Southern-Style Potato Salad

It’s summertime which means holidays, cookouts, and backyard parties. The grills will be out and sides will be needed. Nothing completes a BBQ like southern style potato salad. Everyone has their own personal take on this cookout favorite. Some have added raisins, grapes, or even celery, but for me, I love a good classic. This is one easy and simple recipe, and honestly, I would not have it any other way. With fewer than 10 ingredients and no additional cook time after assembling, this dish can be whipped up in no time with ingredients that you probably already have on hand!

There has been much debate about the best potatoes to use for potato salad. I have experimented with many, but I prefer red potatoes. Red potatoes have a nice waxy skin and tend to hold their shape well when boiled. Be sure to boil your potatoes before peeling them. If you peel and cube the potatoes first, the potatoes may not hold their shape and you can end up with a grainy or mushy mess on your hands.

After boiling, if you decide to keep the skin on your potatoes, that is also fine. Once cooked, the skin is tender enough to eat and their bright red color adds a little flare to the dish. I would recommend at least peeling 1-2 small potatoes for mashing before cubing the remainder of the potatoes. Mashing a portion first gives the potato salad a bit of a creamy texture.   For the most part, I usually peel at least half of the potatoes used, if not all.

 

I always use Miracle Whip and not traditional mayonnaise for this dish. Simply put, that is the way my family has enjoyed this dish for years. And when something is working, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Miracle Whip adds a creamy and sweet flavor that keeps your guest going back for seconds. If you feel strongly about using mayo instead of miracle whip, I can’t say that it will be as delicious, but I would love to hear your experience in the comments section below!

 
This chilled side dish can hold its own next to even the most tender and seasoned of grilled meats but also serves as a great side on an all-veggie plate.  Trust me, you don’t want to show up to the next BBQ or cookout without this classic side. Enjoy!
Servings: 6 yield(s)
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients
    Main Ingredients
  • 1 lb red potatoes
  • 5 eggs (boiled and peeled )
  • 1/2 cup miracle whip
  • 1/4 cup sweet relish
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
    • Seasonings
  • paprika (for topping, optional )
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
  1. Over medium-high heat, boil whole unpeeled red potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes. When ready, potatoes should be tender enough to easily insert fork completely through. Remove from heat and drain.
  2. Let potatoes cool in a medium bowl filled with ice and water. Let sit for 5 minutes or until potatoes are cool to touch.
  3. Peel potatoes: while holding a potato with both hands, press down on the potato with your thumbs then move thumbs in an upward motion. The skin will then move away from the center of the potato. Rotate the potato and repeat this process until sufficient potato skin is removed
  4. Continue to peel potatoes until all potatoes are peeled to your preference.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, mash 1-2 of the smallest potatoes using a potato masher or large spoon.
  6. Cut the remaining potatoes into medium-sized cubes. Add to the large mixing bowl.
  7. Dice boiled eggs, then add to the mixing bowl with the cubed potatoes.
  8. Add miracle whip, relish, mustard, and sugar to the bowl. Stir.
  9. Salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Sprinkle with paprika, then cover. Allow to chill in fridge for 45 minutes to an hour. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes

Essential Tools:

Large mixing bowl

Medium mixing bowl

Medium sized pot

Large mixing spoon

Knife

Cutting board

Potato masher ( optional)

Measuring cup: ¼ cup,  ½ cup

Measuring spoon: ½ tsp.