Dress Your Potato Salad With Dijon Mustard For An Added Blast Of Flavor

Potato salad is an all too familiar sight, not just at regular meals but also at potlucks, picnics, BBQ parties, and more. Given how often this dish makes its way onto the dining table, it's inevitable that it will get repetitive and a little dull over time. Luckily, there are copious quick fixes that will elevate your potato salad, and more often than not, you're just one ingredient away from a new and improved dish. For those who want a change impactful enough to elevate the flavors while still staying true to the salad's beloved essence, Dijon mustard is the answer.

Typically, potato salad uses regular yellow mustard as a base for the dressing alongside mayonnaise. Compared to these condiments, Dijon mustard is a step above in the flavoring department. It's sharper and bolder with a hint of spicy heat, adding a special zing to the salad. In place of the usual creamy, tangy mildness is a more vibrant, complex twist that coats the potatoes in a captivating burst of flavors. No need to worry about the salad being too intense or overwhelming the main courses, however. With just how soft and neutral the potatoes naturally are, the overall taste is already balanced out, so there's still room for extra company.

Dijon mustard can be added to mayo-based potato salads or used as a substitute for ones that use yellow mustard (like this classic Southern potato salad) following a 1:1 ratio. The specific amount varies from one recipe to another, but in general, a tablespoon or two should suffice. That said, don't be afraid to try other dressing variations with this exciting addition. If you're not a fan of mayo, to begin with, simply forgo it and use Greek yogurt instead. 

With both core ingredients swapped out, the salad is bound to taste slightly different but still adheres to its original creamy, tangy essence. Another way is to mix the mustard with wine vinegar for a punchy acidity emboldened by spicy sparks. The Dijon vinaigrette dressing is a terrific choice for when you want a lighter twist without making the salad overly bland or one-dimensional.

While Dijon mustard alone can transform the salad, adding a few extra ingredients can make it downright extraordinary. It doesn't have to be anything too elaborate or complicated. As evidenced by this creamy dill potato salad, sometimes a sprinkle of herbs does more than you think. The fragrant notes combined with the mustard's intensity make for an exhilarating taste, which is not something you can always say for potato salads. Don't underestimate the power of spices like cumin, paprika, or cayenne pepper, either. They highlight the mustard's fiery tone, making the overall flavor profile much more exciting and memorable.