Southern Potato Salad is super creamy with a blend of mayonnaise and mustard, hard-boiled eggs, sweet onion, sweet pickle relish, and celery. It is a potluck must and the only recipe for potato salad you need.
The majority of time when I order potato salad at a restaurant, I am disappointed. So I wanted to create a homemade potato salad recipe that is truly delicious and tastes just like grandma made. And this one is phenomenal.
What Is Southern-Style Potato Salad?
There’s nothing like a bowl of good old-fashioned southern Potato Salad. A go to potato salad recipe is something everyone needs to have on hand. Everyone has their own way of making Southern-Style Potato Salad, but they are usually very creamy, heavy on the mayo, with a little mustard. They also typically contain hard-boiled egg, pickle relish (typically sweet), and paprika sprinkled on top.
Another great southern-style potato salad to try is this Southern Mustard Potato Salad.
Reader Comment
Robin says- “This is the BEST potato salad I have ever tasted or made! It has become a family favorite! I think it tastes best with Hellman’s real mayonnaise and French’s yellow mustard! The apple cider vinegar gives it just the right amount of tang. I’ve tried other brands and none can compare. You can also add fresh dill from your garden. Yum! 🤗” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What Are The Best Potatoes To Use?
I most like to use Russet Potatoes. They get kind of crumbly and I love the creamy texture of a potato salad made with russets. Yukon Gold or red potatoes can be used instead but the texture will be different.
I start my Potato Salad with regular russet potatoes. I cut any large ones in half so that they cook faster and I don’t bother peeling them until they’re done cooking. Then it’s really easy to scrape the skin off with a knife.
Creamy Dressing
For the dressing, I start with lots of mayonnaise, preferably Duke’s mayonnaise. Hellmann’s mayonnaise also works well. Plus a good amount of yellow mustard. It really perks up the flavor. I also add a splash of apple cider vinegar which helps accentuate the flavors. Don’t skip this part.
Lots of hard-boiled eggs, some celery for crunch, sweet onions, sweet pickle relish, a little onion powder, and a few teaspoons of sugar. I like to finish it off by sprinkling some paprika on top.
Wrap it in some plastic wrap and let it chill at least a few hours. Then you’re ready to grill some burgers or bbq chicken to go with this yummy recipe.
How To Make Southern Potato Salad
(More detailed instructions in recipe card below. This is mainly a visual overview.)
- Cook the potatoes. Cut each potato in half and cook in simmering salted water for 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce with a fork. Let cool some and then peel the skins off.
- Cut potatoes. Place the potatoes in a bowl and run a knife through them until they are the desired size.
- Mix the dressing. In a bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, and onion powder. Pour over potatoes and mix well.
- Add the other ingredients. Add the pickle relish, onion, celery, and chopped eggs. Mix in. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate. Add hard-boiled egg slices on top and sprinkle with paprika. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Recipe Tips
- When cooking the potatoes, start with cold, salted water. They will cook more evenly.
- Be sure to drain the potatoes really well before adding them to the other ingredients.
- You can cut the potatoes into small pieces or leave them in bigger chunks. It is personal preference.
How Far In Advance Can It Be Made?
Potato salad is a recipe that is best made in advance. The flavor gets better with time. I recommend making it at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours in advance.
Storage
Will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItWhat To Serve Potato Salad With?
- Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket
- Simply The Best Hamburgers
- Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs with Pimento Cheese
- Grilled London Broil
- Southern Fried Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Buffalo Drumsticks
Southern Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds medium russet potatoes
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 4 hard boiled eggs, 3 chopped and 1 sliced
- paprika
Instructions
- Cut each potato in half. Place in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer until fork tender all the way through, about 20 minutes. Drain well. Let cool and then peel and discard the skins.
- Place potatoes in a large bowl. Run a knife through them until they are cut into bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, and onion powder. Pour over potatoes and mix in well.
- Add relish, celery, onion, and the chopped eggs. Mix in.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with sliced egg and sprinkle with paprika. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Potato Salad Recipes
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
Cut potatoes small pieces, I never measure but put my dukes mayonnaise, small amount mustard, add pickle juice and sweet cubes, I cut 3 boiled eggs and stir.. I can not eat chunky potato salad.. salt pepper to taste. Everyone says award winning, I always have to make for gatherings. The key is the sweet pickle cubes and lots of juice from the pickles.
Yummmm and top with slices of boiled eggs … just how I like it :).
Recipe is just as good with chicken instead of potatoes.
This has become my go to Potato Salad recipe!
This is the best potato salad I have ever tasted. My husband was really impressed and asked that I make it often. I have tried various recipes in the past but this is superior.
3 words: So. Stinking. Delicious.
Thanks for having this available i had to make potato salad for 50+ people so i used two 5lb bags of potatoes! Overall but following the ingredients needed and tasting prior to mixing it was a huge hit!
Great recipe, I never knew the measurements when I was taught how to make potatoe salad so I’ll hold on to this version. I would add dill weed, omit the pepper or use white. My mom also never used vinegar or onion powder but I found the taste to be just as I remembered from childhood. I use a spatula to mix and I also use red potatoes and I don’t get the mashed potatoes effect.
This came out delicious. The only change is I didn’t include celery because I didn’t have any, I garnished with smoked paprika and bacon. The flavor reminds me of my friend’s potatoe salad, she’s originally from Virginia. Thanks so much!!!!
I typically hate potato salad with a passion….more a texture thing than taste. I made this recipe for my son who requested potato salad be on the meal plan for this week. In place of pickle relish I used zucchini relish instead…yum yum. Thankyou for an inspiring recipe, my son loved it
I’m going to make this for the 4th of July celebration & plan on using my home canned zucchini relish. Thanks for the heads up it should be just as fantastic!
I am not good in the kitchen but made this for a potluck this weekend. Best I ever had!!! Lots of compliments and sent them to your link. When the potatoes were done cooking I put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar on the potatoes and mixed it in. I added the dressing when the potatoes were still warm so it would soak through the potatoes. I peeled and cut my potatoes in cubes before I cooked them instead. Great recipe thanks!!!