Easy southern potato salad combines potatoes, celery, green onions, pickle relish, and hard-boiled eggs in a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing with a touch of mustard. This delicious potato salad is the perfect side dish for all your barbecued and grilled entrees. It is so good with grilled chicken, burgers, ribs, and southern baked beans.
How to make Southern Potato Salad
First, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain them in a colander and let them cool a bit while you make the dressing.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, yellow mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Add the pickle relish, hard-boiled eggs, celery, green onions, and drained potatoes. Gently fold the veggies into the dressing. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.
Helpful recipe tips
- You can make this potato salad with Yukon Gold potatoes or red potatoes, as they hold together better because they are waxy potatoes. You can use Russet Potatoes, but they will break down a little more. Some people prefer that.
- I like to peel the potatoes, but it is not a must with Yukon Golds and Red Potatoes because their skins are thinner, and they cook up more tenderly.
- Boil the potatoes just until fork tender. They should still have a very slight resistance to them. You don’t want them to be quite as soft as mashed potatoes.
- You can also boil whole potatoes and use your fingers to remove the skins gently.
- If you prefer the flavor of dill pickle relish, use it instead of the sweet pickle relish. For added flavor, add a splash of pickle juice.
- When sprinkling with paprika, add it to your hand, pinch small amounts with your fingers, and sprinkle the salad. If you use the spice shaker, it can quickly become too much.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to make perfect hard-boiled eggs
I learned the secret to making perfectly perfect hard-boiled eggs every time. I discovered this a couple of years ago and have never looked back. The key is to steam the eggs, not hard-boil them. Bring a large pot of water to boil with a steamer basket in it. Add the eggs to the steamer basket, cover, and steam large eggs for 15 minutes. Plunge the eggs into cool water to stop the cooking process and to make them cool enough to handle. They are perfectly cooked every time, and the peels practically fall off them.
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Classic Southern Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold Russet, or Red Potatoes peeled and cut into bite size cubes
- 1 cup mayonnaise I prefer Dukes
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 4 hardboiled eggs peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped green onions
- kosher salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain them in a colander and let them cool a bit.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Add the pickle relish, hard-boiled eggs, celery, green onions, and drained potatoes. Gently fold the veggies and eggs into the dressing.
- Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.
Nutrition
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Freya
I love salads, especially the ones that are easy to make. Now this potato salad was quite easy to make and it tasted great with our grilled bratwursts. I am thinking about serving it with baked ham for Easter.
Elizabeth Flores
Now this is something i would love to do for a weekend at home. nice bbq in the back yard with a delicious potato salad. thank you for the recipe
Rowen
I love this potato salad. It was delicious and easy to make. It reminds me of my mother’s potato salad recipe. Thanks, for sharing!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Rowen!
Kimberleigh
Your Southern potato salad recipe was absolutely delicious! I appreciate how you captured the essence of traditional Southern flavors while adding your own unique twist. The combination of creamy potatoes, tangy pickles, and savory seasonings made this dish a real crowd-pleaser at my gathering. Thank you so much for this divine recipe.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Kimberleigh!
Denise
I halved the recipe after reading someone in the comments did this. I had such a a taste for potato salad and this recipe is delish!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Denise! I am so glad that you liked the southern potato salad!
Deanna
I have always been hesitant to make potato salad because my mother makes it better than any I’ve tried. I followed this recipe with using red potatoes & finally chopped Vidalia onion. It is excellent! The next time I make it, I am going to take some to my mother because I think it will make her proud – it is as close to her recipe as I can find. Hers will always be the best, but I give myself a very close second.
Beth Pierce
That is so sweet. I hope your Mother enjoys it.
Mimi Shore
My family has been making Southern Potato Salad for years. I’m 71 and my grandmother made it. We use sweet pickles and the juice from the pickles instead of vinegar. Also no mustard. It is delicious.
Doug
I halved the recipe. A time saver I used was to steam the cubed potatoes and eggs at the same time. They both require about 15 minutes. If you have a large enough steamer pot it works out great. The recipe itself was simple and tasty with room to tweak to tastes.
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the tips, Doug! So glad that you liked the potato salad!
Sammy
This was such a creamy and delicious salad and just in time for summer! Looking forward to enjoying this all season long!
Tara
Oooh, definitely perfect for the upcoming barbecue season! This potato salad looks wonderful. Such amazing flavors.
Dannii
This was the perfect potato salad. Total comfort food.
dina and bruce miller
This was sooooo gooooood! Perfect at our BBQ!!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dina and Bruce! So glad that you liked it!
Justine
My favorite potato salad recipe! I make it all summer long – it’s so good!
Jess
This recipe makes me overly excited for BBQ season!
TAYLER ROSS
I made this potato salad for Easter and everyone raved about it! Definitely my new go to potato salad recipe!
Holley
Seriously my favorite potato salad recipe!! I make this every chance I get!!