Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Boil and cool the potatoes
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add peeled, cubed Yukon gold potatoes; boil until fork-tender, about 15 minutes (keep the water at a steady boil). Drain the potatoes and let them cool until no longer steaming.
Mix the potato salad base
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled potatoes with chopped hard-boiled eggs, finely diced celery, finely diced onion, and sweet pickle relish.
Make the Southern-style dressing
- Stir together mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined.
- Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and fold gently until everything is coated and the egg pieces stay visible.
Chill and garnish
- Refrigerate the potato salad for at least 3 hours or overnight so the flavors meld (keep it covered in the fridge).
- Before serving, garnish with a light sprinkle of paprika for color.
Notes
Pro tip: cool the potatoes completely before mixing so the mayo dressing doesn’t loosen. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3–4 days; for best texture, stir once after chilling. Freezing is not recommended for creamy mayo-based salad. For a lighter option, use half mayonnaise and half plain Greek yogurt (reduce mayo to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt).