Tangy, spicy, pickle-y and wow. This Southern potato salad recipe has it all. Potato salad with classic creaminess and crunch and a pop of big hot sauce flavor. Not only did we use a generous amount of hot sauce, but we kicked up the heat with fresh jalapeno, ground black pepper, and cayenne, too. Because some like it hot.
Spicy Hot Southern Potato Salad. Because some like it hot.
My hand quivered slightly as I held the bottle of hot sauce over the bowl of potato salad. A bead of sweat slowly dripped down my forehead. The kitchen was dead silent. All you could hear was the sound of my tummy growling.
My husband said "No, don't do it!"
I tilted my head in his direction, and I called his bluff. Hot Sauce is going in.
I may or may not have a tendency to get carried away in the kitchen. Sometimes, it works out.
Spicy Hot Southern Potato Salad worked out! Of course, I'm a big fan of hot sauce and could eat it on just about anything.
Ingredients Needed:
- Russet potatoes
- Boiled eggs
- Bacon
- Bell pepper
- Dill pickles
- Duke's mayo - I guess you can use your favorite, but there's something special about Duke's. (Not sponsored, just sayin'.)
- Sour cream
- Frank's RedHot Sauce
- Green onions
- Jalapeno - You can use fresh, canned, or pickled.
- Sugar
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
Deep down in my tummy, I knew that combining a classic Southern potato salad with a mild, vinegar based hot sauce would be mouth-watering. (Ever had a potato salad sandwich? Do it with this recipe!)
You totally control the heat level. We used a quarter of a cup, plus two tablespoons...plus we shook some more on top before serving.
Adjust this zippy potato salad recipe to suit your taste. I recommend using a mild hot sauce. We used Frank's original Red Hot. This recipe is about the flavor and the tanginess, with just a little heat.
How to Make Spicy Hot Potato Salad:
- In a large pot, cover the whole, unpeeled potatoes with cold water. Use enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Place the pot on the stove and heat over high heat until boiling. Cook until you can easily pierce a potato in the center with a knife. (If you overcook them, the potato salad will be mushy.)
- Drain and allow the potatoes to cool. Using a small paring knife, carefully peel them. (They will be very easy to peel.) Chop into cubes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, hot sauce, sugar and black pepper.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients, including the potatoes.
- Top with additional green onions and a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika for color if desired.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. Refrigerate left overs.
To make a creamy dressing for your potato salad, whisk together Duke's mayo, sour cream and hot sauce together until well combined. I added sour cream to balance out the heat from the hot sauce. That, and I love sour cream. 🙂
Stir in all of your favorite potato salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. We used dill pickles for this recipe. I thought it would pair well with the heat.
Hot Sauce Potato Salad recipe also has bacon (YES!), chopped hard-boiled eggs, sweet bell pepper, crunchy green onions and....
Jalapeno!
Sorry not sorry. A seeded and finely chopped jalapeno gives more bright green color and a peppery crunch. (No worries. Leaving the seeds out keeps the heat under control.)
Gently fold in your cooked and chopped white potatoes. You've got a recipe that will knock their socks off.
A big and bold flavor addition to a classic potato salad recipe. Serve this potato salad with chicken, pork, or your favorite main dish.
Love bold and spicy and recipes just a little different? See what you think about these:
BBQ Catfish
Smoked Baked Beans
Carolina Mustard Chicken Wings
Bacon Pimento Cheese Jalapeno Poppers
Sprinkle with additional green onions for color and crunch...and for fun, how about a dash of cayenne pepper.
Too hot? Paprika will work, too.
This recipe is easily doubled (tripled or quadrupled for a potluck or a crowd).
What is your favorite recipe using hot sauce? We would love to hear about your delicious recipes.
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Hot Southern Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes washed and scrubbed
- 2 hard boiled eggs chopped
- 2 pieces bacon cooked and chopped
- ½ cup bell pepper diced
- ½ cup dill pickles diced
- ⅓ cup Duke's mayo
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons of mild hot sauce
- ¼ cup green onions finely chopped (plus additional for garnish)
- 1 fresh or pickled jalapeno seeded and finely diced
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, cover the whole, unpeeled potatoes with cold water. Use enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Place the pot on the stove and heat over high heat until boiling. Cook until you can easily pierce a potato in the center with a knife. (If you overcook them, the potato salad will be mushy.)
- Drain and allow the potatoes to cool. Using a small paring knife, carefully peel them. (They will be very easy to peel.) Chop into cubes.
- While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, hot sauce, sugar and black pepper.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients, including the potatoes.
- Top with additional green onions and a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika for color if desired.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. Refrigerate left overs.
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