Every good cookout needs a bowl of homemade potato salad, especially when burgers are coming off the grill! This version has my favorite texture: equal parts chunky and mashy. Half of the potatoes are lightly mashed while the rest stay in tender bite-sized pieces.

The dressing is mostly yellow mustard with just enough mayonnaise to make it creamy. Sweet pickles, red onion, celery, paprika and black pepper give it that classic Southern cookout flavor without making it overly sweet or heavy.

It’s an easy side dish to make ahead because the flavor gets even better after a few hours in the refrigerator. Serve it with burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken or anything else you’re grilling for Labor Day!

Yield: 8–10 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 3 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in. chunks
• 1/2 c. yellow mustard
• 1/4 c. mayonnaise, plus more if desired
• 1/3 c. finely chopped sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish
• 2 Tbsp. sweet pickle juice
• 1/3 c. finely chopped red onion
• 1/3 c. finely chopped celery
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped, optional
• 1 tsp. paprika, plus more for serving
• 1 tsp. salt, plus more for the cooking water
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. celery seed

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, generously salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 12–15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain well and let them cool for about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer half of the warm potatoes to a large bowl. Mash them until thick and slightly lumpy. Fold in the remaining potato chunks.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, pickle juice, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and celery seed.
4. Add the dressing, sweet pickles, red onion, celery and optional eggs to the potatoes. Gently fold everything together without breaking up all the potato chunks.
5. Taste and add another spoonful of mayonnaise if you prefer it creamier. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
6. Sprinkle with additional paprika and black pepper before serving.

Mayonnaise options: Use just 2 Tbsp. for an extra-mustardy potato salad, 1/4 c. for balanced creaminess or up to 1/3 c. for a creamier version.