Southern Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

This Southern Potato Salad recipe is a delicious side perfect for casual suppers and cookouts! Potato salad is an easy make ahead favorite!

This potato salad recipe is a simple, classic side dish that’s so easy to make. It is a favorite year round – from summer cookouts to potlucks to a southern Sunday meal. Potato Salad goes so well with everything from hamburgers and grilled chicken to other side dishes like fried okra and baked beans.

Southern Potato Salad Recipe (1)

When I was a girl I loved being the taste tester when Mama made her potato salad. What a lucky job it was because her Southern Potato Salad is the best! She was asked to make it for every cookout or family reunion because everyone loved it. And my family requested it for so many suppers and family gatherings too. So I got to test it a lot.

Southern Potato Salad Recipe

This potato salad recipe has been in my family for so many years. My great grandmother made it by this recipe and passed it down through the generations. Mama taught my sister and me how to make it and it’s always been our go-to recipe.

Best Potatoes for Southern Potato Salad

You need to use starchy potatoes that get a little bit soft when you cook them. I prefer Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, but I most often use Russets. A waxy potato won’t do for this southern favorite, so get one that will get somewhat soft.

How to Make Potato Salad

To make this recipe you will need these ingredients.

Southern Potato Salad Ingredients

  • Potatoes (Russets preferably)
  • Eggs
  • Onion
  • Dill Pickles
  • Yellow Mustard
  • Mayonnaise (not the sweet dressing type)
  • Salt

Cook potatoes. Start by scrubbing and peeling 3 pounds of potatoes. Cube them, add to cold water and boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork, but not until they are mushy. Drain well once they are done.

Boil eggs. At the same time, hard boil 6 eggs and then peel them once they’re done. Chop the eggs in preparation for the salad.

Dice onion and pickles. While the potatoes are boiling, dice your onion and dill pickles.

Combine. Stir together the drained potatoes, chopped eggs, diced onion, diced pickles and salt with the mayonnaise and mustard until creamy. Add more mustard, mayo and even pickles to taste.

Taste test. Make sure your tasting spoons are lined up and at the ready. You will want to have them for your own taste tests!

Once you’ve completed your potato salad, you can either serve right away or refrigerate to serve later.

Southern Potato Salad Recipe (2)

Make Ahead Favorite

My family’s Southern Potato Salad recipe is one that is delicious made the day of serving, but is a great make-ahead dish as well. Just keep it tightly covered and refrigerated until ready to serve. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Perfect for Cookouts, Picnics and Suppers

You’ll find this dish served at most family get-togethers in my family – from holidays like Easter alongside my Cola-Glazed Ham to reunions to cookouts to Sunday suppers! It’s a great potluck dish anytime, too. Potato salad is delicious with chicken, beef, and pork and is a dish that everyone in my family loves!

Southern Potato Salad Recipe (3)

More Delicious Side Dishes and Salads

Here are a few more scrumptious sides for summer cookouts, potlucks and family suppers to try! Many are make ahead too!

Coleslaw

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Southern Macaroni Salad

Easy Tortellini Pasta Salad

Southern Baked Beans

Here’s my family’s Potato Salad recipe. It’s a special favorite!

Southern Potato Salad Recipe (4)

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Southern Potato Salad Recipe

Robyn Stone

4.84 from 31 votes

Southern Potato Salad – Potato salad is a classic recipe perfect for every possible summer celebration! Made with potatoes, pickles, onions, and eggs, this potato salad is an all-time favorite!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender
  • 6 boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 medium dill pickles, diced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients together and mix until well-combined and creamy. Add more mayonnaise and mustard depending on tastes.

Notes

Make-Ahead:
Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 330mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 13.8mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Southern Potato Salad Recipe (5)

Categorized as:All Recipes, Camping, Easter Recipes, Father’s Day Recipes, Game Day Recipes, Gluten-Free Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, July 4th Recipes, Make-ahead Recipes, Mother’s Day Recipes, Potatoes, Recipes, Side Dish Recipes, Simple Recipes, Southern Favorites, Videos

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Southern Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling for potato salad? ›

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

Should you peel potatoes before boiling for potato salad? ›

Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

What is amish potato salad made of? ›

This Amish Potato Salad starts off with a sweet, creamy dressing that gets drizzled over all the potato salad classics – celery, boiled eggs, onions, and sweet pickle relish. This is a great summer side dish and a nice change from the usual. That sweet dressing is a bit different, but oh so good!

Which is better for potato salad russet or Idaho? ›

What to look for: White and Yukon Golds are reliable in-between potatoes to always have around. Starchy: For potato salad, you'll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.

How do you keep potatoes from getting mushy in potato salad? ›

To prevent this, boil the potatoes until they are just tender, but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and let them cool completely before adding the dressing. Add the dressing gradually: Adding too much dressing to the potatoes can cause them to become soggy.

Do you put potatoes in cold water then boil? ›

For most potato dishes it's important to add the potatoes to cold water and allow the water to come to a boil with the potatoes in the water. The potato starch can react as soon as it comes in contact with hot water, which will promote uneven cooking and mealy potatoes.

Why put salt in water when boiling potatoes? ›

Dense potatoes don't absorb seasonings easily, so you'll need to salt the water liberally so that the water the potatoes do drink up also carries in seasoning. And because potatoes are so timid in flavor, they need that salt to bring them out of their shells. Pour some salt in, then keep going.

How long do you boil potatoes for? ›

In general small or cubed potatoes will take about 10 to 15 minutes to boil, while larger, whole potatoes will take between 20 to 25 minutes. To check potatoes for doneness, insert a knife into one. If it slides in without much effort, you're good to go!

What are funeral potatoes made of? ›

Make Cheesy Funeral Potatoes

Next, into the prepared baking dish, combine: a 2lb bag of frozen diced hash browns, 16 ounces of sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken, 1 stick of melted butter, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and add in some garlic powder (measure with your heart).

What is in Walmart potato salad? ›

POTATOES, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT), MUSTARD (WATER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR], XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR), DILL PICKLE CUBES (CUCUMBER VINEGAR, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL ...

What are all the ingredients for potato salad? ›

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

Should you cool potatoes before making potato salad? ›

When using vinaigrette, don't let the potatoes cool before dressing them. And when making a mayonnaise-based potato salad, stay away from dressing warm potatoes. The hot potatoes will cause the mayonnaise to melt and become oily.

Why does potato salad get watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients. Steaming the potatoes instead of boiling them is a good way to ensure that excess moisture isn't trapped inside.

What is the best partner of potato salad? ›

Just about any meat dish can go well with potato — here are some of the popular and some you may not have thought about before.
  • Lemon chicken. 20 Clove Garlic Chicken with Lemon Butter. ...
  • Bratwurst. Ale-Braised Bratwurst and Sauerkraut. ...
  • Ribs. ...
  • BBQ grilled chicken breasts. ...
  • Steak. ...
  • Hot dogs. ...
  • Ham Steak. ...
  • Fried chicken.
Jun 16, 2022

Is it better to wash potatoes in hot or cold water? ›

Soak potatoes in cold water to loosen dirt, 15 to 30 minutes. Use any food-safe container—like a bowl, bucket, or ice chest—that's big enough for all your potatoes to be completely submerged.

What to do with potato water after boiling? ›

Here are 4 ways to use it.
  1. Thickening sauces and stock. The starch in potatoes, which is released when cooked, makes their water a powerful natural thickener, perfect for sauces and stock, therefore giving them a thicker texture. ...
  2. Softer leavened products. ...
  3. Watering plants. ...
  4. Getting grease off the dishes.
Oct 10, 2022

What is the purpose of soaking potatoes in cold water? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

How long to leave potatoes in cold water to remove starch? ›

If you're pressed for time, the slightly sticky, cut potatoes should be soaked for a minimum of 15 minutes. However, a longer soak time may allow more starch to be removed. So, if you can prep the fries ahead of time, a few hours of soaking can help make them even crispier.

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