Southern Potato Salad

Southern Potato Salad is a creamy, tangy side dish made with tender potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, sweet onion, mustard, mayonnaise, vinegar, and pickle relish. It’s simple, comforting, and full of classic Southern flavor.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Servings: 6

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Potatoes

5 to 6 medium-sized baking potatoes like a Russet (about 2-pounds)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar

For the Dressing and Mix-Ins

2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons pickle relish dill is preferred, but sweet can also be used
3 large hard boiled eggs finely chopped
1/2 small sweet onion minced (about 1/4 cup chopped)

Method

Prepare the potatoes. Wash and peel the potatoes, then cut them into cubes measuring about 3/4-inch.
Cook until tender but firm. Transfer the potatoes to a large pot and cover them with water. Add the 1 tablespoon salt. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender while still firm enough to hold their shape.
Season the warm potatoes. Drain the potatoes, then immediately sprinkle them with the 2 tablespoons white vinegar.
Whisk the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the 2 teaspoons yellow mustard, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and 3 tablespoons pickle relish. Whisk until the dressing is evenly mixed.
Bring the salad together. Place the potatoes, 3 large finely chopped hard boiled eggs, and 1/2 small minced sweet onion in a large bowl. Add the dressing and lightly toss until everything is coated.
Season and serve. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy the salad warm, or refrigerate it for several hours to allow the flavours to develop further. After chilling, taste again and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Notes

Why Should I Toss The Salad Lightly?

The potatoes have already been simmered until tender, so they’re softer and more fragile by the time the dressing is added. Mixing too aggressively can crush the cubes and make the finished salad much softer.

Use a light tossing motion just until the potatoes, eggs, onion, and dressing are evenly combined. This helps preserve the chunky texture that distinguishes potato salad from mashed potatoes.