Gumbo + Potato Salad: A scoop of tradition (and some recipes)

In Louisiana there’s a hotly debated tradition that started long ago, down the bayou in Cajun country: putting potato salad in a bowl of gumbo. (But don’t worry, the rice doesn’t have to go anywhere! Two starches can be better than one, cher.)

The rules of potato salad in gumbo:

Across Louisiana we solidly agree on our love of gumbo, but we’re divided on this important matter of potato salad. Some of us want only rice in our gumbo, with maybe some potato salad on the side. Some want only potato salad in their gumbo. And some want both – if it’s done right! Everyone has their own way, but here is ours, and we’re sticking to it:

1. The potato salad has to be cold.

Gumbo is served piping hot and very peppery and spicy, so the trick is to scoop a little bit of the cold potato salad on your spoon first, and then spoon up the hot gumbo on top of it and eat it all in the same bite. The cold potato salad and spicy hot gumbo together create a sensation that’s as Louisiana as Mardi Gras and Jazz.

2. The creamier, the better.

You don’t put just any potato salad in gumbo. It has to be super creamy and “low profile” – with either small pieces of potato or mashed potato, and any seasoning veggies must be chopped small.

3. It has to be mustard based.

There’s some kind of je ne said quoi sensation when that cold, mustardy potato salad hits the hot, peppery gumbo. You kind of have to be there for it, so let’s get cooking!

4. There are no rules.

When all’s said and done, people will do it their way. They’ll put the potato salad in the bowl but at the very edge. Or they’ll drop it in the center of the gumbo. Or they’ll keep it in a separate side dish but still do the double dip thing. What’s important is to savor and enjoy two Southern culinary masterpieces whenever you can: Southern Potato Salad and Louisiana Gumbo. As they say down bayou in Cajun country, ca c’est bon.

Potato Salad recipes that are just right for gumbo:

When it comes to hot gumbo, nothing beats a side (or a spoonful) of potato salad. From our classic Southern Potato Salad to crispy, golden Potato Salad Croquettes made for dunking right in the bowl, these potato salad recipes are gumbo’s perfect partner. However you scoop it, Blue Plate Mayonnaise makes every bite rich, creamy and full of South Louisiana flavor. That’s the good stuff!

Southern Potato Salad

Every Southern family has a potato salad recipe – each one different but always delicious. A secret of potato salad: both potatoes and eggs need salt to bring out their flavor. Don’t overdo it, but don’t under-salt it, either.

Potato Salad Croquettes

Louisiana native Jolie Meaux of Porch Wine and Gravy created a new tradition with these Potato Salad Croquettes. Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, they’re a perfect topping for a hot bowl of gumbo.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

Coarse-grain mustard, boiled egg, dill and red onion are the popular potato salad ingredients that make this simple recipe a classic. It’s perfect for gumbo!

Crab Boil Potato Salad

Game day can only get better with this potato salad on offer. It tastes just like the potato salad that Maw-maw makes with potatoes from a springtime seafood boil – spicy, zesty and unapologetically full of classic Louisiana flavor. Plus, Blue Plate Mayonnaise makes it extra rich ‘n creamy.