For potato salad, the cooking time for potatoes depends on the size and type of potatoes used:

• If boiling large potato cubes, cook for about 8 to 15 minutes until fork tender. After boiling, you can peel if desired and then chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Boil baby potatoes or diced potatoes for about 10 minutes until fork tender.
• Boil whole large potatoes for about 20 minutes until fork tender, then dice.

Starting the potatoes in cold water and bringing it to a boil helps them cook evenly. Commonly used potatoes for potato salad include Yukon gold, red potatoes, and russets, each with slightly different cooking times:

• Russet potatoes take about 13 minutes of boiling.
• Yukon gold potatoes take about 15 minutes.
• Red potatoes take about 16 minutes.

For best results, dice potatoes into uniform pieces about 1/2-inch before boiling, start in cold salted water, and check frequently for doneness. The potatoes should be tender but still hold their shape and not become mushy. In summary, expect about 8 to 15 minutes for cubed potatoes or about 20 minutes for whole potatoes, depending on size and variety, to achieve ideal texture for potato salad.