Southern Potato Salad
This is the potato salad that disappears first at every church potluck and family gathering. It's creamy, tangy, and a little bit sweet with just enough crunch from the celery and onion. Every family has their own way, but this here is the version that'll have folks asking you to bring it every single time.
Cooking tutorial
Ingredients
- 5 lbs russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (Duke's if you can get it)
- 1/4 cup yellow mustard
- 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for the cooking water
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp celery seed (optional, but good)
- 1 cup celery, diced fine
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced fine
- 1/4 cup sweet pickles, chopped (optional, for extra pickle lovers)
- Paprika for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- 1
Put your potatoes in a big pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Add a good tablespoon of salt to the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart, about 12 to 15 minutes.
- 2
While the potatoes are cooking, put your eggs in a separate pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let them sit for 12 minutes. Then drain and run cold water over them so you can peel them without burning your fingers.
- 3
Drain the potatoes real good and spread them out on a sheet pan or in a big bowl to cool down a bit. You want them warm but not steaming hot when you add the dressing, so they soak up all that flavor.
- 4
Peel and chop 5 of the eggs into small pieces. Slice the last egg for the top if you want to make it pretty.
- 5
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, relish, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seed until it's smooth and well combined.
- 6
Add the warm potatoes, chopped eggs, celery, and onion to the dressing. Fold everything together gently with a big spoon or rubber spatula so you don't mash up all the potatoes. You want some to break down a little to make it creamy, but keep most of them in nice chunks.
- 7
Taste and add more salt, pepper, or a little more mustard if it needs it. Transfer to your serving bowl, smooth the top, and lay those egg slices on top. Sprinkle with paprika to make it look nice.
- 8
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but overnight is even better. This salad needs time for all those flavors to get happy together.
Pro Tips
- ★Don't skip salting your potato water — that's where the flavor starts. Unseasoned potatoes make for bland potato salad no matter how much dressing you add.
- ★Make this the day before if you can. Potato salad is always better the next day after everything has had time to marry up in the fridge.