Creamy Southern Potato Salad

Name: Creamy Southern Potato Salad
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 41 min
Total time: 1 h 26 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 2 tbsp (18 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for the potato cooking water; 2 tbsp (30 ml) distilled white vinegar; 1 tsp (3 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for sprinkling on the warm potatoes; 6 whole (300 g) large eggs, cold, straight from the fridge; 4 cups (480 g) ice cubes, for the ice bath, covered with cold water in a bowl; 2 large ribs (about 1 cup) (120 g) celery ribs, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); ¼ cup (40 g) sweet or red onion, very finely diced; ¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise; 2 tbsp (30 g) yellow mustard; ¼ cup (60 g) sweet pickle relish, drained of excess liquid; 1 tsp (3 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) paprika, for garnish

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped hard-boiled eggs, crunchy celery and sweet pickle relish in a tangy mayonnaise-mustard dressing. Seasoning the warm potatoes with vinegar and salt is the secret to a potato salad that tastes flavorful all the way through.

Prep: 45 min
Cook: 41 min
Wait: 2 hr 5 min
Total: 3 hr 31 min
Makes: About 8 cups (8 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

3 lb (1360 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
2 tbsp (18 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for the potato cooking water
2 tbsp (30 ml) distilled white vinegar
1 tsp (3 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for sprinkling on the warm potatoes
6 whole (300 g) large eggs, cold, straight from the fridge
4 cups (480 g) ice cubes, for the ice bath, covered with cold water in a bowl
2 large ribs (about 1 cup) (120 g) celery ribs, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
¼ cup (40 g) sweet or red onion, very finely diced
For the dressing
¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 g) yellow mustard
¼ cup (60 g) sweet pickle relish, drained of excess liquid
1 tsp (3 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) paprika, for garnish

Equipment (8)

Large pot (5–6 quart / 5–6 L)
Medium saucepan with lid (2–3 quart / 2–3 L)
Large colander
Rimmed baking sheet (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
Large mixing bowl (4–5 quart / 4–5 L), plus a second bowl for the ice bath
Cutting board and sharp knife
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Instant-read thermometer (to confirm the chilled salad is 40°F / 4°C or colder)

Steps

Before you start

Plan on about 3½ hours from start to serving: about 90 minutes of cooking and cooling, plus at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Salt amounts here are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1 tsp ≈ 3 g). If you use Morton kosher salt or table salt, use about half as much of each salt measurement.
Cut the potatoes into even ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes so they all cook at the same rate.
The potatoes need 40–45 minutes to cool fully; the egg and chopping steps fill that time. If they are still warm when you finish chopping, spread them on the baking sheet and refrigerate 10 minutes.
Choose a mayonnaise you love; it is the main flavor of the dressing.

1
Cut the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into even ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes.
- Drop the cubes into the large pot as you go, then add about 3 quarts (3 L) cold water, enough to cover them by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Stir in the 2 tbsp salt for the cooking water.
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Ready when: Cubes are roughly the same size and fully submerged.
Tip: Starting in cold, salted water lets the potatoes cook evenly from outside to center.
2
Boil potatoes
- Set the pot over high heat, uncovered, and bring to a boil (about 10 minutes).
- Reduce to medium so the water bubbles gently, then cook 10–12 minutes, until a cube is easily pierced with a fork but still holds its shape.
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Ready when: A fork slides in with slight resistance and the cubes have not started to crumble at the edges.
Tip: Do not boil hard or overcook; mushy potatoes turn the salad pasty.
3
Drain and season warm
- Drain the potatoes in the colander and let them steam dry for 1 minute.
- Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle with the 2 tbsp vinegar and sprinkle with the 1 tsp salt for the potatoes.
- Gently toss, then leave to cool while you cook the eggs.
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Ready when: Potatoes look dry on the surface and have absorbed the vinegar.
Tip: Warm potatoes absorb seasoning far better than cold ones.
4
Cook and chill eggs
- Put the eggs in the saucepan in one layer and cover with cold water by 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat (about 8 minutes), then turn off the heat, cover, and let sit 11 minutes.
- Meanwhile fill a bowl with the ice and cold water.
- Transfer the eggs to the ice bath for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Yolks are fully set and pale yellow, not wet or chalky-green, when you cut one open.
Tip: The ice bath stops the cooking and makes the eggs easier to peel.
5
Chop eggs and vegetables
- Finely dice the celery into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and very finely dice the onion.
- Peel the eggs under cool running water.
- Slice 1 egg into rounds for garnish and coarsely chop the other 5 into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
- Touch the potatoes; if they still feel warm, refrigerate the baking sheet 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Potatoes have cooled for 40–45 minutes in total and feel at room temperature or cooler, not warm.
Tip: Folding warm potatoes into mayonnaise can make the dressing turn oily, so make sure they are cool.
6
Mix the dressing
- In the large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, drained pickle relish, the 1 tsp dressing salt, and the pepper until smooth and evenly colored.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, evenly pale yellow, and has no streaks of mustard.
7
Fold it together
- Add the cooled potatoes, celery, onion, and the 5 chopped eggs to the dressing.
- Fold gently with a rubber spatula, scraping from the bottom, about 20 folds.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
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Ready when: Potatoes are coated in dressing; a few cubes may break down slightly, which makes it creamy.
Tip: Fold, don't stir vigorously, or the potatoes will turn to mash.
8
Chill to blend
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, so the flavors meld and the salad firms up.
- Keep the egg slices covered in the fridge too.
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Ready when: An instant-read thermometer in the center of the salad reads 40°F (4°C) or colder.
Tip: The potatoes soak up dressing as they chill, so the salad will look drier than when you mixed it.
9
Adjust and garnish
- Stir the salad and taste.
- Add a pinch of salt, pepper, or a spoonful of mayonnaise if it seems dry or flat.
- Top with the egg slices and dust with the paprika.
- Serve cold.
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Ready when: Salad is creamy, well seasoned, and holds together on a spoon.

Good to know

Tips

Salt the cooking water well; potatoes cooked in unsalted water taste flat no matter how much dressing you add.
Sprinkling vinegar and salt on warm potatoes adds tang and seasons them deeply.
Drain the relish well so the dressing doesn't turn watery.
Taste again after chilling; cold dulls flavors, so it often needs an extra pinch of salt.

Make ahead

Make the salad up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the sliced egg and paprika just before serving. Boiled potatoes and eggs can also be cooked and refrigerated separately a day ahead.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Do not leave out at room temperature more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C). Not recommended for freezing, as the potatoes turn watery and the mayonnaise separates. Serve cold; no reheating.

Substitutions

Yukon Gold potatoes → Red potatoes or russet potatoes. Red potatoes hold their shape better; russets give a softer, creamier, more broken-down salad.
sweet pickle relish → Finely chopped dill pickles plus 1 tsp sugar. Gives a similar tang and sweetness; use dill relish for a less sweet salad.
mayonnaise → ½ cup mayonnaise plus ¼ cup sour cream. Slightly tangier and lighter.
sweet or red onion → Thinly sliced scallions (green onions). Milder onion flavor.