Easy Southern Potato Salad with Relish

Finding a crowd-pleasing side dish for your next BBQ or potluck can feel like an impossible task. After all, you want something that tastes homemade and comforting, but you don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, and it needs to hold up well at room temperature when you’re eating outside.

Luckily, this southern potato salad with relish hits all the right notes: it’s creamy and full of flavor, comes together in under an hour, and gets better as it sits in the fridge. The sweet relish adds a nice crunch that sets it apart from your typical potato salad.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

For Southern potato salad, you’ll want to reach for waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or red potatoes instead of russets. These varieties hold their shape better after boiling and won’t turn into mush when you mix everything together. Yukon Golds are my personal favorite because they have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture that works perfectly in potato salad. If you can only find russets at the store, they’ll work in a pinch, but just be extra gentle when mixing so your salad doesn’t turn into mashed potatoes. Make sure to cut your potatoes into similar-sized chunks so they cook evenly – nobody wants some pieces that are falling apart while others are still hard in the middle.

Options for Substitutions

This classic potato salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Potatoes: Russet, Yukon gold, or red potatoes all work great here. Red potatoes hold their shape better and give you a creamier texture, while russets are more traditional and break down a bit more.
• Mayonnaise: You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream for half the mayo if you want a tangier, lighter version. Just know it’ll change the flavor profile a bit.
• Relish: Sweet or dill relish both work depending on your taste preference. You can also chop up some pickles yourself if you don’t have relish on hand – about 3-4 pickles should do it.
• Mustard: Yellow mustard is traditional, but Dijon or whole grain mustard can add a nice kick. Start with less if using Dijon since it’s stronger.
• Eggs: The eggs are pretty important for that classic creamy texture and flavor, so I’d recommend keeping them in the recipe.
• Celery: If you’re not a celery fan, try diced bell pepper or red onion for that crunch factor instead.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with potato salad is overcooking the potatoes, which turns them into mush when you try to mix everything together – you want them tender enough to pierce with a fork but still firm enough to hold their shape when chopped.

Another common error is adding the mayonnaise while the potatoes are still hot, which can cause the mayo to separate and create an oily, unappetizing texture, so let your potatoes cool for at least 15 minutes before mixing.

Don’t forget to season your potato cooking water generously with salt, as this is your main opportunity to flavor the potatoes from the inside out rather than just coating them with seasoning at the end.

For the best flavor, make your potato salad at least an hour before serving so the ingredients have time to meld together, and always taste and adjust your seasonings right before serving since flavors can dull when chilled.

What to Serve With Potato Salad?

Southern potato salad is a cookout staple that pairs perfectly with just about any grilled meat you can think of. I love serving it alongside BBQ chicken, ribs, or burgers hot off the grill – the creamy, tangy flavors really complement smoky grilled foods. It’s also great with fried chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, or even simple hot dogs for a casual backyard meal. Don’t forget to round out your plate with some coleslaw, baked beans, or corn on the cob for a complete summer spread.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: Keep your potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Since it has mayo and eggs, you’ll want to make sure it stays cold the whole time. I always make this the day before a cookout so the flavors have time to blend together.

Serve: This salad tastes best when it’s nice and cold, so pull it out of the fridge about 10 minutes before serving and give it a good stir. If it seems a bit dry after sitting, you can mix in a tablespoon or two of mayo to freshen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1100
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 90-105 g

Ingredients

• 5 potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for a classic creamy taste)
• 1/2 celery stalk (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup relish (I use Mt. Olive sweet relish for better crunch)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 3 tbsp mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Step 1: Start the Potatoes and Eggs Simultaneously

• 5 potatoes
• 4 eggs
• salt to taste

Bring two separate pots of salted water to a boil.

In one pot, add the cubed potatoes and boil for 15 minutes until fork-tender but not falling apart.

In the other pot, gently lower the eggs and boil for 10-12 minutes.

While these cook, you’ll have time for prep work.

Once the potatoes are done, drain them thoroughly and set aside.

For the eggs, transfer them to a bowl of hot water and let them stand for 2-3 minutes to cool slightly, which makes them easier to peel cleanly.

Step 2: Prepare the Remaining Ingredients

• 1/2 celery stalk
• 1 garlic clove

While the potatoes and eggs are cooking, finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces and mince the garlic clove.

I like to mince the garlic extra fine so it distributes evenly throughout the salad without overpowering bites.

Have the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion powder, salt, and black pepper measured and ready to go.

This mise en place keeps the assembly quick and ensures nothing gets forgotten.

Step 3: Peel and Chop the Cooled Eggs

• cooled boiled eggs from Step 1

Once the eggs have cooled slightly in the hot water, peel them under cool running water for easier removal of the shell.

Chop the peeled eggs into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Try not to break the yolks too much—you want some texture variation in the finished salad.

Step 4: Combine and Season the Salad

• cooked potatoes from Step 1
• chopped eggs from Step 3
• celery from Step 2
• garlic from Step 2
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup relish
• 3 tbsp mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm potatoes from Step 1, chopped eggs from Step 3, diced celery, minced garlic, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and onion powder.

Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the creamy dressing coats all the potatoes and vegetables evenly.

Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

I prefer to add a bit more mustard than the recipe calls for—it gives a tangy depth that balances the richness of the mayo beautifully.

Step 5: Serve Warm

Serve the potato salad while still warm, which allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully.

The warmth of the potatoes helps the creamy dressing coat everything evenly and creates a better overall texture.

If you prefer it chilled, refrigerate until serving, though I find it tastes best when served warm or at room temperature.

Easy Southern Potato Salad with Relish

Delicious Easy Southern Potato Salad with Relish recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 7 servings

Calories: 1000

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 5 potatoes (peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for a classic creamy taste)
• 1/2 celery stalk (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup relish (I use Mt. Olive sweet relish for better crunch)
• 1 garlic clove (minced)
• 3 tbsp mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Bring two separate pots of salted water to a boil. In one pot, add the cubed potatoes and boil for 15 minutes until fork-tender but not falling apart. In the other pot, gently lower the eggs and boil for 10-12 minutes. While these cook, you'll have time for prep work. Once the potatoes are done, drain them thoroughly and set aside. For the eggs, transfer them to a bowl of hot water and let them stand for 2-3 minutes to cool slightly, which makes them easier to peel cleanly.
2. While the potatoes and eggs are cooking, finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces and mince the garlic clove. I like to mince the garlic extra fine so it distributes evenly throughout the salad without overpowering bites. Have the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion powder, salt, and black pepper measured and ready to go. This mise en place keeps the assembly quick and ensures nothing gets forgotten.
3. Once the eggs have cooled slightly in the hot water, peel them under cool running water for easier removal of the shell. Chop the peeled eggs into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Try not to break the yolks too much—you want some texture variation in the finished salad.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm potatoes from Step 1, chopped eggs from Step 3, diced celery, minced garlic, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and onion powder. Fold everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the creamy dressing coats all the potatoes and vegetables evenly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. I prefer to add a bit more mustard than the recipe calls for—it gives a tangy depth that balances the richness of the mayo beautifully.
5. Serve the potato salad while still warm, which allows all the flavors to meld together beautifully. The warmth of the potatoes helps the creamy dressing coat everything evenly and creates a better overall texture. If you prefer it chilled, refrigerate until serving, though I find it tastes best when served warm or at room temperature.