Potato Salad with Leftover Mashed Potatoes Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

September 20, 2020July 9, 2023

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Potato Salad with Leftover Mashed Potatoes features an ingenious way to use up mashed potatoes. In a time-crunch and want a delicious side dish? Check out this recipe on those busy days, no need to boil, drain or mash those potatoes!

Potato Salad with Leftover Mashed Potatoes Recipe

I’m obsessed with recipes that recreate leftovers into entirely new dishes, and this instant mashed potato salad is just that. This is the result of being married to a leftover-hating man; however, I come from a long line of leftover-users.

For example, our Granny used up leftover mashed potatoes to make Potato Pancakes. They are crispy little cakes that can be served along side any meal.

Can you make potato salad with leftover mashed potatoes?

As it turns out, my friend Maryann has her Grandma’s recipe that uses up leftover mashed potatoes by making potato salad. How cool is that? I had never, ever heard of this before; it’s sort of a hillbilly potato salad.

It has all the classic flavors of Grandma’s Potato Salad with ingredients like celery, onions, hard boiled eggs, Miracle Whip and relish. Want a try a slightly different flavor? Check out the Farmwife Feeds’ Dill Potato Salad.

I love the shortcut factor of using leftover mashed potatoes. You’ve already went through the process of peeling and boiling the potatoes for the mashed potatoes, so you may as well capitalize on it by re-using the leftovers.

What are the Best Pre-made Mashed Potatoes?

Want to know a secret? I am slightly ashamed by this. When making this potato dish a time or two, I may or may not have started with a tub of prepared mashed potatoes that can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It’s my dirty, little secret. I rarely make homemade mashed potatoes.

I guess it’s because I’m always in a rush, and everyone is ready to eat RIGHT THIS SECOND. And truth be told, Bob Evan’s makes a mean mashed potato. If you’re on my team in this one, go ahead and take the shortcuts below with me.

• Shortcut one: Buy a tub of prepared mashed potatoes at the grocery store.
• Shortcut two: Use them to make Mashed Potato Salad.
• Two shortcuts = One happy momma

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad Recipe

This potato salad using leftover mashed potatoes is definitely old-fashioned. It reminds me of many of our grandma’s recipes, mainly because it includes sugar in the recipe.

Our grandma added sugar to everything. Did you know that adding a tablespoon of sugar to cooked corn will make it taste just like Granny’s. Try it. It’s the missing ingredient, that flavor that you’ve never been able to recreate but always remember.

Grandma even added sugar to Deviled Eggs, and they are amazing.

Ingredient List

• Mashed Potatoes
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Sweet Pickle Relish
• Onion, chopped
• Celery, chopped
• Miracle Whip
• Sugar
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Paprika (optional)

How to Make Potato Salad with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Step By Step Instructions

1. Stir together leftover mashed potatoes, hard boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, chopped onion, chopped celery, Miracle Whip and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. If desired, sprinkle with paprika before serving (optional).
4. Serve with burgers, steak, grilled chicken or pretty much any other dish.

Storage Instructions

Store in an airtight container, and store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.

For the full instructions for Mashed Potato Salad, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

• Use leftover mashed potatoes from the holidays, or if you just want a super fast potato salad recipe, start with refrigerated, prepared mashed potatoes. Another option is to whip up some of the instant kind straight from the box. No judgement here.
• All the ingredient quantities are estimations; so if you have a little more or a little less mashed potatoes to start with, just adjust the proportions.
• If the potato salad is a bit stiff, try adding a little milk to loosen it up. (Grandma’s tip!)
• Regular mayonnaise can be substituted for Miracle Whip, but you’ll most likely need to add a bit more sugar.
• To make a pretty presentation, sprinkle with paprika before serving.

More Old Fashioned Salad Recipes

Cherry Fluff

Southern Vegetable Salad

Classic Macaroni Salad

Red Bean Salad

Pink Lady Salad