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If you’ve never had Southern Potato Salad, you’re in for a treat. It usually always has hardboiled eggs with a mayonnaise dressing that’s complimented by tangy ingredients, like pickles and mustard. What I love is that it’s ready in about 45 minutes, so it’s one of those recipes I always offer up to bring to someone’s house for supper.
Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Such a classic! This recipe is the perfect combination of all the yummy flavors in potato salad. My husband isn’t a big fan of potato salad in general and he likes this one! We love this one as a side with hamburgers on the grill!”
— Lauren
Is any summer gathering complete without potato salad? This Southern Potato Salad is my mom’s recipe, passed down to me, and now passed down to my daughter, Bri, who makes it for family occasions. It’s a staple side dish that’s tried-and-true; I definitely know it’s foolproof for you to make too!
Traditionally, our family eats this potato salad warm. It’s so good this way and we love to serve it with baby back ribs and gooey brown sugar baked beans. You can also eat it cold if you prefer, that’s how we usually enjoy the leftovers (which often taste better the next day!). For a traditional potato salad with a Mediterranean twist, try my Greek Potato Salad.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy for Anyone to Make: Boil some potatoes and eggs, then combine all the yummy potato salad ingredients to make this delicious dish.
- Make a Double Batch, it’s a Crowd-Pleaser: You can’t go wrong with serving southern-style potato salad! It’s the kind of recipe that will disappear in minutes.
- Customize to Your Liking: If you don’t like boiled eggs, omit them…same with the pickles, it’s easy to make this your own.
Ingredients
- Potatoes: Use russet potatoes because of their high starch content. These tender potatoes give the salad a creamy texture while still holding their shape well.
- Mayo: Mix in a classic favorite, Duke’s mayonnaise, for a creamy and tangy salad.
- Sour cream: Sour cream adds a light sourness for a deeper tangy taste.
- Mustard: Yellow mustard adds a zesty kick to potato salad.
- Garlic Powder: Adding garlic powder to potato salad lends a subtle yet flavorful boost.
- Salt and pepper: Round out the flavors by adding kosher salt and black pepper.
- Eggs: Add 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopping three and saving one to slice for a garnish.
- Pickles: Chop up some garlic pickle spears for a delicious addition to this southern salad. You can use sweet pickles or dill pickles if preferred.
- Relish: Dill relish enhances the pickle flavor and adds a lovely crunch.
- Garnish: Top the final dish with parsley and paprika.
How to make Southern Potato Salad
✱ Below shows step-by-step photos and instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1 | Boil and peel eggs
First, boil the eggs. Place them in a pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and let them sit in the hot water. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot.
Leave the eggs in the hot water for 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like them. The 10-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 12-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture.
Finally, move them to an ice bath. When the time is up, drain the eggs and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Leave them in the ice bath for at least 14 minutes before you peel the eggs.
Step 2 | Boil potatoes
Next, peel and cut each potato in half or quarters, depending on the size. Place in a large pot, cover with 1 inch of water, add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender all the way through, then drain well.
Step 3 | Mix potato salad
While the potatoes are boiling, chop the pickles and boiled eggs. Leave an egg to be sliced for garnish.
In a large serving bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, yellow mustard, garlic pickles, dill relish, and garlic powder.
Now, add in the diced pickles and give it a stir.
Step 4 | Add potatoes, garnish, and serve
Lastly, pour the drained hot potatoes into the bowl on top of the mixture, stirring in the chopped eggs, and mix until combined. After a taste test, add salt as needed and mix until combined.
Top with sliced eggs and garnish with parsley flakes or fresh parsley, and paprika. Then, serve warm or cold. Enjoy, y’all!
Variations
- Other Mix-ins to Add: Add more of your favorite potato salad ingredients, like chopped celery, red onion, crispy bacon bits, chopped green onions, diced bell peppers, grated cheese, or even a touch of hot sauce for some extra kick.
- Try Bacon Ranch Potato Salad: Another classic version of this recipe in our house. Add crumbled bacon and ranch seasoning to the potato salad for a savory twist with a hint of Southern ranch flavor.
- Make it Vegan: Use vegan mayo or a homemade dairy-free dressing alternative for a dairy-free potato salad.
- Kind of Potatoes: I usually use a Russet potato. But you can also use waxy potatoes, like Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, depending on your personal preference.
- Boost the Flavor: For more pickle flavor, add pickle juice to the delicious potato salad. My daughter always does this.
Expert Tips
- The Perfect Texture– You want the potatoes to still have a bite to them when mixed. Some will be mash-up with small chunks, too.
- Keep the Serving Dish Clean– You can mix everything in the pot you cook the potatoes in once drained. I often do this to keep the serving dish nice and clean!
- Use a Russet Potato for the Best Results – It’s my personal favorite since it has a higher starch content which helps it to bind and soak in more of that tangy and creamy dressing.
- You’ll Know when the Potatoes are Tender, when you press gently with the tip of a paring knife and they are soft but not mushy. Always begin by boiling your potatoes from cold water, this helps them to cook more evenly.
- Drain the Potatoes and Pat the Boiled Eggs Very Dry – You want to do this before mixing all of the ingredients or you risk your potato salad becoming watery.
- Always Put Your Hardboiled Eggs into an Ice Bath – This is crucial to prevent overcooking the eggs. The ice bath will stop the cooking, making them the perfect consistency.
What to Serve With Southern-Style Potato Salad
Who could resist the classic juicy burger and creamy potato salad combo? Serve this southern-style potato salad with some of these dishes:
- Ground Chicken Burger
- Stuffed Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger
- Air-fryer hot dogs
- Baked chili cheese dogs.
- Slow Cooker Beef Brisket With BBQ Sauce
- Instant Pot Corn on the Cobb
But really, there are so many ways you can serve it. Potato salad makes a great salad on a bed of lettuce and even a fantastic sandwich on a croissant or between 2 slices of soft bread! That’s as southern as it gets!
Storage
Cover the room temperature leftover Southern potato salad with foil or plastic wrap, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for 3 days.
To reheat individual servings, place the desired amount on a microwave-safe dish and reheat. Start with 1 minute and stir. Then, add 30-second intervals until heated to your liking.
If you’re making the eggs ahead, leave them in the shells and store them in the fridge. Don’t skip the ice bath first! It’s crucial for stopping the cooking process and making the eggs easy to peel later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not starting your potatoes in cold water when you are boiling them. This helps them to cook evenly so they become the perfect amount of tender.
People often wonder about this since it’s a staple at picnics and potlucks. It’s best to keep it out for no longer than two hours. But if it’s hot out, don’t risk it for more than an hour. And you can always keep it on ice, just to be safe.
The trick is to ensure your potatoes reach just the right level of tenderness — easily pierced with a fork, but not overly soft to avoid turning mushy. If the fork doesn’t glide in smoothly, give them a bit more time.
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Southern Potato Salad
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Ingredients
- 5 pounds Russett potatoes - Peeled and cut in half or quarters (if really large) depending on the size
- 2 cups Dukes mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt - divided, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt when boiling potatoes, ½ to salad mixture or to taste.
- ½ to 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 eggs hard boiled - divided, 3 chopped and 1 sliced for garnish on top
- 4 garlic pickle spears - chopped
- 3 tablespoons dill relish
- parsley - garnish
- paprika - garnish
Instructions
- First, boil the eggs. Place them in a pot and cover them with cold water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Then, let them sit in the hot water. As soon as the water begins to boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. Leave the eggs in the hot water for anywhere from 10-12 minutes, depending on how you like your eggs. The 10-minute eggs will have vibrant, creamy yolks, while the 12-minute yolks will be paler and opaque, with a chalkier texture. Finally, move them to an ice bath. When the time is up, drain the eggs and transfer them to a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Leave them in the ice bath for at least 14 minutes before you peel the eggs. If making them ahead leave them in the shells and store them in the fridge. Don't skip the ice bath first! It’s crucial for stopping the cooking process and making the eggs easy to peel at a later time.
- Boil potatoes: Peel and cut each potato in half or quarters (if really large) depending on the size). Place in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of water. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer until fork tender all the way through, about 20 minutes. Drain well.
- Mix Potato Salad: While potatoes are boiling, mix together mayo, sour cream, yellow mustard, garlic pickles, dill relish, and garlic powder in a large serving bowl. (Likewise, you can mix everything in the pot you cook the potatoes in once drained; I often do this to keep the serving dish nice and clean).
- Pour drained hot or warm potatoes into the bowl on top of the mixture, add in chopped eggs, and mix until combined. Taste and add salt to taste as needed (adjust seasonings to preference) and mix until combined.
- Top with sliced eggs and garnish with parsley flakes (or fresh parsley) and paprika.
- Serve warm or cold. Our family loves this potato salad served warm and then enjoys leftovers cold.
Notes
- Tips for Making Ahead– If you’re making the eggs ahead, leave them in the shells and store them in the fridge. Don’t skip the ice bath first! It’s crucial for stopping the cooking process and making the eggs easy to peel later.
- The Perfect Texture– You want the potatoes to still have a bite to them when mixed. Some will be mash-up with small chunks, too.
- Keep the Serving Dish Clean– You can mix everything in the pot you cook the potatoes in once drained. I often do this to keep the serving dish nice and clean!
Storage Instructions for Potato Salad:
Refrigerate: Cover the room temperature leftover potato salad with foil or plastic wrap, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat: To reheat individual servings, place the desired amount on a microwave-safe dish and reheat. Start with 1 minute and stir. Then, add 30-second intervals until heated to your likingWant to Save this Recipe?
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We made this yesterday ( only a much smaller version) as there are only 2 of us… It was simply divine! Loved the mustard/ pickles and relish in the recipe! We did however added onions.. this too will be added to rotation
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and adding onions sounds like a delicious touch. Thrilled to hear it’s one for the rotation!
Such a classic! This recipe is the perfect combination of all the yummy flavors in potato salad. My husband isn’t a big fan of potato salad in general and he likes this one! We love this one as a side with hamburgers on the grill!
Thank you, Lauren! It’s the perfect side for burgers!