Cajun Potato Salad

Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

A cajun potato salad made southern style with eggs, sweet relish and cajun seasoning. Perfect to pair with gumbo!

Potato salad is thought to have first been introduced to the US by the early European settlers. We have everything from the very bulky German potato salad, where the use of small waxy potatoes are left whole to the Southern US version where it’s almost like mashed potatoes, to everything in between! I think each family has their own cherished recipe that they will swear by.

Potato salad is one of those dishes that is so versatile, you can almost add anything and it still be good. This Cajun Potato is a great base to start with.

cajun potato salad with hardboiled eggs in a pan

Why you’ll love this cajun potato salad recipe:

  • This particular potato salad recipe is my favorite by far. It’s a good mix of all things good from the other versions.
  • It is a soft potato salad so it has a creaminess, yet it’s not quite mashed potato.
  • The added mini sweet peppers are so delicious and add a really prominent sweet taste that I just love – as do my kids.
  • Vinegar is typically used to add a good flavor, however I prefer to use sweet relish for that same astringent flavor.
  • The sauce is mayo based with a touch of mustard for a pop of flavor.
  • Use as much cajun seasoning as you’d like to get the spice level and kick you’d like.
cajun potato salad on a wooden spoon

What potatoes are the best for potato salad?

That is a great question and it really depends on what texture you’d like your potato salad to be in the end. We traditionally use Russet potatoes because the end result is a soft potato salad with great flavor. Be careful mixing this though because they will easily mash.

You can use red potatoes which will hold their shape better, but the potato salad won’t be as soft. Red and Yukon gold potatoes are waxier so are firmer after cooking.

How to Make Cajun Potato Salad

  • Peel the potatoes and place into a large pot over medium-high heat for boiling, along with the eggs and salt. If you’d like, you can cube the potatoes before boiling to make them cook faster.
  • Cover with enough water to boil for 30 minutes. 8 minutes after the water has come to a boil remove the eggs and put straight into cold water (this will help them to peel easier). Continue to boil the potatoes until fork tender (approximately 25-30 minutes).
  • Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool.
  • Finely chop the celery, green onions and sweet peppers.
  • Peel and chop the eggs, then mix with the vegetables in a large bowl.
  • Chop the potatoes into 1 inch cubes then mix all together with the vegetables.
  • Add the mayonnaise, sweet relish, mustard and Cajun seasoning and stir well.

Do you have to use cajun seasoning?

No. You can use whatever type of seasoning you’d like in the potato salad mixture, even simply salt and pepper. But if you want great flavor, add as much cajun seasoning as you’d like.

Can you use dill pickles instead of sweet relish?

Definitely. You won’t have as much sweetness to your potato salad, but dill pickles or dill pickle relish gives that tangy taste that is so good in potato salad.

cajun potato salad on a plate
about tastes of lizzy t

What to Serve with Cajun Potato Salad

This potato salad would be great with BBQ, as well as Gumbo, crab boil or other seafood dishes, but being a potato dish it can pretty much be served with almost anything. Try with a few of our favorites:

close up of cajun potato salad
close up of cajun potato salad

Cajun Potato Salad

4.88 from 8 votes
A cajun potato salad made southern style with eggs, sweet relish and cajun seasoning. Perfect to pair with gumbo!
Servings 12
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Email Me This Recipe!
Enter your email and get the recipe sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week.

Ingredients
 

  • 8 large Russet potatoes
  • 1 large stalk of celery
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 3 mini sweet peppers (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1-½ cups mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon sweet relish
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning (or more for additional spicy flavor)
  • fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Peel the potatoes and place into a pot for boiling, along with the eggs and salt.*
  • Cover with enough water to boil for 30 minutes.
  • 8 minutes after the water has come to a boil remove the eggs and put straight into ice cold water (this will help them to peel easier).
  • Continue to boil the potatoes until fork tender (approximately 25-30 minutes).
  • Remove from water and allow to cool.
  • Finely chop the celery, green onions and sweet peppers.
  • Peel and chop the eggs, then mix with the vegetables.
  • Once the potatoes are cool, chop them into chunks then mix all together with the vegetables.
  • Add the mayonnaise, sweet relish, mustard and Cajun seasoning and mix well. Top with fresh parsley if you'd like.
  • Serve with gumbo or your favorite picnic foods.

Notes

The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 12, with 1 serving being 1/12 of the potato salad. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 671mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 540IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 356
Keyword comfort food, potato recipe, southern recipe

Other Potato Recipes

Find a new potato recipe to love:

About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

Get 5 Classic Recipes with a Deliciously Secret Twist

You might also like

Join the Discussion

Subscribe
Notify of

4 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Carla
1 year ago

Who is the question you may not have heard before: Is there a potato salad for people who cannot eat hard food like raw celery or pickles? (think kids that have had the wisdom teeth out, or seniors who don’t have dentures – and even some who do but don’t like getting hard stuff under their dentures!) I am wondering if the hard vegetables were sautéed until limp in a bit of grapeseed oil or olive oil if that would as it were make potato salad accessible to more people? And for those of us who are hard boiled egg… Read more »

Angela
1 year ago

Hi, I was wondering how much dry pasta I would use for each potato as I love the sound of this recipe except I’m a renal patient and cannot have a lot of potassium. Could you add a jerk, salami and chai seasoning recipe in your seasonings section too? Thank you.