The One Ingredient That Makes Creole Potato Salad Stand Out From The Rest

Though they're all made with love, the similarities between potato salads ends there. While some are made with a variety of potatoes, others are given their own special flair with herbs like thyme or dill. They all have their own characteristics, but none are quite as unique as Creole potato salad. Creole mustard, the ingredient that gives it an interesting spin, is what sets the dish apart from the others.

Creole mustard is the spiced condiment you need in your pantry, especially when it's time to whip up a batch of potato salad. There are a handful of ingredients that go into the dish, but Creole mustard is the most crucial component. The mustard is an extremely layered condiment — it's made with both brown and yellow mustard seeds, horseradish, and vinegar, giving it a zesty, fiery touch. The mustard is sweetened with something dark and rich like brown sugar or honey, then rounded out with a savory Creole seasoning containing paprika, oregano, garlic and onion powder, thyme, and basil.

The condiment is spicy, sweet, tangy, and all-around perfect for potato salad. The Creole version of the classic recipe still has all the makings of a traditional potato salad — celery, hard-boiled eggs, and green onions. But it's the Creole mustard mixed with the mayonnaise and vinegar that elevates all the ingredients with a resonant spice.

As the name suggests, Creole mustard is a dominant flavor in Creole potato salad. Both mustard and mayo are added in equal amounts, although you can opt to add in a dash of Creole seasoning to amp up the spice. It makes sense to add a larger amount of the mustard to Creole potato salad, but if you just want a small kick in other recipes, mixing a quarter or half the amount into mayonnaise works, too.

The mustard works especially well in creamy dill potato salad. The recipe already contains Dijon mustard, so Creole mustard comes in to prop up the spicy, tangy condiment with a savory, sweet take. The blend of herbs in the condiment is great for complementing the dill, too. Creole mustard makes for a delicious addition to bacon and egg ranch potato salad; the acidic, sweet sauce elevates smoky bacon while delivering a savory punch to the eggs and ranch.

To really give your potato salad a Louisiana taste, you can pair the Creole mustard with a few essential Cajun ingredients. Though Cajun and Creole cuisines are different, they share culinary similarities that are sure to improve upon any potato salad. Bring a hint of umami to the potato salad with Andouille sausage and some fermented black garlic. If making Creole mustard from scratch, sweeten it with rich sugar cane syrup rather than honey or molasses.