The Simple Mexican Addition That Instantly Upgrades Potato Salad

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If you're planning a picnic, barbecue, or burger night at home, it's just not the same without a bowl of potato salad. This is more than a starchy side dish — it's a tradition with creamy comfort in every bite. Some people add bacon grease while others make their potato salad more exciting with miso, chicken fat, or olive juice. But what if, after prepping your potatoes the way Julia Child taught, you want potato salad with a little more, well, edge? That's more than possible. In fact, it's downright easy. When you're making the potato salad, stir in a few drops of Mexican-style hot sauce for a zingy kick that complements (rather than overpowers) the creamy, tangy potato salad itself.

If you're trying this Mexican hot sauce trick, remember that these spicy sauces are diverse; the one you choose will impact the flavor of the dish in a big way. For instance, if you like the tang of traditional potato salad with mayo and onions, you can take that even further with a vinegar-based hot sauce like Cholula's original. On the other hand, if you want to add a touch of smokiness to the dish, consider using a chipotle-flavored sauce such as El Yucateco.

The reason hot sauce works so well in potato salad is the tang it brings which complements the richness of the potatoes while cutting through the often-heavy mayo with a kick of spice. While you can add the hot sauce in at different steps of the potato salad-making process, some cooks recommend tossing it in with the warm, freshly boiled potatoes to lock in the spicy flavor before the potatoes harden. You can also make a spicy, hot sauce-infused mayo that you subsequently mix with the potatoes for a touch of heat that's spread throughout the dish.

For additional Mexican-style flavor, add cooked sweet corn or black beans which turn your potato salad into a protein-rich dish. If you want to keep the Mexican motif going without turning potato salad into the main meal, consider making it into an appetizer as potato salad nacho dip. After making a bowl of potato salad with hot sauce, it's time to add toppings — salsa, lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños, or whatever else you like. Serve a bowl of this potato salad with plenty of tortilla chips and invite your guests to dig in for a delicious appetizer that combines two great dishes.