Creamy Southern Potato Salad with Celery

If you ask me, a good potato salad is one of those dishes you can always count on.

This Southern-style potato salad has all the creamy, tangy goodness you want at a cookout or potluck. Tender potatoes and hard-boiled eggs mix with crunchy celery and a bit of red onion for texture.

It’s dressed with plenty of mayo, mustard, and sweet relish for that classic taste everyone recognizes. The simple seasoning of salt and pepper lets all those flavors shine through.

It’s a side dish that works for just about any occasion, from backyard barbecues to Sunday suppers.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

For Southern potato salad, you’ll want to reach for waxy potatoes like red potatoes or Yukon Golds rather than russets. These varieties hold their shape better after boiling and won’t turn mushy or fall apart when you mix them with the dressing. Red potatoes are a classic choice and give you that traditional look with their thin skin that you can leave on if you prefer. Yukon Golds are also great because they have a naturally buttery flavor that adds a little something extra to your salad. Whatever you choose, just make sure to cut them into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.

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: If you’re looking for a lighter option, you can replace half the mayo with Greek yogurt or sour cream. For a tangier taste, try using all Greek yogurt, but keep in mind it’ll change the flavor profile a bit.
• Mustard: Yellow mustard is standard, but Dijon or whole grain mustard can add a nice twist. Start with a smaller amount if using Dijon since it’s stronger.
• Relish: Sweet or dill relish both work depending on your preference. You can also chop up fresh pickles instead – use about 1/2 cup of diced pickles to replace the relish.
• Eggs: You can reduce the eggs to 5 or 6 if you prefer less egg in your salad, but they really do add creaminess and are pretty important to the traditional taste and texture.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with potato salad is adding the dressing while the potatoes are still hot, which causes the mayonnaise to break down and turn runny – always let your potatoes cool completely to room temperature first.

Overcooking the potatoes is another common issue that leads to mushy, falling-apart pieces instead of tender cubes that hold their shape, so test them with a fork at the 12-minute mark and drain immediately when they’re just fork-tender.

When it comes to the eggs, placing them straight into ice water after the 20-minute standing time makes peeling much easier and prevents that gray-green ring from forming around the yolk.

Finally, don’t skip seasoning your potatoes with a little salt right after draining – they’ll absorb the flavor better while they’re still warm, giving you a more flavorful salad overall.

What to Serve With Potato Salad?

Potato salad is a classic side dish that goes perfectly with just about any cookout or picnic meal. I love serving it alongside grilled burgers, hot dogs, or BBQ chicken – basically anything you’d throw on the grill during summer. It also pairs really well with fried chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, or even a simple plate of ribs. If you’re putting together a spread, add some baked beans, coleslaw, or corn on the cob to round out the meal and keep everyone happy.

Storage Instructions

Store: 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 mine the night before a cookout so the flavors have time to meld together.

Serve: Always serve potato salad cold, straight from the fridge. If you’re taking it to a picnic or potluck, pack it in a cooler with ice packs to keep it safe. Don’t leave it sitting out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, especially on hot days.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2000-2200
• Protein: 55-65 g
• Fat: 115-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 220-240 g

Ingredients

For the base:

• 2.25 lb potatoes (peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes)
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion

For the dressing:

• 1.25 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the creamiest texture)
• 1.5 tsp mustard (I use French’s for that classic tang)
• 5 tbsp relish
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Step 1: Start the Eggs and Potatoes Cooking

• 8 eggs
• 2.25 lb potatoes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the eggs.

Once the water returns to a boil, remove from heat, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes—this gentle method gives you perfectly cooked eggs with creamy yolks and no gray ring.

While the eggs are cooking, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil, add the cubed potatoes, and simmer for 15 minutes until just tender but not falling apart.

Once done, drain the potatoes and spread them on a sheet pan to cool faster.

Step 2: Prepare the Vegetables and Eggs

• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• cooled eggs from Step 1

While the potatoes and eggs cool, finely dice the celery and red onion—keeping them uniform in size ensures even distribution throughout the salad.

Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle, peel them under cool running water and chop them into bite-sized pieces.

I like to peel the eggs while they’re still slightly warm, as the shell comes off much more easily.

Step 3: Build the Dressing

• 1.25 cups mayonnaise
• 1.5 tsp mustard
• 5 tbsp relish
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and relish, whisking them together until smooth and well blended.

This creates your flavor base and ensures the seasonings are evenly distributed before you add the vegetables.

Add the salt and black pepper to taste—I like to season conservatively at first and adjust after everything is combined, since the potatoes will absorb some of the flavor as it sits.

Step 4: Combine and Finish the Salad

• cooled potatoes from Step 1
• chopped eggs from Step 2
• diced celery from Step 2
• diced red onion from Step 2
• dressing mixture from Step 3

Add the cooled potatoes from Step 1, chopped eggs from Step 2, diced celery, and diced red onion to the dressing.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until the potatoes and eggs are evenly coated, being careful not to break them apart.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.

Creamy Southern Potato Salad with Celery

Delicious Creamy Southern Potato Salad with Celery recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 57 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 2100 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the base::

• 2.25 lb potatoes (peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes)
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion

For the dressing::

• 1.25 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the creamiest texture)
• 1.5 tsp mustard (I use French's for that classic tang)
• 5 tbsp relish
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the eggs. Once the water returns to a boil, remove from heat, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit for 20 minutes—this gentle method gives you perfectly cooked eggs with creamy yolks and no gray ring. While the eggs are cooking, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil, add the cubed potatoes, and simmer for 15 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Once done, drain the potatoes and spread them on a sheet pan to cool faster.
• While the potatoes and eggs cool, finely dice the celery and red onion—keeping them uniform in size ensures even distribution throughout the salad. Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle, peel them under cool running water and chop them into bite-sized pieces. I like to peel the eggs while they're still slightly warm, as the shell comes off much more easily.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and relish, whisking them together until smooth and well blended. This creates your flavor base and ensures the seasonings are evenly distributed before you add the vegetables. Add the salt and black pepper to taste—I like to season conservatively at first and adjust after everything is combined, since the potatoes will absorb some of the flavor as it sits.
• Add the cooled potatoes from Step 1, chopped eggs from Step 2, diced celery, and diced red onion to the dressing. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until the potatoes and eggs are evenly coated, being careful not to break them apart. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.