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Southern Potato Salad

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This Southern potato salad skips the extra sugar and leans into bold, tangy flavor with sweet gherkins and a splash of pickle juice. Tossing the potatoes while they're still warm so they soak up every bit of that creamy, zesty dressing. It's a make-ahead, classic BBQ side dish that's simply nostalgic.

A bowl of creamy potato salad topped with chopped chives, with a spoonful being lifted above the bowl.

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This recipe comes from a torn page of a vintage church cookbook tucked inside my grandma's recipe box. It's been lightly updated for today's taste, but the heart of it stays the same. It has simple ingredients, big flavor, and a method that just works. I prefer this potato salad with eggs but know you can skip them if that isn't your thing.

Serve it with smoked ribs, BBQ beef, or your favorite burger. This potato salad recipe will disappear fast. Sure to be a staple at your family reunions, cookouts, and BBQs for years to come.

📖Why My Potato Salad with Mayo and Mustard Works

  • Not Too Sweet- When making potato salad with pickles, there is no need to add more sugar.
  • Classic Mayo and Mustard- While my old-fashioned potato salad recipe uses evaporated milk, this version keeps it straight up southern.
Ingredients for Southern Potato Salad laid out on a white surface: russet potatoes, sweet pickles, salt, black pepper, eggs, chopped onion, yellow mustard, and mayonnaise.

🧾Ingredient Notes

  • Russet Potato - These are the best potatoes for soaking up the dressing.
  • Eggs - Optional, but to me, they are classic potato salad!
  • Sweet Pickles - You can substitute sweet pickle relish. You need about ⅓ cup.
  • Onion - I use red onion for color, but I love sweet Vidalia onion in this recipe too.
  • Yellow Mustard - Yes, you can use Dijon mustard but that makes it a little fancier than necessary.
  • Pickle Juice - Skip this if you use the pickle relish in place of diced pickles.

⏲️Tips for Making Southern Potato Salad

A glass bowl filled with chopped boiled potatoes sits on a counter next to a bowl of hard-boiled eggs, small bowls of salt and pepper, a spatula, and a blue checkered cloth.
  1. Always start your potatoes in COLD water.
  2. You can peel the potatoes and dice them, then boil them in salted water. But for the dressing in this recipe, boiling the whole will result in a better end texture.
  3. You want the potatoes still warm but dry. Let them drain well in a colander before adding to your mixing bowl.
A glass bowl with chopped potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, red onions, mayonnaise, mustard, chopped pickles, salt, and pepper on a countertop with a blue checkered napkin.
  1. Fold, don't mash. Gently mixing the potato salad will give you a better texture.
  2. For most potato salad recipes, I prefer to reserve some of the dressing until serving time. Bet here, I want a creamier texture, so add it all in.
A glass bowl filled with potato salad mixed with mayonnaise and seasonings sits on a white surface next to a blue-and-white striped cloth.
  1. Refrigerate for 2 hours before adjusting the seasoning.
  2. Serve with a sprinkle of paprika on top.
A bowl of potato salad with chopped chives, red onion, and hard-boiled eggs, surrounded by condiments, a red onion, potatoes, and a blue checkered cloth.

🌡️How Long Can Potato Salad Sit Out?

This potato salad can sit out for two hours max. For exceptionally hot summer days, toss it after 1 hour.

Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?

📖 Recipe Card

A bowl of potato salad with chopped chives and red onions on top, placed on a wooden board next to a blue plaid napkin.

Southern Potato Salad

A staple of summer, my classic Southern potato salad is made with russet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, sweet gherkins, and a tangy mustard-mayo dressing. No added sugar! Just balanced flavor and a creamy texture that gets better as it chills. Great for potlucks!
Servings: 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
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Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds russet potatoes
  • 4 sweet pickles chopped, about ⅓ cup
  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
  • ⅓ cup red onion chopped
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add the whole potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender and a knife easily inserts into them, about 25-30 minutes.
    3 pounds russet potatoes
  • While the potatoes are cooking, hard-boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover the saucepan with a lid, turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit for 12 to 14 minutes to cook through. Carefully drain the hot water, gently shake the pan to crack the eggs slightly, then fill the pot with cold tap water. Peel the eggs, chop the boiled eggs into ¼-inch pieces, and set aside until ready to use.
    4 hard-boiled eggs
  • Once the potatoes are done, drain them in a large colander. Run cool tap water over the potatoes for 30-45 seconds to cool slightly. Scrape off the skins, then cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place them in a large bowl (they may still be hot inside).
  • Add the chopped eggs, sweet pickles, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, salt, and pepper. Gently stir until everything is thoroughly combined. Chill for 2 hours. Season to taste after it has chilled.
    4 sweet pickles, 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice, ⅓ cup red onion, 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Notes

🌡️ Storing Leftovers

  • Potato salad can be made a day or two in advance and kept cool until ready to serve.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Equipment

  • 4-5 Quart Pot

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbs: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g
Author: Jen Wooster
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
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