Award-winning Southern Potato Salad Recipe
This Award-winning Southern Potato Salad is a classic creamy and tangy dish perfect for picnics, barbecues, or any gathering. Featuring tender boiled potatoes, a zesty mayonnaise-based dressing with red wine vinegar, fresh herbs, and crisp vegetables, this recipe delivers a perfect balance of flavors and textures that develop even more after chilling.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Southern American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Potato Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup white onion, minced
- A pinch of salt
Potato Salad
- 4 large russet potatoes (for fluffy salad) or 5 large red potatoes (for cubed potato salad)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned then cut into thirds
- 1 cup julienned carrot sticks (or 2 carrots, julienned)
- 1 stalk celery, small diced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- ¼ cup fresh chives, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- Dash of celery seed
Instructions
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste. Stir in the minced white onion and chill the dressing while preparing the rest of the salad. The flavor improves as it rests.
- Prepare potatoes: Peel russet potatoes if using, or leave skins on red potatoes as preferred. Cut each potato into halves, then quarters, then slice into ½ inch cubes.
- Boil potatoes: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cubed potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes until fork tender. Drain well in a colander and rinse with cool water to cool them down.
- Marinate potatoes: Transfer the drained potatoes to a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Let them finish cooling and marinate while you prepare vegetables.
- Prepare vegetables: Julienne the red bell pepper and cut into thirds. Julienne carrots or use pre-cut from a bag. Dice celery finely. Mince parsley and chives. Combine all these vegetables and herbs in a bowl.
- Combine salad: Add the marinated potatoes to the bowl with vegetables. Pour the chilled dressing over all. Stir in mustard and a dash of celery seed. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Chill and serve: Cover and refrigerate the potato salad for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld. Garnish with additional minced parsley or chives just before serving.
Notes
- For best texture, use russet potatoes for fluffy salad, or red potatoes if you prefer skin on and cubed style.
- Potatoes can also be cooked using a steaming basket or pressure cooker to save time.
- Chilling the salad overnight enhances the flavor development.
- If you prefer a tangier salad, increase the red wine vinegar slightly.
- Use fresh herbs for optimal flavor; dried herbs will not provide the same freshness.
Keywords: potato salad, southern potato salad, creamy potato salad, picnic recipes, summer side dish
