Big Daddy's Potato Salad

Potato salad is one of those dishes that you can find at just about any gathering. Usually made without nuts, wheat, dairy, or meat it’s safe for lots of different diets and has become a staple dish at potlucks and BBQs across the US.

This hearty side dish is also super easy to prepare which means it’s been one of my go-to potluck dishes for many years. But, it wasn’t until I came across a new way to make this dish that my potato salad game really went up a level.

Big Daddy's Potato Salad

This recipe has an unforgettable name that comes from chef, Aaron McCargo Jr., host of his cooking show Big Daddy’s House. He’s known for his bold flavors and this potato salad- named of course “Big Daddy’s Potato Salad” – is no exception! It’s piquant yet fresh- the perfect combo for a dish like this one.

You might wonder if there’s any new way to make this dish, as most of us will have tried many recipes for this picnic/potluck stand-by. While there aren’t a ton of differences between this recipe and how I usually make it there are a few additions that make this salad something special.

Big Daddy's Potato Salad

The dressing for this potato salad is a mix of dijon mustard and mayonnaise, which sounds standard enough. But, this recipe also calls for some chopped, pickled jalapeño in the mix. These are the same kind you would use for nachos so they aren’t super spicy- just spicy enough.

You only need 2 or 3 for the whole recipe and they add just the right level of pickly spice to each bite. If you can only find sliced pickled jalapeños then you’ll to have eyeball 2 or 3 peppers’ worth of slices.

Big Daddy's Potato Salad

The other thing that makes this dish taste so darn good is the addition of some raw shallots. These small alliums pack a huge amount of flavor for their size.

This dish is so fresh and crisp, truly an upgrade in my opinion. But, it’s not just me! I brought this to a potluck recently and everyone raved over it.

Big Daddy's Potato Salad

I made a double batch and there were no leftovers. Now that’s really how I measure a successful dish and this one passed the test with flying colors! Big Daddy was really on to something with this one.