Every Southern Belle takes great pride in her Southern Red Potato Salad, and I add only the best ingredients to mine such as Red Potatoes, real mayonnaise, yellow mustard, dill pickles, green bell peppers, Vidalia onions, crisp green celery, and hard-boiled eggs with a hint of chopped fresh parsley as a garnish, entirely budget-friendly for any gathering or occasion.
No matter where you head to in the Southern region of the good ole US, you can bet your bottom dollar one of the side dishes we may serve at a holiday gathering, dinners, potlucks, picnics, and any other gatherings is our Southern Potato Salad. You will run into many styles and varieties of this iconic recipe, however, you can also lay 10-1 we are all going to use three common ingredients, potatoes, eggs, and real Mayo.
The Southern culture is not the only culture that loves an excellent delicious potato salad as a side dish—so depending on who makes this yummy menu item will depend on the style and ingredients used in the mixture. My mom makes her Potato salad totally different than her sister my Aunt Carolyne. This is a slight spin-off of my aunt’s Southern Potato Salad and one of my favorites.
Types of Potato Salad:
Dairy-based potato salad- A potato salad very similar to mayonnaise-based, often the potato salads are bound with yogurt, cream or sour cream, or a combination of the ingredients listed.
Mayo-based potato salad- A creamy dressing is made by using mayonnaise and folded into the cooled, cooked potatoes often onions, herbs, and hard-boiled eggs are used in the salad.
German potato salad– A potato salad that is usually made with a vinegar base and bacon and is served warm.
Vinaigrette-based potato salad– The salad is made with an oil-and-vinegar dressing and often has other vegetables added, such as chopped sweet peppers and onions.
What’s your favorite style of Potato Salad?
Are you more the German-Style, Dairy-based, Mayo-based, or Vinaigrette-based potato salad lovers? Be sure to let me know in the comments what your favorite style of potato salad is, I love hearing from Y’all.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Red Potato Salad
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I prefer Miracle Whip over Mayo can that be used in place of Mayo? My answer is sure if you prefer something else over Mayo use it. The recipe will have a slightly different outcome from mine, but you might enjoy it more.
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I prefer Sweet Pickles over dill can they be used in place of the juice and pickles? Absolutely my mom uses them in her Southern Potato Salad and has all her life. You can also use bread and butter pickles if you prefer.
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I only have yellow onions on hand can I use them instead of the sweet onions? Yes! You sure can. I actually love the flavor of yellow onions in potato salad.
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Do I have to add the Cajun seasoning? I’m not big into spicy items. No, you can use Paprica like my mom or seasoned salt like my Aunt Carolyne if you prefer.
Southern Red Potato Salad
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Ten small red potatoes, scrubbed
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3/4 of a cup mayonnaise +more if needed
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One tablespoon of yellow mustard
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One tablespoon of dill pickles juice
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Kosher salt to taste
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One teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper
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One celery stalk, diced
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1/4 cup red bell pepper
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1/4 of cup diced green jalapeno peppers or green bell pepper
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One medium Vidalia onion, diced
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Six crunchy baby dill pickles sliced
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Three hard-boiled eggs, chopped
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Cajun seasoning or paprika to garnish
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freshly chopped parsley for garnish, optional
How to make Southern Red Potato Salad
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Place the red potatoes that have been scrubbed, and cut into large chunks in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water about 1 inch over the top, add kosher salt to the water to season the red potatoes as they are cooking.
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Bring the water in the pan to a boil over medium-high heat, cook the red potatoes till they are fork tender yet firm, about 15-18 minutes.
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Drain the red potatoes, and place in an ice bath if desired to cool quickly.
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In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, dill pickle juice, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, celery, jalapeno peppers or green bell peppers, Vidalia onions, baby dill pickles, and eggs. Mix ingredients until joined. Add the red potatoes and stir until lightly coated with sauce and ingredients.
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Garnish with paprika or Cajun seasoning and fresh chopped parsley if desired.
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Refrigerate 3 hours or more before serving.
Southern Red Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 10 small red potatoes cleaned and cut in bite-sized pieces
- ¾ cup mayonnaise + more if needed
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 6 baby dill pickles sliced or diced
- 1 small Vidalia onion diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- ¼ cup green jalapeno peppers or green bell pepper diced
- 3 large hardboiled eggs diced
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- Cajun seasoning or paprika to taste
- 3 tablespoons Fresh parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Place the red potatoes that have been scrubbed, and cut into large chunks in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water about 1 inch over the top, add kosher salt to the water to season the red potatoes as they are cooking.
- Bring the water in the pan to a boil over medium-high heat, cook the red potatoes till they are fork tender yet firm, about 15-18 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, dill pickle juice, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, celery, jalapeno peppers or green bell peppers, Vidalia onions, baby dill pickles, and eggs. Mix ingredients until joined. Add the red potatoes and stir until lightly coated with sauce and ingredients.
- Garnish with paprika or Cajun seasoning and fresh chopped parsley if desired.
- Refrigerate 3 hours or more before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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© Heidy L. McCallum and The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch, 2022-2013 unauthorized use and duplication of content/ material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner are strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Heidy L. McCallum and The McCallum’s Shamrock Patch with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Am really liking all your southern recipes and am loving this food.
You really made my day.
Thank you so much
Your recipe caught my eye because of the pic. I don’t usually comment on a recipe before I’ve tried it, but after reading what you and; the others had written, I had to add my 2 cents. You’re so right about specific recipes that, especially in the south, are our “go-to and; don’t share” recipes. In my family, we have particular recipes that it’s ok to use Miracle Whip and others that you wouldn’t dare use anything other than Mayo.
My Potato Salad is very similar to yours, and I just wanted to say I’m sure it’s delicious! I’m a bread and; butter pickles person, so those go in all my recipes that call for pickles. I add that I didn’t see where anyone else mentioned adding it is…diced tomatoes. My Mom had 9 Aunts just on her Mom’s side, and she was one of 14 kids, so I have a boatload of Aunts, and each thought their recipes were the best…lol.
Between my Granny, Great Aunts, Aunts, and over 30 1st cousins, that’s many recipes!! I took the best recipes from my family members. “Doctored” up the ones I needed to and now have my own “secret recipes.” And now I’m putting mine and theirs in a recipe book to pass down to my grandchildren and other family members. All this rattling I’m doing is to say thank you!! Only 1 of my Mommas’ sisters and one brother are all that’s left of a fantastic family that I was blessed to be born into, and reading your post brought back some great memories!! I’ll check out your other recipes and promise to try them before I post…lol.
Thank you again so much!!
Hey there Ms. Patty, and thank you for taking the time to share. I loved reading about your family and your method. I might have to try tomatoes in it just once just to see how I like it! I am always willing to try anything once! I think it’s so wonderful you have all those recipes to try out from the family! Those are always the very best ones! Great talking to you, and you have a wonderful day!
Tastes very similar to my Kentucky Mama’s, only difference, she used Miracle Whip, Morton Seasoning salt and celery seed. I can remember her making it by the washtubfuls for the big family reunions. Excellent Heidy!!!
Thank you so much, Daisy! My mom makes her’s similar to yours, but for some reason, I just cannot take the Miracle Whip. However, I do like it in Deviled eggs and maybe one or two items. Thanks for sharing!
This Southern Red Potato Salad was so delicious and easy to make! Definitely making it again soon.
Thank you, Sonia! I appreciate you letting me know.
Such an amazing salad! Southern Red Potato Salad is so good and easy to make!
Thank you, we love this salad and make it all year around.
Such a fantastic Southern Red Potato Salad! Thank you for sharing the recipe! We enjoyed it the other day with dinner.
Thank you, Toni! Enjoy!!!
I love Southern Red Potato Salad. I haven’t made it for the longest time until making yours. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hey there, Erica, so thrilled you enjoyed the salad.
I love some red potato salad. This recipe for Southern Red Potato Salad was super delicious tasting and so comforting.
Thank you, Danni—I ate a little too much the other day lol!!!
This was really yummy! I always love trying new variations of potato salad. I am ‘pinning’ and look forward to making it again soon! ~Blessings~
Thank you, Rebecca, I sure appreciate you dropping by and pinning the recipe.