Take Your Potato Salad to the Next Level With This Secret Ingredient

Potato salad is a staple at my house for the fourth of July, and for every backyard barbecue, for that matter. While I know that my regular recipe is always a hit, this year I went looking for some cooking hacks that could help me take things up a notch. Luckily, I stumbled upon one totally unexpected and easy-to-add ingredient that gives this dish such a powerful boost in flavor — dill pickle relish.

Potato Salad With Dill Relish

This tip comes from the foodies over at Southern Living, and while it might sound strange, it’s well worth a try. Whether you stick with the basics when making your potato salad, mashing together some potatoes, eggs, and mayo, or you typically add texture with chopped onions, carrots, or celery, your dish is going to benefit from just a little bit of dill relish.

Most of us are familiar with sweet relish, especially when we’re grilling up hot dogs and cheeseburgers. Some of you might even add sweet relish to your potato salad. But dill pickle relish has a more tangy, savory taste that not only adds a bright, bold flavor, but also gives any creamy salad a satisfying crunch.

You’ll find dill relish by brands like Vlassic and Heinz in your regular grocery store, or you can purchase fresh dill relish from a local deli. I found that adding two tablespoons of dill relish to my usual recipe yielded some insanely flavorful results. How much relish you add to your potato salad will depend on your tastes and how much salad you’re making. With this in mind, try adding in one tablespoon at a time and tasting in between.

If you need more recipe inspiration, Southern Living has their own recipe for Dill Pickle Potato Salad, and you can also find a bunch of them online. Wherever your potato salad begins, just make sure it ends with dill relish, and you’ll be the host with the best eats this season. While you’re at it, check out some of our favorite summer salad recipes, here.