Home » Side Dishes » Southern-Style Potato Salad
A simple recipe for potato salad done the Southern way with mayonnaise, a hint of yellow mustard, boiled eggs and a bit of pickle relish if you like.
Updated 5/13/26
People in the South have very strong opinions about potato salad. Just like with cornbread dressing, macaroni & cheese and red velvet cake, every Southerner has their own version. And we all like our way best.
I think most folks like whatever they were raised with. I might be exception to that, though. My mama is from Maryland so her potato salad is pretty different from traditional Southern-style. I never liked it very much and preferred the potato salad my Southern aunts and paternal grandma made.
Nanny lived about a quarter of a mile from where I grew up and I was in her kitchen almost every day of my life until I went away to school. Most of my Southern recipes are based on what she taught me.
3 KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SOUTHERN POTATO SALAD
SOFT & CREAMY - Large cubes of potatoes are cooked very soft then stirred pretty aggressively so that only small chunks remain. This yields a consistency somewhere between traditional potato salad and mashed potatoes.
BOILED EGGS - Chopped boiled eggs are traditional to Southern-style potato salad and it is often garnished with boiled egg slices (like coins).
MAYONNAISE - Traditional mayo is a must (never Miracle Whip or other sweet salad dressings). Duke's mayonnaise is the most popular choice in my neck of the South.
VARIANCES AND OPTIONS IN SOUTHERN POTATO SALAD
PICKLE RELISH - Some use sweet, some use dill and some use none at all. You will most often see a tiny bit of sweet pickle relish or none. It's more rare to use dill pickle relish but it's not unheard of.
YELLOW MUSTARD - Most folks add a little mustard but plenty don't add it at all.
ONIONS - Finely diced onions are sometimes added. White, yellow or Vidalia onions are all options.
CELERY - Diced celery can be added as well, though it's not as common as the ingredients above.
Recipe for Southern Potato Salad
Southern-Style Potato Salad
A simple recipe for potato salad done the Southern way with mayonnaise, a little mustard, a bit of pickle relish and boiled eggs.
Ingredients
- 6 large russet potatoes
- 6 boiled eggs, peeled & chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish (optional)
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Peeled and cut potatoes into large cubes (about 1.5 inches).
- Boil potatoes in liberally salted water 20 minutes or until very tender.
- Drain potatoes then gently rinse with cold water. Drain thoroughly.
- Add potatoes to a mixing bowl; set aside.
- Combine relish, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and onion powder in a small bowl then stir until thoroughly combined. Set aside 1/3 cup mayo mixture to add later if needed.
- Add remaining mayo mixture to potatoes then stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and potatoes are somewhat mashed with small chunks remaining.
- Add reserved mayo mixture if you'd like the potato salad to be creamier.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- I like my potato salad on the “mashy” side so I get a little rough with it when stirring everything together but if you like a firmer texture, go easy.
- We set aside the 1/3 cup of mayo mixture so that we can add more if needed. You can't undo it if you add too much so it's better to start with less then add (plus potato sizes vary).
I make my potato salad just like this; however, I add crumbled, fried bacon...over-the-top!
ReplyDeleteyummy
DeleteI marinate my potatoes in oil vinegar and green onions while they are hot. I could eat it like that, but then I add mayo and eggs, it is devine! I also like the half whole/ half smashed potatoes too.... YUM.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound good! I "marinate" my hot, cooked chicken for chicken salad similar to that.
DeleteI love to marinate the hot potatoes in italian dressing but the vinegar sounds really good
DeleteYou speak the words my belly likes to hear! Throw in a lil bacon and this is perfection!
ReplyDeleteI'M W\YOU. My kind of potato salad.Just like my Granny always made it here in Tn.
DeleteOK, I'll go along with the non-mushy potatoes. I add sour cream, both mayo and salad dressing, several shots of dried dillweed, onions,S/P, hard boiled eggs, chopped celery, scant tsp sugar. Put in bowl and a small tomato "rose" in center. Before covering, drape a small celery heart over top. Why celery? I don't know, just because my girlfriend's mother did it when we went on picnics. These quantities are for five# potatoes, oh yes, skin on, preferably. Sorry, must be cold out of fridge. I just discovered this site and am having a ball reading, and probably will be copying.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I know this. If you ever invite me to a picnic once we move down there this summer, I'll make sure to NOT make my version for you. ;)
ReplyDeleteJust tell me it's something else like Cold Potato Summer Medley and I'll prolly love it!
Delete{{DROOL}}
ReplyDeleteO.M.G. Girl, you are my potato salad kindred spirit! Yes. Yes. Yes.
ReplyDeleteI like several different types of potato salad. It's like a mood, depends on what sounds good, and that's what I like that day. But I'm definitely in agreement with you...."And I damn sure don’t like bell peppers in it." BEST line in your post ever! =)
ReplyDeleteI make mine kind of like that , but I remove the yolks from the boiled eggs and mash them with the mayo and mustard. I don't like the taste of the yolks on their own in the salad. The yolks give the mayo mixture a thicker blend.
ReplyDeleteme too and also add onion & celery. Did you know if you have FRESH eggs and put a tablespoon or so of baking Soda in the water and then boil them. shells slide off easily.
DeleteAwesome idea to blend the yolks in! Will be trying that next time! I also add onion and celery, Gramms made it like that lol.
DeleteI'll try that fresh egg trick too, thanks!
Add 1/4 cup olive oil to water when boiling eggs and shells come right off
DeleteI add green olives, sliced to mine.
ReplyDeleteI take the pickle relish and 5 to 10 green olives and blend them together. Then, everything else is the same as above.
DeleteI love potato salad...but so far only mine because most people put too many things in it that I dont like ...onions,celery,bell peppers etc...I like my potatoes like you do...mine is a cross between devilled eggs, egg salad, and potato salad...lots of eggs,bacon,potatoes,mustard,miracle whip,sour cream,mustard, and a little bacon grease...also salt,pepper,lemon pepper,and garlic salt! I also like to mix the dressings with the potatoes while the potatoes are warm they soak up the flavors more. Mmmm...now I cant get potato salad off my brain...
ReplyDeleteMy ex mother-in-love always made her just like this, but added pimento to hers. YUMMY
ReplyDeleteI make mine almost the exact same way you do except we like dill pickle instead of sweet. Sometimes I add a tablespoon or two of sour cream. I always have a few chopped onions, celery & olives in a little bowl in case someone likes crunch. I've also added cucumber a few times.
ReplyDeleteI make mind with potato's, mayo,eggs and sweet relish, salt & pepper...can't stand relish... Lovey Lyn & yes that's my real name...lol
ReplyDeleteI meant i use salad cubes, because i don't like relish.
ReplyDeleteI make several different pot. salads.But one that is surprisingly good,is Italian Pot.salad.I put in it,helman's mayo..small cut celery,green olives and italian seasoning(the dry stuff)....go easy on italian seasoning.You won't believe how good it is until you try it!
ReplyDeleteThis is very similar to how I make mine ( (I grew up adding celery too). Been reading where I have been making it all wrong because I boil my potatoes. Well I tried the other ways, & I like the way that I was taught to make it. I guess us southern girls have to stick together!
ReplyDeleteI call mine mashed potato salad cause the taters get mashed and I dont do it on purpose. I'm just not a good cook. I was brought up using Mayo and only Mayo in potato salad, so I dont really like it with mustard...but I do sometimes put a tinge of spicy musard in for some kick. Never use relish cause I dont care for it. Bell pepper, onion, celery--all depends on what my mood is and what I have. I put lots and lots and lots of black pepper...just cause I like black pepper. I tell everyone, my cooking is an acquired taste and I'm just about the only person who has acquired it so far....
ReplyDeleteThis was too funny. You sound like me I only cook for myself so I make it the way I like it..
Deleteat least you try
DeleteMy mother added celery seed and pimentos to her salad. Topped with paprika.
ReplyDeleteFresh tomatoes are a good addition to potato salad as well.
ReplyDeleteFor 4th of July we made red, white, and blue potatoe salad. Same recipe but put some red onion, and some Kraft chunky blue cheese dressing and you can also add a little blue cheese crumbles. It was really good, but you must like blue cheese, obviously.
ReplyDeleteI "discovered" you could also add some Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing and it tastes really good! I ran out of mayo one summer day when making my son's favorite thing...potato salad. Now he doesn't like it any other way. I also add garlic chives chopped fine, salt and black pepper and a little dried parsley along with the chopped hard cooked eggs and mayo. So I don't just use the ranch dressing but add some along with the mayo. It's different but definitely good!
ReplyDeleteI use peeled potatoes, hard boiled eggs, onion, Hellman's mayo, and celery seed, and that is it! Can be served warm or cold. Heaven!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of this recipe and want to try it just the way it is written! In the past, I have marinated my cooked potatoes in a little sweet pickle juice, added a spoonful of prepared ranch dressing, a small amount of chopped pimento-stuffed green olives and a sprinkle of celery seed to a recipe very similar to yours.
ReplyDeleteMine is similar, except I melt about 1 1/2 TBS of butter, and stir it in. Makes it very creamy.
ReplyDeleteI add chopped celery,chopper sweet onion and use dill relish .otherwise the same LOL
ReplyDeleteThe real secret to Potato Salad is mix the dressing in while potatoes are hot from boiling. The dressing incorporates into the outer layers of the potatoes making it oh so creamy when chilled. Might need a bit more dressing, but this step makes it so worth it!
ReplyDeleteMs. Mandy,
ReplyDeleteI have to say that this is the closest to my Grandmothers from Charleston, S.C. that I have ever seen. Thank you for introducing the world to "mashed" Potato Salad. We always loved it warm just mixed on Christmas. She never did Mustard, and added some onion. But as you said, it is all your preference and if your Mamma or Grandmother didn't make it we probably won't like it. Truth be told though, my Mother makes HORRIBLE potato salad.
That may be "Southern" potato salad as in South Carolina, but that is NOT the way we do it in the South, as in Texas. lol Mashed potatoes, ickles, celery, onion, boiled egg, Mayonaise, LOTS of mustard and even a splash or two of vinegar or pickle juice. That's how we roll.
ReplyDeleteI think I could eat yours, if the potatoes are cooked through but firm enough to hold shape. and yes to pickle juice no to straight vinegar. Our neighbor gave us some of her deviled eggs last Thanksgiving time because "no one [at her get together] touched them. I cannot think of anyone that doesn't like deviled eggs, but one taste of hers and...well I could see why they seemed untouched. They were sweet and to be honest, after reading this recipe above, I think I know what she did to them :( They were awful, none of my kids liked them not even my Aussie husband (who eats almost anything). Potato salad and deviled eggs should NOT be sweet! Potato salad should not be mushy..blllleck!
DeleteIm from Tx and I add bacon crumbled and stir in alittle bacon grease also.
DeleteSounds like my Mama's, and what I attempt. Difference is mash egg with a fork, and use sweet salad cubes. ( I leave the pickles out of part for my brother). Also, use enough yellow mustard to color it, and get a little tang.
ReplyDeleteI make mine just like this! Perfection! Warm potato salad is the BEST. :)
ReplyDeletewith the potato salad recipe
ReplyDeleteThis was great! I did add celery because I like the crunch, otherwise it was perfect!
ReplyDeleteFound you via Pinterest. This has become a weekly meal in our house. thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteMandy, I absolutely love your Easter recipes posted above. I make all of them a recipe or two at a time (except on Easter I do the whole shebang), and my family and in-laws think I'm the best thing since white bread 🤣🤣🤣. Do you have a recipe for bread pudding? My Dad loves that stuff but "hasn't had good bread pudding in years". Thanks for making me a kitchen rock star, I owe you one ❤️❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteLOL well I'm glad to hear that! I don't have a recipe for bread pudding, though. Sorry! Happy Easter!
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