Use This Type Of Potato For Creamier Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of those classic side dishes that just never seems to go out of style. Crowd-pleasing and almost infinitely customizable, the BBQ classic is sure to please whether it's a mayo-based creamy dill potato salad, a vinaigrette-based French potato salad, or even a Korean potato salad topped with grated egg yolks.

If you've made potato salad a countless number of times, or even if you're a novice, you've likely noticed that different recipes call for different types of potatoes. Typically, any type of potato recipe will indicate whether to use waxy potatoes, a denser type that maintains its firm texture when cooked, or starchy potatoes, a, well, starchier type that tend to cook up creamier but also fall apart a bit more, per Martha Stewart. So, if you're looking to make creamy potato salad, you're going to want to select starchy potatoes when you head to the grocery store.

Many types of potato salads feature firm chunks of the root vegetable that maintain their shape and texture — even when coated with lots of mayonnaise or dressing — and those potato salads are made from waxy potato varieties including Yukon gold or red potatoes, according to Real Simple. But if you prefer a creamier type of potato salad where the tubers start to break down and fall apart in the dressing, you'll want to select Russet potatoes, the outlet explains.

According to Martha Stewart, Russet potatoes belong to the category of starchy potatoes, which means they're high in starch and low in moisture. This is the variety you'll see in a classic brown-skinned baked potato, as Russets take on a signature flaky, drier type texture when baked. This texture is also more likely to break down in sauces and dressings, according to Real Simple, which makes Russets a great choice for those who prefer a creamy potato salad.