Ready to bring a little flair to that typical “vanilla” potato salad? JalapeƱo peppers bring a medium heat to the side, adding a lively pop to your lunch or BBQ meal. It’s a family-friendly spiciness, so the whole family can enjoy. A few dashes of Tabasco hot sauce, along with brown mustard and ground cumin, also add to the spiciness. But if you want it even hotter, try substituting those jalapeƱos for serrano peppers. They’re a step up in heat (10,000 to 23,000 Scoville heat units compared to 2,500 to 8,000 SHU) with a similar flavor profile.
š¶ļø Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Tangy and mustard-forward, with cumin warmth underneath and green jalapeƱo running through it |
| Primary heat source | Two jalapeƱos, seeds out, plus a tablespoon of Tabasco in the dressing |
| Heat level | Mild. Deseeded jalapeƱos across six servings is a family-table heat, which is the point |
| Texture | Chunky. Red potatoes keep their shape, celery and onion keep some crunch |
| Best uses | BBQ plates, cookouts, and next to a sandwich |
| Customization ideas | Seeds left in, more Tabasco, serranos instead, or sour cream for part of the mayo |
Flavor notes
Look at the dressing. Three tablespoons of brown mustard against a quarter cup of mayo is nearly even, and most potato salads are nowhere close to that. It comes out sharper and lighter than the deli tub youāre picturing.
The jalapeƱos go in deseeded, and thatās where most of a jalapeƱoās heat sits ā in the white pith the seeds hang off. Two of them across six servings, minus the pith, is a mild salad. The Tabasco is what keeps it from being tame.
Red potatoes with the skins left on are the right call. Theyāre waxy, so they hold their shape when you stir everything together instead of collapsing into mush. And donāt skip the two hours in the fridge. Straight from the bowl it tastes like potatoes and dressing. After a couple of hours it tastes like potato salad.
Adaptation ideas
- Leave the seeds in: The free way up. Same two peppers, no extra ingredients, considerably more heat.
- More Tabasco: Itās already in the dressing, so itās the easiest dial in the recipe. Go a teaspoon at a time.
- Serranos instead: Covered up top. If you want the full picture on that swap, hereās serrano vs. jalapeƱo side by side.
- Add pickled jalapeƱos: A spoonful of chopped pickled jalapeƱos alongside the fresh ones. More tang, and it suits a mustard-heavy dressing.
- Swap some of the mayo: Sour cream or Greek yogurt for half of it. Lighter, and a little more sour against the mustard.
- Make it a day ahead: Two hours is the minimum. Overnight is better.
Serving ideas
- At a BBQ: What it was built for. Burgers, ribs, chicken, anything off the grill.
- With jalapeƱo cornbread: Two jalapeƱo sides on one plate is not too many.
- Next to a sandwich: The mustard means it holds up beside deli meat rather than disappearing into it.
- On a picnic spread: With sriracha deviled eggs and spicy cowboy beans, though see the storage note about leaving it out.
- Straight from the fridge at midnight: Cold, sharp, and better on day two anyway.
Storage notes
Keep it covered in the fridge and use it inside three or four days. Thereās mayonnaise and hard boiled egg in here, so this isnāt a salad to push your luck with.
Itās better on day two, which makes it a good thing to build the night before a cookout. The mustard and cumin settle in, the onion loses its raw edge, and it stops tasting like separate ingredients in a bowl.
The one to watch is the table, not the fridge. Mayo-based salads shouldnāt sit out more than a couple of hours, and in real summer heat make that one. Put the bowl on ice if itās going to be out a while, or bring half and keep the rest cold. Freezing is out entirely ā mayo splits on thawing and thereās no fixing it.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Spicy Cornbread: A great pairing with this jalapeƱo potato salad.
- Sriracha Deviled Eggs: The rooster sauce adds a tasty mild heat and garlic undertone to classic deviled eggs.
- Spicy Cowboy Beans: Sure, a great BBQ side, but don’t overlook these beans as a breakfast twist.
50 easy ways to put jalapeños to work — appetizers, meals, salsas and dips, snacks, even fiery drinks. Perfect for a garden glut or a fridge full of extras.
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JalapeƱo Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 red potatoes chopped
- 2 jalapeƱo peppers seeds removed and chopped
- 2 hard boiled eggs chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, cover the potatoes in water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for approximately 10 minutes (or until the potatoes are tender).
- Drain the potatoes and allow them to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, mayonnaise, Tabasco hot sauce, and cumin.
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, jalapeƱos, eggs, onion, and celery. Then pour the mayonnaise/mustard on top, and toss/stir the potato mix to coat completely.
- For best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving.
