The Best Soul Food Potato Salad - HalfPastHungry (2024)

Looking for the best soul food potato salad recipe? With tender potatoes and creamy dressing, this southern style recipe is the perfect addition to any BBQ, potluck or holiday gathering.

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From summer BBQs to holiday feasts, this soul food potato salad is a dish that never goes out of style. It's a creamy and crunchy southern-style potato salad recipe that’s perfectly seasoned, delicious and is the ultimate side dish for any occasion.

Made with tender potatoes, creamy dressing, and just the right amount of crunch from the onions and sweet relish, this recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Whether you're serving it as a side dish to compliment a BBQ spread or alongside a holiday meal, it will have everyone asking for seconds! You will most definitely find this classic potato salad recipe at many black family gatherings or any black cookout.

It's so easy-to-make and customizable to taste and you can whip up a batch in no time. So get ready to impress your guests with this timeless recipe that's sure to be a hit all year round. Trust me, this delicious and comforting side dish is an absolute must-have for your next gathering.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

There’s so many reasons to love this classic southern potato salad recipe. Here’s just a few:

1. Easy to make - Potato salad is a simple dish that requires only a handful of ingredients and can be prepared quickly and easily.
2. Perfect for BBQs and potlucks - Whether you're grilling up burgers and hot dogs or hosting a holiday dinner party, potato salad is the perfect side dish to complement any main course. It can be made ahead of time and transported easily making it the perfect side dish to bring to a potluck, family reunion BBQ.
3. Customizable to taste - Potato salad is an incredibly versatile dish that can be customized to suit a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. Whether you prefer a classic southern recipe or something with a modern twist, this potato salad recipe can fit everyone's needs.
4. A classic dish loved by many - this side dish is loved by people of all ages and backgrounds. It's a dish that is sure to be a crowd favorite at any gathering or celebration.
5. Nutritious and satisfying - Potatoes are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and potato salad is a delicious way to incorporate this nutritious vegetable into your diet. By using fresh ingredients for a homemade potato salad you can avoid any preservatives that might be lurking in a store bought potato salad, making it a healthier side option to any meal.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This creamy potato salad has only 7 main ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Vegetable Broth - boiling the potatoes in vegetable broth helps season the potatoes and adds flavor. You can also use chicken stock or salt water if you prefer.
• Potatoes - 4 large potatoes were used for this potato salad. Be careful not to over cook them or you’ll have mashed potatoes and not potato salad. You can opt to keep the potato skin on if you prefer for extra nutrients.
• Eggs - 3 hard-boiled large eggs is all you’ll need to add texture and extra creaminess to the salad.
• Mayo - whenever I’m making a recipe that calls for mayo, i like using primal kitchen avocado oil mayonnaise. Many black southern potato salad recipes also use miracle whip.
• Mustard - This helps to add flavor as well as a bit of color. I usually use regular yellow mustard in this classic recipe but Dijon mustard works as well.
• Sweet relish - most sweet pickle relish found in the grocery stores have added preservatives like high fructose corn syrup in them. Look for an organic relish at your local grocery store. Dill relish works great as well.
• White onions - diced small for added crunch. Yellow onion or sweet onions work well. You can also substitute onion powder if you prefer.
• Seasonings - garlic powder, paprika, sea salt and ground black pepper is used as potato salad seasonings to help give the dish flavor. You can also add in cayenne pepper to add small amounts of heat.
• Ganish - a sprinkle of paprika and chives were used for garnish. You can substitute green onions for the chives if you prefer.

How to Make the Soul Food Potato Salad

• Wash, peel and cube potatoes. Place the cut potatoes in a bowl of cool water as you cut them to prevent them from turning brown.
• Boil potatoes. Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and add vegetable broth (about 4 cups or just enough to cover potatoes) and place the pot over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cool the potatoes. Drain the cooked potatoes and let them cool for 20 - 25 minutes at room temperature. You can even place them in the fridge to help cool them down.

• Boil the Eggs. While potatoes are cooling, boil and peel the eggs. Once cool enough to handle, dice and place eggs into a large bowl.
• Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet relish, onions, garlic powder, paprika, salt and ground black pepper. Place the dressing in the fridge to cool until ready to use.

• Combine the ingredients. Add the cooled potatoes to the large bowl with the diced eggs and pour the dressing over top. Gently fold the potatoes and eggs into the dressing just until combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

• Garnish and serve. Place the potato salad in a large dish and garnish the top with paprika and chives if desired. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

What to Eat with Potato Salad

Its creamy texture and savory flavor makes this perfect potato salad versatile and a satisfying addition to any meal. I love to pair this potato salad with my BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich, as a side to this meatless collard green recipe or it goes great as a side by itself for a summer party or for the holidays.

How to Store the Southern Style Potato Salad

It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended as it may cause separation of the mayo-based dressing and eggs when thawed.

Cooking Tips

Here are a few cooking tips to help you make the best potato salad recipe:

1. Use the right potato. Yukon gold potatoes are known as the best potatoes since it is a waxier potato which is great for boiling. If you choose to use starchy potatoes, like regular russet potatoes, cut the potato into bigger cubes for boiling and allow the potato to cool completely before assembling the salad.
2. Add potatoes to cold water to cook. Adding potatoes to already boiling water will cause the potato starch to react as soon as it comes in contact with the hot water, which will promote uneven cooking .
3. Salt your water while the potatoes boi is optional. The potatoes will soak up the salt which will add some flavor / seasoning. I also like to boil the potatoes in vegetable broth which already has added salt and helps add flavor.
4. Cool your potatoes completely before assembling the salad. Run the potatoes under cold water after boiling. Once they cool down some you can put them in the refrigerator to help them continue to cool.
5. Small Batch Potato Salad. This recipe has about 10 servings, about 1 cup. If you’re looking to serve a larger crowd, you should double the recipe.

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