This Southern red potato salad recipe is loaded with hard boiled eggs, crunchy celery, and zesty red onions. Tossed in a creamy mayo-dill dressing with tangy vinegar and served chilled, it’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for hot summer days!
Why I Love This Recipe
Growing up in Louisiana, my mom always made this creamy red potato salad for all our summer gatherings. I can still picture my mom carefully mixing the ingredients, ensuring each bite was packed with flavor and texture. The combination of tender red potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, crunchy celery, and tangy onions, in a creamy, dill-infused sauce, transports me right back!
- Creamy and Tangy: The easy homemade mayo-dill dressing, with a hearty splash of vinegar, creates the perfect balance for this potato salad.
- Quick and Easy: Made with simple ingredients in just 20 minutes, this is a fail-proof side dish that only needs to be boiled, mixed, and tossed.
- Perfect for Potlucks: Since it’s served chilled, you can easily make this salad the day before. It’s a refreshing and hearty bite that pairs well with a variety of main dishes!
Looking for more easy, make-ahead potluck side dishes? Try my easy broccoli salad with crispy bacon, creamy Mexican corn salad, or this refreshing cucumber salad.
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this perfectly creamy red potato salad recipe with egg. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Red Potatoes: I do not peel my red potatoes, just rinse them and dice them up into bite sized cubes. Feel free to use any waxy potatoes with a thin skin, like golden potatoes. I do not recommend using starchy russet potatoes.
- Eggs: Use our favorite Instant Pot hard boiled eggs method or try boiling your eggs in the same pot as the potatoes.
- Mayonnaise: I prefer full-fat mayo, over low-fat versions, to create a super creamy dressing. I do not recommend using miracle whip. If you prefer, you can replace half of the mayo with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
- Mustard: I used traditional yellow mustard because it is what my mom always used. Feel free to use Dijon mustard instead!
- Fresh Dill: I always use fresh dill as it adds a light and herbaceous flavor that can’t be beat. However, in a pinch, you can use 1 teaspoon dried dill instead.
- Celery Salt: Celery salt is great for many dishes as it’s mild in flavor, but still adds a little something. If you don’t have it on hand, feel free to swap it for garlic salt or onion salt.
How To Make Red Potato Salad
Using leftover, pre-cooked potatoes like my roasted baby potatoes will reduce the cooking time. You can also save time by purchasing hard boiled and already peeled eggs at the grocery store. Scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for full detailed instructions.
- Boil the potatoes: Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pot with water and salt. Cook until fork-tender, then drain and rinse with cold water. Add them to a large bowl with the eggs, green onions, red onion, celery, and relish. Gently toss to combine, you want the potatoes to hold their shape.
- Add the dressing: Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a separate bowl until smooth. Pour over the potato mixture and again, gently toss to combine.
- Chill and serve: Add paprika and more dill on top, for garnish if desired. Serve immediately if you enjoy your potato salad warm or at room temperature. To serve chilled, cover and refrigerate for two hours.
Cook’s Tips & Variations
- Watch the potatoes: Don’t forget to keep checking the potatoes as they boil, draining them as soon as they are fork-tender. Over-cooking them will lead to a very soft, almost mashed potato-like texture.
- Make it spicy: Mix 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 2 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dressing for a bit of heat. Another great spicy addition is a tablespoon of horseradish!
- Adjust the consistency: The salad may thicken over time as it chills and the potatoes absorb the dressing. To thin it out again, I stir in 1 tablespoon mayo at a time until I reached the perfect creaminess.
- More crunch: Stir 1/4-1/2 cup crumbled bacon or corn for extra texture.
What to Serve with Red Potato Salad
This Southern potato salad recipe is an easy veggie side dish perfect for summer cookouts and gatherings. Here are a few main dish ideas to serve alongside it:
- Pork: My easy crockpot pulled pork can be prepared ahead and travels great in the crockpot if needed!
- Hot Dogs: Serve up some grilled or air fryer hot dogs! Go the extra mile with a batch of hot dog chili, or make these easy baked chili dogs to feed a crowd!
- Beef: Add your steak to this skirt steak marinade and toss it on the grill when your guests arrive.
- Chicken: I always make a batch of shredded crockpot bbq chicken, it’s so easy with just 4 ingredients!
Yield: 8 servings
Southern Red Potato Salad
This Southern Red Potato Salad recipe with hard boiled eggs tossed in a creamy and tangy mayo-dill dressing is an easy make-ahead side dish!
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes, or golden potatoes, quartered
- 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- ¾ cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup died red onion, or shallot for a milder flavor
- 1 cup chopped celery
- ½ cup dill pickle relish, or sweet relish, if you prefer it sweeter
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, plus more for garnish (or 1 teaspoon dried dill)
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoons celery salt
- 3 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Smoked paprika, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the potatoes and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large pot and cover the potatoes with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overcook the potatoes, you want them to hold their shape. (If you haven't already cooked your eggs, you can boil the eggs in the same pot as the potatoes!)
- Drain the potatoes, rinse with cool water, and transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs, green onions, red onion, celery and relish and gently toss to mix everything together.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine the mayonnaise, mustard, dill, vinegar, celery salt, remaining teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add the dressing mixture to the potatoes and stir gently until everything is coated.
- Sprinkle paprika and fresh dill on the top, if desired. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 24 hours before serving.
Notes
Store: Cover and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. The salad may thicken over time as the potatoes absorb the dressing. To thin it out again, I stir in 1 tablespoon mayo at a time until I reached the perfect creaminess.
Mayonnaise: I prefer full-fat mayo, over low-fat versions, to create a super creamy dressing. I do not recommend using miracle whip. If you prefer, you can replace half of the mayo with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
Celery Salt: Celery salt is mild in flavor, but still adds a little something. If you don’t have it on hand, feel free to swap it for garlic salt or onion salt.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 368kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 1615mg, Potassium: 913mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 312IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 2mg
