Classic Creamy Potato Salad Recipe
This is a classic creamy potato salad recipe with sweet relish and mustard. The perfect side dish with baked ham, summer BBQ’s, burgers and so much more.
My Southern sweet potato salad recipe is just like Moms. The potatoes are creamy and the ingredients are measured and mixed by hand.
I am the designated Potato Salad maker in my family these days. I make it just like my mother did. It’s the best potato salad recipe I have ever eaten. It’s creamy but not too creamy, tangy with just the right amount of sweet.
This old-fashioned classic side dish is a great recipe for summer cookouts and picnics. We always serve a big bowl of homemade potato salad with baked ham on Easter, and sometimes on Thanksgiving too.
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Table of Contents
- Ingredients for Making Classic Potato Salad
- How To Make The Best Potato Salad
Ingredients for Making Classic Potato Salad
- 3 lbs. Potatoes-peeled, cubed, boiled and drained (Russet potatoes)
- Mayonnaise- preferably Duke’s (on Amazon, here)
- 3 large eggs, boiled and chopped
- Sweet pickle relish, undrained (on Amazon, here)
- Diced pimentos, undrained (on Amazon, here)
- Onion Powder (on Amazon, here)
- Dry Mustard (on Amazon, here)
- Salt
How To Make The Best Potato Salad
Step 1
Begin by boiling 3 eggs. Place the eggs into a small saucepan. Cover the eggs with cold water and set the pot on the stove. Turn the burner to medium high heat and bring the water to a good rolling boil. Place the lid on the pot and turn the burner off. Allow the eggs to rest in the hot water for at least 15 minutes before peeling.
Step 2
Peel potatoes and cut them into quarters or small chunks. Rinse the starchy potatoes under cold water and place them into a large Dutch oven.
Add enough water to cover potatoes and place on the stove. Turn the burner on high heat. Sprinkle with salt.
Bring the potatoes to a full rolling boil, then reduce heat to medium, just enough to keep the water from boiling out of the pot. Continue to boil until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20-25 minutes.
I use a cast-iron Dutch oven similar to this one. It’s also my favorite soup pot.
Step 3
While the potatoes are cooking, peel and chop your boiled eggs and set them aside. Save one hard boiled egg to slice and place on top of the potato salad for decoration.
I use one of my favorite kitchen tools, a small food chopper to chop the boiled eggs really well. They disperse better throughout the potato salad when chopped well.
Step 4
Carefully drain the tender potatoes, reserve about one cup of the liquid and set it aside. Return the potatoes to your Dutch oven.
Kitchen Hack for less clean-up
In an effort to cut down on large cookware to wash, I mix my potato salad up in the same pot I boil the potatoes in.
Allow your potatoes to completely cool prior to mashing if you want little tidbits of potato. If you prefer a smooth potato salad like my family, mash the potatoes while still warm.
Step 5
Mash the potatoes until smooth using a handheld potato masher, like this one.
Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the reserved liquid, to the potatoes and stir, stir, stir until well blended.
A long handle wooden spoon, like this, works well. I use my old-fashioned potato masher and stir while mashing then finish the stirring with a wooden spoon.
Now, do a taste test. If you need a little more liquid, add 1 Tablespoon at a time of the reserved liquid from boiling the potatoes and stir.
Step 6
Transfer your creamy potato salad into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably for several hours to allow the flavors to marinate.
Serve your Southern Potato Salad in a pretty bowl. That will give you some satisfaction because cooking homemade potato salad takes a little time and you want your dish to look pretty. Presentation means a lot with food.
Sprinkle Smoked Paprika on top for a little color, then place thin sliced hard-boiled eggs on top. It’s a very southern way of serving potato salad.
FAQ
What Kind of Potatoes Should You Use To Make Potato Salad?
Russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or Red potatoes will all work well to make a tasty traditional potato salad. For best results, peel, quarter, and boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender. Traditional potato salad is made with white potatoes such as Russet.
If you are growing potatoes in your garden, those will make a scrumptious fresh potato salad.
Do onions go in potato salad?
Onions are a personal preference in potato salad but not a traditional ingredient. If you want the onion flavor without the actual onion, use onion powder.
Another alternative to chopped onions is to pulverize the onions in a food processor until they are basically onion juice and use that. It will be hardly noticeable if at all.
Why do you add dry mustard to a potato salad recipe?
The reason I use dry mustard rather than regular yellow mustard is because of the amount of liquid I like to add by not draining the pickle relish or pimentos. You have to be careful not to have too much liquid and the mayonnaise adds plenty as well. Dry mustard gives the tangy flavor of mustard without adding another liquid.
How do you make potato salad taste better?
Reserve about a cup of the liquid from boiling the potatoes. Add several Tablespoons of the liquid to your potato salad while you are mixing in the ingredients. The combination of sweet pickle relish, mustard, and mayonnaise is where potato salad gets its distinct flavors. See my list of optional ingredients to add more flavor. Also, be sure to allow your fresh potato salad to marinate in the refrigerator for several hours prior to serving.
How long is potato salad good for?
You can keep potato salad for about 3 to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator as long as you used fresh ingredients when making it.
Never leave potato salad out, unrefrigerated because it contains mayonnaise and eggs which require refrigeration.
If taking potato salad on a picnic, be sure to keep it in a cooler with ice.
Do you leave the skin on potatoes for potato salad?
Yes and no. Leaving the skin on is a matter of personal preference. If you are making potato salad with red potatoes, wash them well with a vegetable brush and you can leave the skin on.
On a rare occasion, I leave the skin on the potatoes. Personally, I love the flavor. When I make potato salad with potato skins, I do not mash the potatoes until smooth. Leave them just a little chunky for a completely different dish of potato salad.
Optional Ingredients for Homemade Potato Salad
While none of these ingredients are in my Classic Potato Salad recipe, I am aware that some folks enjoy having these flavors in their ‘tater salad’. Help yourself to play with the recipe and make it your own. It’s all about doing the taste test.
- Red onions
- Dill pickle relish
- Celery seed
- Sour Cream
- Miracle Whip instead of Mayonnaise
- Fresh herbs
- Black pepper
- Lemon juice
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Red wine vinegar
Serve Potato Salad as a great side dish with
- Fried Chicken
- Baked Ham
- BBQ
- Grilled Meat
- Meatloaf
- Pork Chops
Southern Potato Salad Recipe
A classic creamy Southern Potato Salad recipe with eggs and relish. The perfect side dish for Easter and Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. red potatoes
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise (Duke's preferably)
- 3 Eggs, boiled and chopped
- ¼ Cup Sweet Pickle Relish, do not drain
- 2 oz. Jar Diced Pimentos, do not drain
- 1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Dry Mustard
- 1 Tbsp. Salt
- Paprika
Instructions
Peel potatoes and cut them into quarters or small chunks. Rinse the starchy potatoes under cold water and place them into a large Dutch oven.
Add enough water to cover potatoes and place on burner on high heat. Sprinkle with salt.
Bring the potatoes to a full rolling boil, then reduce heat enough to keep the water from boiling out of the pot. Continue to boil until potatoes are fork-tender 20-25 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, chop your boiled eggs and set them aside.
Carefully drain the tender potatoes, reserve about one cup of the liquid and set it aside. Return the potatoes to your Dutch oven.
Allow your potatoes to completely cool prior to mashing if you want little tidbits of potato. If you prefer a smooth potato salad like my family, mash the potatoes while still warm.
Mash the potatoes until smooth using a handheld potato masher.
Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the reserved liquid, to the potatoes and stir, stir, stir until well blended.
Now, do a taste test. If you need a little more liquid, add 1 Tablespoon at a time of the reserved liquid from boiling the potatoes and stir.
Transfer your creamy potato salad into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably for several hours to allow the flavors to marinate.
Sprinkle the top of your potato salad with paprika if desired.
Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 6 ozAmount Per Serving Calories 258Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 54mgSodium 382mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 2gSugar 4gProtein 5g
Nutrition information is estimated and may not be exact based on uncontrolled variables in home kitchens used by each individual cook.
Save this old-fashioned potato salad recipe to your favorite recipes on Pinterest. Go ahead and make a bowl full and be ready to bring it to your family Thanksgiving dinner this year.
More Southern Side Dishes
Southern Carrot Soufflé recipe, make this for Easter
The Best Homemade Mashed Potatoes recipe
Make The Best Ever Southern Candied Yams Recipe
Mom’s Squash Casserole Recipe, a must-have side dish for Easter and Thanksgiving
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe, video included
Homemade Creamy Cole Slaw Recipe
Best Ever BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon
Hi Shirley, I love potato salad and yours looks really good. Thanks for sharing at Cooking and Crafting with J & J. 🙂
There is nothing like a good potato salad. I’ve never mashed my taters. I’ll have to give that a go!