Plain Potato Salad is always served with gumbo at our house. We like it that way. There is nothing fancy or extra in there to mask or take away from the taste of the food it's served with, especially our gumbo.
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Plain Potato Salad Ingredients
I started making this simple salad after I first married my husband, Steve, a Mississippi man. I discovered he didn't like junk in his food. That's what he called anything crunchy. He said he didn't like his food to crunch. So I guess you could also call it a Clean Potato Salad since it doesn't contain any junk, according to him.
Since then, I have made this virtuous Plain Potato Salad with eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. That's it! No onions, no pickles, no crunch! Although my husband's tastes have changed over the years (eating more junk in his diet), our potato salad has not. The whole family now prefers it in its unadorned state.
We even like it served alongside different meat entrees, especially grilled or barbecued.
For an extra zip when needed, try adding Simple Cajun Aioli : The Spicy Garlic Mayo Sauce in place of the mayonnaise and mustard. It's delicious!
In With The Gumbo
Many gumbo eaters, especially Cajuns, prefer their potato salad right in their bowl of gumbo. If you need more testimony of this behavior, check out this post from TigerDroppings.com. There is no sense in dirtying another dish or having to dip your spoon into several plates before it hits your mouth!
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Plain Potato Salad
A simple potato salad of potatoes, eggs, mayo, mustard, and seasoning is all that's needed to compliment your best entrees, like gumbo.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of red potatoes, quartered with skins left on
- 4 large fresh eggs
- .75 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon regular prepared mustard
- .75 teaspoon sea salt
- .5 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to about two inches over potatoes.
- Boil until potatoes are almost tender.
- Add eggs to the pot near the end of boiling time to allow them to cook for 8 minutes with potatoes.
- When potatoes are tender drain them and the eggs.
- Let potatoes and eggs cool to touch then peel eggs and dice eggs and potatoes into bite-size pieces.
- Add mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper stirring lightly as to not mash the potatoes.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until later.
Notes
- I, like many gumbo eaters, add the potato salad directly into my bowl of gumbo. I like the taste, and it saves on dishwashing!
- After preparing, the potato salad should be served at room temperature. This will ensure a fresh taste and not cool the gumbo when added to the bowl.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Boiled
- Cuisine: American
If you are in need of good gumbo recipes, I can hook you up here with Chicken Gumbo, Simply Classic Cajun, Seafood Gumbo, Goose Gumbo, or Shrimp Okra Gumbo. And while you're at it, I'll show you how to make a never-fail pot of rice at Everyday Rice Every Day to go with your Plain Potato Salad.
"Become a worry-slapper. Treat frets like mosquitoes. Do you procrastinate when a bloodsucking bug lights on your skin? 'I'll take care of it in a moment.' Of course you don't! You give the critter the slap it deserves. Be equally decisive with anxiety."
Max Lucado.
birdrouge says
When I lived in Mississippi, just after I moved out of your in-laws house (what a surprise that was when I found out), a Mississippi friend introduced me to pickles that she made from yellow, overgrown cucumbers. I couldn't believe that the recipe called for cucumbers we used to cull but, boy, does it make the best potato salad!
Louisiana Woman says
It sure is a small world. Thought about that when I was writing about their home in Mississippi. Did not know that about those pickles. I think I'd like them.
emily says
The best keep-it-simple tater salad recipe! Great as is, and a perfect base for getting creative. This dish was a staple at my mother-in-law's house. Took on a somewhat rainbow appearance at Easter gatherings :). Some favorite variations included:
*Minced white onion, celery, and celery salt
*Deviled egg-style
*Minced yellow onion and sweet gherkins
*Minced Vidalia onion, hot dill pickles, and a heap of dill herb (my personal favorite!)
If you're hesitant about trying this recipe, rest assured it will be a hit. Rarely any chance of leftovers. And if you think it looks too plain, add your own touch! It's hard to go wrong! (Well, almost... we had to pass on my daughter's idea of a s'mores tater salad) Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Louisiana Woman says
Thank you, Emily! Thanks for the favorite variations. So glad you like it and i find your daughter's s'mores tater salad idea most interesting, ha!