This mouthwatering Southern potato salad recipe brings a touch of the South to your next backyard barbecue. Packed with creamy mayo, tangy mustard, and a not-so-secret blend of herbs and spices, this classic side dish is sure to steal the show.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Boiling potatoes until tender lets them absorb the dressing more effectively, ensuring a well-seasoned, cohesive salad.
- Adding vinegar to the hot potatoes helps to infuse them with tangy flavor while they are still warm, balancing the richness of the mayonnaise-based dressing.
- Mixing in eggs and other ingredients while the potatoes are still warm helps the flavors meld, creating a creamy, flavorful texture throughout the salad.
Featured Comment 9
“This is my go-to recipe for potato salad, thank you! I add some dried dill weed, and, when I’m out of parsley, I use the celery leaves instead. It’s a great way to eliminate waste, and tastes super too!”—Heather
Why It Works
If you are tasked with bringing a tasty side dish to your next barbecue, picnic, or cookout, I’ve got you covered. Switch up a classic potato salad and learn how to make Southern potato salad. It’s comfort food packed with flavor! I share all of my tips and tricks for maximizing the taste. Plus, it’s ideal to make ahead, as it tastes even better the next day!
After boiling the potatoes until tender, I do a unique step you might not have tried. Briefly marinating the spuds in tangy vinegar makes for tastier spoonfuls. Toss the potatoes with creamy dressing and crunchy vegetables. For a festive summer meal, serve with your favorite meat, seafood, or juicy grilled burgers.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: For a creamy texture, use Russet potatoes. If you prefer a waxy potato that holds its shape, use Yukon gold, yellow, or red potatoes.
- Dressing: The mixture consists of ½ cup mayonnaise, yellow mustard, vinegar, sweet pickle relish, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Mix-ins: Fresh celery, red onion, and green onion add a delicious crunch and flavor to the potato salad.
- Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs add extra creaminess and protein.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This classic Southern potato salad recipe is a great base for adding different mix-ins. Here are some tasty ingredients to try when you make your next batch:
- Potato Options: Other types of potatoes can be used in southern-style potato salad. Waxy red potatoes have a firmer, yet creamy bite. Yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes have a tender texture and buttery flavor.
- Relish Swap: You can use chopped dill pickles, but add sweeteners like sugar or honey to balance the tanginess. Start with 1 teaspoon and increase to taste.
- Bacon: Add chopped pieces of bacon made in the oven for a smoky, rich taste.
- Spicy: Minced jalapeño, chili powder, chipotle pepper, or cayenne makes the salad spicier, or try my Cajun seasoning blend.
- Ranch: Add a savory flavor using homemade ranch dressing.
- Herbs: Mix in fresh chives, dill, tarragon, basil, parsley, rosemary, or thyme, or a mixture.
How to Make Southern Potato Salad
Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes
For quick-cooking spuds, peel and cut them into 3/4-inch diced pieces. This size will leave hearty potato chunks in the salad.
Step 2: Boil the Potatoes
Add the potatoes to a large pot of water. Starting in a cool liquid cooks the potatoes gradually and evenly. Simmer until they are fork-tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Then drain into a colander to remove as much moisture as possible.
Step 3: Marinate in Vinegar
Starchy potatoes are perfect sponges for soaking up flavor. To enhance their taste, marinate them in apple cider vinegar before adding the rest of the dressing.
Let the potato mixture sit for 20 minutes. You’ll notice the spuds become seasoned throughout, not just on the surface. This also gives the potatoes time to cool before mixing.
Step 4: Make the Dressing
Whisk together the mayo, tangy yellow mustard, sweet relish, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. I use full-fat mayonnaise for a creamy dressing consistency.
My mama and grandma always kept a jar of Best Foods in the fridge to make potato salad, and I like it too for its rich consistency and stable emulsion it gives to the dressing. Hellmann’s brand works too for store-bought options. If you have extra time, you can also make homemade mayonnaise. It’s delicious!
Experimentation Encouraged: If you’d like, add in paprika for an earthy flavor, about ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon. Alternatively, use smoked paprika for a slightly charred flavor.
Step 5: Add the Mix-ins
Add the marinated potatoes, celery, onions, and chopped boiled eggs to the mayonnaise dressing. Gently stir to combine. The potatoes will break down slightly as you fold, creating a creamier consistency.
The potato salad tastes best when it has time for the dressing’s flavors to fully meld. Cover and store in the fridge for about an hour before serving.
Step 6: Ready to Serve
I like to garnish with paprika and green onions for a pop of color. This is a great make-ahead side dish to bring to BBQs or family reunions! The kids always ask me to make this when grilling in the summertime. The leftovers taste even better the next day, as the ingredients have more time to marinate together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Southern potato salad stands out for its extra creamy texture, tangy mustard-based dressing, and hard-boiled eggs. Some of the tender potatoes are gently mashed as they’re mixed, creating a creamy base with chunks throughout. Yellow mustard, vinegar, or pickle juice adds a bright tang, while pickles or relish provide a little crunch. Mixing the dressing with the potatoes while they’re still warm also helps them absorb more flavor.
Russet or Idaho potatoes work best for a creamier texture. For pieces that hold their shape, use Yukon gold, red, yellow, or white.
I peel and dice the potatoes to cook faster and improve flavor. I start them in cold water, then gradually increase the temperature. This prevents the outside from cooking too fast and falling apart before the center can cook. I add plenty of salt to the water to season the potatoes throughout so they don’t taste bland.
You can use homemade or store-bought mayonnaise. Southern-style recipes typically use Duke’s, Miracle Whip, Best Foods, or Hellmann’s. Availability depends on your location.
Southern potato salads typically use yellow mustard, but you can substitute Dijon. Yellow mustard is made from yellow mustard seeds and has a tart, acidic taste from distilled vinegar. Dijon mustard is made from brown mustard seeds, and the white wine and distilled vinegar add pungency and a complex, slightly bitter flavor.
Serve This With
If you tried this Southern Potato Salad, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Southern Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus ¾ teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup celery, ¼" dice
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion, ⅛" dice
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
- 2 large hard boiled eggs, ¼" dice
- smoked paprika, or sweet
Instructions
- Prepare the Potatoes – Peel and dice the potatoes into ¾-inch cubes. Immediately place them in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch.
- Boil the Potatoes – Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once it starts to bubble, add 1 tablespoon salt and stir to dissolve. Reduce to a simmer over medium heat, adjusting as needed. Stir occasionally and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Marinate in Vinegar – Drain the potatoes in a colander and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the vinegar and gently stir to combine. Let it sit and marinate for 20 minutes. The potatoes will still be warm.
- Make the Dressing – In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, ¾ teaspoon salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Add the Mix-ins – To the large bowl, add the dressing, celery, onions, green onions, and chopped eggs. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To Serve – Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour before serving. Garnish with paprika and green onions.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 5 cups
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: Store in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 month. Press into a flat layer, remove all of the air, and seal. Defrost in the refrigerator a day before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Heather says
Hi there! This is my go-to recipe for potato salad, thank you! I usually make a half batch, because my husband doesn’t care for mayo or vinegar at all, so sad! I add some dried dill weed, and, when I’m out of parsley, I use the celery leaves instead. It’s a great way to eliminate waste, and tastes super too!
Christine Nevins says
I found your recipe and I am so excited to make it!!! When we travel in the in the southern states , I always make sure to try the potato salads! This will be part of our bbq feast tomorrow!!
Jessica Gavin says
Whoo-hoo! I can’t to hear what you think about the potato salad recipe.
Tom Carpenter says
In the ingredients you list garlic powder. In the directions you say add onion powder. No garlic powder. I used onion powder. Thought it would better. But it is a great recipe. Love the vinegar trick.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Tom, good catch – thanks!
Shauna Richards says
I have been making so many of your recipes for years. I have never had a recipe that went wrong. I love, love, love to cook as my husband can attest to. Can’t thank you enough for making my cooking experiences wonderful and very tasty. Sometimes I wish I had gone to culinary school instead of nursing school. But I am retired now so I enjoy cooking EVERY day. Thank You so much again!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy that you are playing in the kitchen and having fun! I’m so happy to be a part of your culinary adventures.
Valerie C. says
Your recipe sounds a lot like the one I’ve been making for years (my mom’s recipe) though we use a lot more onion (sweet onion as opposed to red) because we love onion. It sounds delicious!
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to try adding in the sweet onions, I’m sure that is delicious with the potato salad!