Juneteenth Soul Food Potato Salad (Printable View)

Southern-style potato salad with pickles, mustard and a creamy dressing—ready in about 40 minutes for gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 lbs (900 g) Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
03 - 4 stalks celery, diced
04 - 1 cup dill pickles, diced
05 - 1/4 cup fresh scallions or chives, sliced

→ Dressing

06 - 2/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 2 tbsp yellow mustard
08 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
09 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
12 - 1/2 tsp onion powder
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Add-Ins (Optional)

14 - 3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
15 - 2 tbsp sweet relish

# How To Make It:

01 - Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold, salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 10–12 minutes, or until fork-tender but not mushy. Drain and let cool for 10 minutes.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
03 - Add cooled potatoes, red onion, celery, pickles, scallions, and hard-boiled eggs (if using) to the bowl. Gently fold until all ingredients are well-coated in the dressing.
04 - Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. For a sweeter note, add sweet relish if desired.
05 - Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Garnish with extra sliced scallions or a sprinkle of paprika before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that perfectly creamy consistency without the salad ever becoming heavy or bland.
  • The mix of tangy pickles, bold mustard, and tender potatoes keeps everyone coming back for seconds (especially at reunions).
02 -
  • Never skip cooling the potatoes before folding them in—adding them hot can turn everything gummy and ruin the texture.
  • Letting the salad chill at least one hour transforms all the flavors, so patience really does pay off here.
03 -
  • Use a mix of yellow and Dijon mustard for deeper flavor—even if you’re tempted to pick just one.
  • Resist overmixing; gentle folds keep the potatoes from breaking and the salad looking inviting.
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