Best Southern Potato Salad Recipe (With Secret Ingredient!)

This is the BEST Southern Potato Salad Recipe that you’ll ever eat! It’s a heritage recipe and the secret ingredient is what makes it so good! If you enjoy a good potato salad, you must try my Southern potato salad! You’ll never want to eat it any other way.

Southern Potato Salad Recipe

When I tell you that this is the BEST southern potato salad recipe I’ve ever eaten, I’m not yankin’ your chain one little bit.

It’s the best of the best, and I’ve eaten a lot of darn good potato salad over the years. This one is special.

This recipe has been handed down for three generations in my best friend’s family. You can say it’s stood the test of time!

The reason it’s so delicious is it’s ‘secret’ ingredient!

It really makes such a difference – and it’s absolutely perfect.

I make this for all our summer BBQs and serve it up alongside my green bean salad,  broccoli salad, watergate salad, grape salad, deviled eggs, and red, white, and blue salad (especially for the 4th of July!).

Why You’ll Love My Southern Potato Salad Recipe

• Classic Southern Taste: This southern-style potato salad is packed with all the flavors you know and love, plus a secret ingredient that’s been handed down for years.
• Perfect for Family Gatherings: I bring this classic southern potato salad recipe to all our family get-togethers. With its tender potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and creamy tang, it’s the perfect side dish, especially for summer potlucks!
• Creamy and Tangy Flavor: This creamy potato salad has just the right balance of flavors. The secret ingredient adds a twist that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe!
• Easy to Make for First-Timers: Whether it’s your first time making potato salad or you’ve been doing it for years, the step-by-step instructions make it simple.
• Even Better the Second Day: This southern-style potato salad gets even better after it sits overnight in the fridge. Make it ahead, store it in an airtight container, and let those flavors meld together. It’s one of those classic recipes that tastes even better the second day!

Southern Potato Salad Ingredients

These simple ingredients come together to make the best potato salad recipe you’ll ever try.

• Potatoes: I use about 8 medium-large potatoes. You can use red potatoes, russet potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes, depending on what you prefer (or heck, use a mixture of potato types!).
• Hard-Boiled Eggs: You’ll need hard-boiled eggs, chopped up to mix in with the potatoes.
• Yellow Onion: I always use yellow onion, but you can also try a sweet onion if you like a milder flavor.
• Secret Ingredient: Dill pickles and the juice give the salad a tangy crunch that makes this southern style potato salad taste amazing! If you prefer, you can swap this for sweet pickles or even sweet relish.
• Dill Pickle Juice: Yes, dill pickle juice! This is what ties all the flavors together. It soaks into the potatoes and adds a wonderful flavor.
• Mayonnaise: I like to use Duke’s mayonnaise; it’s a southern favorite for good reason! If you like a sweeter version, some folks use Miracle Whip, but I stick with real mayonnaise for that rich, smooth creamy dressing.
• Yellow Mustard: It adds that nice tangy mustard flavor that’s a must in classic potato salad.
• Salt and Pepper: Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
• Paprika (Optional): If you want a little color and extra flavor, sprinkle some paprika on top. It sure makes for a pretty presentation at your next family reunion or family get-together.

How to Make Southern Potato Salad

1. Boil the Potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, and drop the potatoes in (you can leave the potato skins on). Boil them whole until they’re fork tender, which takes about 20-30 minutes. Once they’re done, drain them and run some cold water over them to cool them down.
2. Peel and Chop the Potatoes: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off. Chop the cooked potatoes into bite-sized pieces and toss them into a large bowl.
3. Chop the Hard-Boiled Eggs: While the potatoes are boiling, you can get your hard-boiled eggs ready. Peel and chop them into small pieces, then add them to the large bowl with the potatoes.
4. Add the Onions and Pickles: Next, chop up yellow onion (or use red onion if you like). Add it to the bowl along with the diced dill pickles.
5. Mix in the Mayo and Mustard: Now, it’s time to make it creamy. Add mayonnaise and yellow mustard to the mix.
6. Pour in the Dill Pickle Juice: To really amp up the flavor, pour in the dill pickle juice.
7. Season to Taste: Sprinkle in some salt & pepper to taste. You can also add a pinch of celery seeds or fresh herbs if you like. Be sure to do a quick taste test to make sure the seasoning is just right.
8. Sprinkle with Paprika (Optional): If you want to add a little color and extra flavor, sprinkle some paprika on top.
9. Refrigerate and Serve: Once everything’s mixed, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the salad until it’s time to serve. The flavors really come together if you let it chill for a bit.

Recipe Tips

1. Use the Right Kind of Potatoes: For the best potatoes, choose a balance of starchy potatoes like russet for a creamy texture, or go for waxy potatoes like new potatoes or red potatoes if you want your potatoes to hold their shape better.
2. Cool Potatoes Before Mixing: After boiling the potatoes, run cool water over them to stop the cooking process. You want to use cooled potatoes when adding all the other ingredients. 
3. Season the Potatoes While Warm: One trick to enhance the flavor is to season the hot potatoes with salt & pepper right after you drain them. They’ll soak up more flavor while still warm.
4. Chop Ingredients Evenly: When chopping your hard-boiled eggs, yellow onion, and dill pickles, try to keep everything in small amounts and evenly sized. 

Print Pin

The BEST Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 8 medium-large potatoes
• 10 hard boiled eggs chopped
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup diced dill pickles
• 1 cup mayo
• 3/4 cup yellow mustard
• 3/4 cup dill pickle juice
• salt & pepper to taste
• paprika optional

Instructions

• Boil the potatoes whole in the skin until fork tender, about 20-30 minutes.
• Run water over the potatoes to cool.
• Peel and chop the cooled potatoes.
• In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, onion, dill pickles, mayo, and mustard.
• Pour in the dill pickle juice and stir to combine.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Refrigerate until serving.