Southern-style potato salad is a classic dish that my family enjoyed year round, but was particularly present at cookouts (aka barbecues) throughout the summer. Seeing as how today is Labor Day and many of you are likely firing up the grill to celebrate the holiday, I figured I’d share this recipe with you just in time for your gatherings.
This potato salad is a fairly traditional one and consists of potatoes tossed with apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs, celery, shallot, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Though many might call for russet potatoes in a classic, southern-style potato salad, here I recommend white potatoes as they will hold their shape better. Plus, you don’t even have to peel them first! Just give the white potatoes a good rinse to remove any dirt from the exterior, cut them into bite-sized pieces, and boil them in salted water until just tender.
I’m not a fan of too much mayo in my potato salad. You should know that it’s there, but there should just be enough to coat everything and hold it together, as opposed to tons of mayonnaise with a few potatoes and other ingredients mixed in. We would typically use Miracle Whip growing up, and here I used Hellmann’s for testing. I don’t think I’ve ever actually tried Duke’s, but I know that some people swear by it. All of this is to say that you can use whatever mayonnaise you like best. However, given that they have different flavor profiles, it’s always important to remember to taste what you’re making and adjust it to your own liking.
Dijon mustard adds a slightly more robust flavor than your traditional yellow mustard, but either could work. A finely-diced shallot is used in place of onion for a mellower allium. Pickle relish adds a nice sweet acidity, and diced celery lends freshness and extra crunch. And though potato salad tastes great, it could use some help in the looks department, which is why it gets a sprinkle of paprika for color at the end. Potato salad is best served chilled, so be sure to give yourself enough time for it to sit in the fridge before you’re ready to eat.
How do you like your potato salad?
Southern-Style Potato Salad Recipe
This Southern-style potato salad is a fairly traditional one and is sure to be allowed at whatever cookout you're attending.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds white potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Paprika, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a pot with 1 teaspoon salt and cover with 1 to 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until you can pierce a potato with a fork with little resistance, about 15 minutes or so. Drain the water and return the pot with the potatoes to medium-low or medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to remove any excess moisture. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar.
- Meanwhile, bring another pot of water to a boil. Gently add the eggs so they don't crack and boil for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with ice water to cool for 15 minutes; peel. Chop 3 of the eggs and slice 1 of them.
- Mix the potatoes, chopped eggs, shallot, celery, mayonnaise, relish, and mustard together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish, top with the sliced egg, and sprinkle with some paprika. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Serve.
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