POTATO SALAD IN THE SOUTHERN STYLE
Blog,Budget Bites,Salad |
April 18, 2023
5/5 - (2 votes)

$5.56 RECIPE / $0.70 SERVING

In the south, people take their potato salad quite seriously.

After moving to southern Louisiana twenty years ago (omg, how has it been that long?? ), I rapidly understood that.

I was never a fan of potato salad as a kid, but after trying it the southern way—with mayo and mustard—it quickly became one of my favorites.

It’s creamy, rich, and tangy, with just the right amount of crunch. Comfort food dreams are formed from Southern-Style Potato Salad.

WHAT IS POTATO SALAD IN THE “SOUTHERN-STYLE”?

how to make POTATO SALAD IN THE SOUTHERN STYLE
Food: How To Make Southern-Style Potato Salad
Source: Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

The finely diced celery and sweet relish add texture to the creamy and acidic dressing, which contains both mayonnaise and mustard.

I prefer a lighter, less goopy dressing on my potato salad, but if you prefer it more “wet,” make more dressing.

WHAT POTATOES WORK BEST IN A SOUTHERN-STYLE POTATO SALAD?

Waxy potato kinds, such as Yukon Gold or red potatoes, are perfect for potato salad because they keep their shape and don’t break down as quickly as russet potatoes, which are great for mashed potatoes.

Waxy potatoes have a creamier texture than mealy potatoes, making them more delectable in this potato salad.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Potato salad is incredibly adaptable, and each family has its own unique recipe. In general, here are a few ingredients that can be easily substituted without deviating too far from the origins of southern potato salad:

  • Red onion in place of the green onion
  • Apple cider vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar
  • Lawry’s or another seasoning salt in place of the Tony’s Chachere’s
  • Dill relish or chopped sweet pickles in place of sweet relish
  • Creole mustard or Dijon mustard in place of yellow mustard
  • Miracle Whip in place of mayonnaise for a sweeter finish

HOW LONG CAN IT BE USED FOR?

The potato salad can keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. If you don’t think you’ll be able to complete an entire 8-cup recipe in that time, make a half batch instead.

Change the number of servings in the recipe below, and all of the component amounts will change correspondingly.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

This classic Southern-Style Potato Salad uses both mustard and mayonnaise for a super flavorful dressing that is rich, tangy, and creamy.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Servings: 1 cup each

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes ($3.49)
  • 1 tsp. salt ($0.03)
  • 2 large eggs ($0.42)
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.75)
  • 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard ($0.08)
  • 1 Tbsp. sweet relish ($0.08)
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar ($0.10)
  • 1/2 tsp Tony Chachere’s Seasoning*($0.05)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  • 2 green onions ($0.22)
  • 2 ribs celery (1 cup chopped) ($0.32)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING SOUTHERN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

  1. Your potatoes should be peeled, washed, and cut into one-inch cubes. To remove extra starch, drain the diced potatoes in a colander with cool water for a few minutes. Fill a big pot halfway with cold water and add the potatoes. Bring the water to a boil over high heat with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the potatoes are soft (about ten minutes). To ensure tenderness, pierce the potatoes with a fork and drain in a colander. To cool the potatoes, give them a quick rinse with cold water.
  2. Cook the eggs while the potatoes are boiling. In a small pot, crack the eggs and cover them with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Allow for a one-minute boil before turning off the heat. Allow 15 minutes for the eggs to sit in the boiling water before carefully pouring out the hot water and running cool water into the saucepan to end the cooking process. Peel and dice the eggs once they have cooled.
  3. Make the dressing while the potatoes and eggs are frying. Mayonnaise, mustard, relish, red wine vinegar, Tony’s (or seasoning salt), and freshly cracked pepper are mixed together.
  4. Slice the green onions and finely cube the celery.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked, cooled, and drained potatoes, diced celery, sliced green onion, diced eggs, and dressing. Stir until everything is coated with the dressing and mixed. Mash the potatoes slightly if you want a softer, less chunky potato salad.
  6. Serve after tasting and adjusting the mustard or seasoning to your satisfaction.

NOTES

*Alternatively, use your preferred seasoning salt.

NUTRITION IN SOUTHERN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

  • Serving: 1 Cup
  • Calories: 297 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 31 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Fat: 17 g
  • Sodium: 583 mg
  • Fiber: 4 g

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING CREAMY SOUTHERN-STYLE POTATO SALAD

POTATO SALAD IN THE SOUTHERN STYLE in a minute
Food: Creamy Southern-Style Potato Salad
Source: Sweet Pea’s Kitchen
  1. 3-pound potatoes, peeled and cubed To eliminate extra starch, rinse the potatoes briefly with cool water. This will keep your potato salad from drying out and becoming gluey.
  2. Fill a big pot halfway with chilly water and add the cubed potatoes. 1 teaspoon salt in the water Brings the pot to a boil over high heat with the cover on. Cook until the potatoes are soft (about 10 minutes, depending on the size of the cubes). To test for doneness, stab one of the larger pieces with a fork to ensure it is totally tender. There’s nothing worse than a potato salad with hard potatoes! To chill the potatoes and remove excess starch, drain them in a strainer and rinse them briefly with cool water. Drain them thoroughly.
  3. Cook the eggs while the potatoes are boiling. Cover your eggs with cool water in a small pot (I cooked extra just to have on hand). Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and allow the eggs to boil for one minute. Allow the eggs to lie in the boiling water for 15 minutes with the lid on and the heat turned off, then carefully pour off the hot water and run cold water over them to end the cooking process. Peel and dice the boiled eggs once they are cold enough to handle.
  4. Combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sweet relish, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s, or your favorite seasoning salt, and freshly cracked pepper to make the potato salad dressing. Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl, taste, and adjust the seasoning salt as needed. Remember to season the dressing well because the flavor will be muted once combined with the potatoes.
  5. In my potato salad dressing, I add Tony Chachere’s seasoning. If you don’t have access to this, any basic seasoning salt, such as Lawry’s, would suffice.
  6. While waiting for the potatoes and eggs to cook, finely dice 2 celery ribs and slice 2 green onions.
  7. Combine the cooled potatoes, diced celery, sliced green onion, and diced eggs in a large mixing dish.
  8. Pour the dressing over the items in the bowl and mix to incorporate and coat everything in the dressing. Mash the potatoes while you whisk to make the Southern-Style Potato Salad less lumpy.

Adjust the mustard or seasoning to your preference after tasting the Southern-Style Potato Salad.