Southern Potato Salad
I’m not exaggerating when I say that this potato salad recipe is awesome! It’s all about the combination of creamy, savory potatoes combined with the tang of Dijon mustard and a touch of sweetness from sweet pickles.
Yes, you read that right. My recipes makes a few substitutions from the old fashioned, more traditional recipes, but I promise it’s for the better!
I also really love that this recipe is totally budget-friendly. Nothing on this list of ingredients is hard to find or will break the bank. Just simple, classic potato salad ingredients that are held together by the mouthwatering (and also easy to make) creamy and tangy potato salad dressing.
Important Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
- Potatoes – best potatoes for this potato salad are Russet potatoes, aka Idaho potatoes. It’s not as starchy, it’s smooth, fluffy, and tender, which makes them perfect for a southern potato salad.
- Pickles – using pickles is my personal preference and something I recommend if you also like to have a little crunch with a burst of flavor. Sweet pickles bring in more crunch and less sweetness than a relish. You can add more pickles without overpowering other flavors or even use kosher pickles.
- Mustard – this is another ingredient that I changed from a traditional, old fashioned southern potato salad. I do not like yellow mustard because of the harsh and overpowering flavor of yellow mustard, so I use Grey Poupon Dijon mustard instead.
Tips for the Best Southern Potato Salad
- Cook potatoes whole! When cut before cooking, potatoes are much more likely to crumble apart and you will have mashed potatoes.
- Cook the potatoes and eggs ahead of time and give them enough time to cool down completely before cutting. It’s much easier to cut potatoes and hard boiled eggs when at room temperature.
- Wonder when potatoes are done? I like to conduct a very simple fork test! Once the potatoes are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork, they’re fully cooked and ready to go.
- Dice the potatoes into small pieces. You want everything cut into small cubes so that it all mixes well and each bite has an even amount of ingredients.
- Peel the potatoes before cutting. There are many potato salads that are great with potato skins left on, but not this one. The texture of this potato salad is smooth, creamy, and tender and potato skins would really change the texture here.
- Mix the potato salad ingredients together first so that it’s evenly mixed. Then, add the dressing mixture. Mixing the potato salad twice will ensure that ingredients are incorporated evenly throughout.
- This potato salad can be served still warm or cold.
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Southern Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Russet potatoes
- 8 eggs
- 6 oz sweet pickles
- 1 Vidalia onion
- 2 celery ribs
Dressing:
- 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cooking potatoes:Rinse potatoes and place them in a pot. Fill the pot with cold water, making sure potatoes are covered. Bring the pot to boil and lower the heat to medium. Cook until potatoes are tender. (You can stick a fork into the middle of a potato to test it.) Drain off water and let potatoes cool to room temperature.
- Cooking eggs:Place eggs into the pot and add cold water to it. Add just enough water to cover the eggs. Heat up the eggs and water over medium-high heat until water comes to a roaring boil. Immediately cover with a lid and take off heat. Let eggs sit in the hot water, covered with a lid, for 10-13 minutes. Drain off water and let eggs cool to room temperature.
- Peel potatoes and eggs.
- Dice potatoes and eggs into small cubes and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Dice pickles, onion, and celery into even sized pieces and add it to the mixing bowl as well. Gently mix everything together with a wooden spoon.
- In a small bowl, combine mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix well. Add the mayo mixture to the potato mixture and mix everything together.
- Serve right away or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Potatoes: For this potato salad, I always recommend russet! It’s not as starchy as some others so it won’t turn into glue while you’re trying to cut them. These potatoes are also smooth, fluffy, and tender, which makes them perfect for this potato salad.
- Make ahead: cook potatoes and eggs ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days if needed. Make sure to drain the cooking water off. Store cooked potatoes and eggs in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator.
- Storing: Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to keep the container covered nice and tight either with the lid or plastic wrap. If using plastic wrap, make sure to use a new sheet after each time you open it.
Nutrition
More Summer Side Dish Recipes We Love
Roasted Garlic Asiago Potato Salad
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in May 2019.
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Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
I have been trying to find a potato salad as close to my mom’s and this has to be the closest so far and I’ve been looking for 9 years. I’m going to try it this weekend. Question though, covid has ruined my palate for onions (bummer) will this lose to much flavor if I omit them? Thank you for sharing the recipe
Hi Sharon, I hope you like the recipe and if you don’t like onions I think it’s fine to leave them out.
I’ve been making my potato salad like this except no celery and added a bit of sugar since the 50s. Everyone loves my potato salad and ask me to bring it to all the gatherings.
This potato salad has definitely been a hit with my family as well 🙂
Good afternoon Lyubab, I use the same ingredients except I don’t like pickles so they don’t go in and I use sweet onions. My first time on your site so I’ll be sure to look at more.
Hi Jocelyn,
So glad you liked my potato salad! I hope you will try some of my other recipes and let me know what you think! 🙂
I make mine just like yours except I chop hamburger dill slices. I do not need to add any vinegar. When mixing up I add a pinch or so of sugar., to taste. It helps enhance the flavors and takes some of the harshness of the yellow mustard.
Sounds Delicious!
We use Sweet Mixed Pickles and Celery Seeds in our dish. Other than that, this is pretty much spot on how we make our version.
Yum! 🙂
This potato salad was great!!
Thanks, Carla!
Great potato salad! Thanks!
Josh, I am glad you liked it!