes it perfect for BBQs or meal prep.
What potatoes work best? Waxy potatoes like white or Yukon Gold hold their shape well.
Can I make this healthier? Yes — swap the sour cream for Greek yogurt and use light mayonnaise.
Can I skip the sweet pickles? You can, but they balance the tangy dill pickles nicely.
Can I add herbs? Fresh dill or chives are fantastic here.
Start potatoes in cold water. This helps them cook evenly instead of being mushy outside and undercooked inside.
Don’t overcook the potatoes. They should be tender but still hold their shape. Overcooked potatoes will make the salad mushy.
Let the potatoes cool slightly before mixing. If they’re too hot, the dressing can separate.
Chop everything evenly. Small, uniform pieces make every bite balanced.
For extra flavor. Add a little chopped fresh dill or chives.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir before serving as the dressing may settle.
Add hard-boiled eggs for a classic deli-style potato salad.
Add crispy bacon for a smoky twist.
Swap cucumber for celery if you prefer.

Keywords: potato salad, Creamy Potato Salad with Dill Pickles, Dill Pickle Potato Salad

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