Name: Southern Potato Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds russet potatoes; ½ cup onion (diced); ½ cup sweet pickle relish; 4 hard boiled eggs (diced); 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons mustard; ¼ teaspoon celery salt; dash paprika; 2 hard boiled eggs (sliced)

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This Southern potato salad recipe combines fork-tender potatoes, hard boiled eggs, tangy mayonnaise and mustard sauce, pickles, onions, and a dash of paprika.

The result is the perfect creamy potato salad that will have everyone coming in for more.

Southern potato salad in blue bowl with wooden spoon to left and a yellow checkered napkin to the right

Southern potato salad is a favorite for potlucks and cookouts. However, not everyone makes it right.

Some people make it too runny, too mushy, too bland, or use too much mustard....

In this post, I will walk you through how to get it perfect every time. Enjoy!

Watch how to make

If you like this recipe, you will also love my Bacon Ranch Potato Salad. It is delicious too!

Ingredients

To make this creamy Southern potato salad recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

Russet potatoes-Russet potatoes are preferred because they stay firm and are less waxy. They also do a good job of absorbing the dressing. However, Yukon Gold makes a great substitute.
Mayonnaise- I use Duke, some of my friends prefer Hellmans. Whatever mayonnaise you choose, use a "real" mayonnaise with full fat content. This in not meant to be a low calorie salad and you will ruin it using low fat mayonnaise. Miracle Whip does not work for this recipe either.
Yellow Mustard
Hard boiled eggs
Yellow onion- Red or white onion will also work well as a substitute. Thinly sliced green onions are good also, but they will have a stronger flavor.
Sweet pickle relish- Traditionally, most of my family use sweet pickle relish and I personally love sweet pickle relish in my potato salad. However, I have had it with dill pickle relish and it was also very good. Sometimes I use a ¼ cup of both. You can also finely dice whole sweet pickles.
Celery Salt- I love that extra punch of flavor the celery salt adds. However, if you are not a celery fan, you can omit it. Sometimes celery salt is had to find. You can make your own. However, if you can't get celery salt, substitute with celery seed.
Paprika-To add color for garnish.

Steps

Follow these steps to make the best Southern potato salad!

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. When water reaches a boil, add salt and cubed potatoes. Cook until potatoes are fork tender, but still hold their shape. (You do not want them mushy.)
Rinse potatoes in cold water, drain, then set them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or completely cold.
Once potatoes are completely chilled, mix in eggs, sweet pickle relish, and onions.
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, and celery salt.
Add mayonnaise dressing to the potato salad and mix. Garnish with a dash of paprika and egg slices.
Refrigerate one or more hours before serving to allow the flavors to build.

Tips

Boil the potatoes until perfectly cooked, then rinse them off in cold water, and set them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more until they are completely cold. Only after they are completely cold do you mix in the other ingredients.

Why? Because hot potatoes make the mayonnaise dressing melt and it becomes oily.

Also, hot potatoes will sweat as they cool and make your salad watery.

Chilling the potatoes keeps them from sweating and the dressing from melting and into the potatoes.

Cold potatoes create a perfectly dressed, creamy potato salad.

potato salad topped with sliced boiled eggs in a blue bowl with checkered napkins to the side

Notes

Potato salad is actually better made a day ahead! It allows the flavors to build and the potatoes to absorb the dressing.

How long can you store leftover potato salad?

Potato salad stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator is good up to 5 days.

Like this recipe? Then I know you will like these also!

Please leave me a comment below if you make this Southern potato salad recipe and tell me what you think about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.

Also post your picture of your creamy potato salad on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!