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.
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.
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!
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!
Here’s my family’s Potato Salad recipe. It’s a special favorite!
Southern Potato Salad Recipe
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
Store potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I make my potato salad the same way. I use sweet pickle relish though….just a personal preference.. And add in some diced pimento if I have it for color. I love a good potato salad. Oh and sometimes will add diced celery if I have it.
My wife always made the potato salad, since she passed away I’ve not a clue how she made it. This looks close enough, thank you.
Hi Bob,
I hope you enjoy the potato salad. This is my Mama’s recipe that we’ve been enjoying for so many years. Thank you!
No eggs featured in the YouTube video?
Hi Erin,
I’m sorry but the person who did our video did not show the eggs being added but they are in the salad. You can see that they are included in the final photo. Enjoy!
Fabulous! Added celery, paprika, and garlic powder, how yummy!
Thanks, Shirley!
I make mine with miracle whip and yellow mustard, onion and eggs. I guess it is the northern style. Been making it since I was 14. We are not pickle eaters. Every holiday but Thanksgiving I make potato salad. Parties for other people ask me to make it. My sister’s boyfriend could eat a platter of 24 deviled eggs himself. I love my friends and family.
I always love hearing how others make their potato salad, Jody. Thanks so much!
This is it , I as a young man waited with spoons anxiously awaiting Job. The Official Test Taster, this is the exact way she made it and there’s a Deacon at my church who’s potatoe salad is a reminder. Thank you for this and I’m going to make it as a memory to my mothers this is it…
Thank you for this! I have beem trying to find a “southern” potato salad that i can make to satisfy my friends and family.
Your recipe is exactly the way, I make mine. I use Dill relish, unless I am out of it, then I use dill pickles and I add Black Pepper. I make mine just like my Mom used to make, except she used Miracle Whip. I haven’t like Miracle Whip for years and always prefer Real Mayo. You always have Great Recipes!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, my potato salad tends to come out very watery and bland after I have covered and placed in the refrigerator overnight and I don’t know why? How long should I wait after the potatoes has drained to add all the ingredients. I was using relish in the past, therefore I’m going to try the Dill pickles are these sweet?
Hi Yolanda,
Just make sure potatoes are fully drained. Also make sure it is completely cooled before you put it in the refrigerator. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
My Mama never wrote down recipes. She has gone to be with Jesus now. I’ve been trying to find a potato salad recipe like hers. I’ve searched and searched and was happy to find this one! It’s very close. I needed a recipe to give me an idea of the amounts of ingredients. She just added a few more things to hers. I have a couple of questions. How long do you boil the potatoes and what kind do you use? I can’t wait to surprise my family with this. It will be like Mama is here for Thanksgiving. 🙂
Hi Gayle,
I’m glad you found my family recipe too and hope you enjoy it!
For the potatoes, I boil russet potatoes until they are fork tender, around 20 minutes.
I hope my family favorite potato salad recipe can bring a bit of joy to you on Thanksgiving. Take care! Thanks so much! xo
Thank you! Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
This is exactly how my Mom use to make hers. I was the official taste tester at our house also. I make mine just like my Mom did also. Only difference is we use miracle whip. Sometimes we’d mash them also. My favorite tater salad. Thanks !
Any idea how much dill relish I could use as a substitute for the pickles?
relish to taste, start w/3Tlbs