Familiar Tex Mex ingredients can be found in this delicious Tex Mex Potato Salad. Doesn’t it just scream summer? Prepared with baby potatoes, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and a mayonnaise and sour cream-based sauce, this potato salad is sure to be a hit!

TEX MEX POTATO SALAD

I’m back with another potato salad recipe! Why? The better question is why not!? Everyone loves potato salad, don’t they? In our home, we eat them regularly and throughout the year, not just in summertime. But, this Tex Mex Potato Salad is one potato salad that is made for summer.

It’s loaded with familiar tex mex ingredients, including cheese! Yes, Dear Reader, I’m living on the edge today. I’m letting my hair down and telling you that potato salad with cheese is not only okay, it’s amazing! So, with all of that said, if you’re looking for a new potato salad recipe, or just a change from your regular go-to recipe, this is it! You’re going to love this one!

Familiar Tex Mex ingredients can be found in this delicious Tex Mex Potato Salad. Doesn't it just scream summer? Prepared with baby potatoes, black beans, corn, bell peppers, and a mayonnaise and sour cream-based sauce, this potato salad is sure to be a hit! #texmex #mexican #potatosalad #salad #summer #potluck #potato #tex #mex

WHAT IS TEX MEX?

We see the words ‘tex mex’ quite often in grocery stores. It’s a very common word combination on cheese products. And, I think that oftentimes, we associate the phrase with dishes such as tacos, nachos, or burritos. But, it’s more than that.

Tex-Mex cuisine, which is a combination of the words Texan and Mexican, is an American and Texan cuisine that derives from the culinary creations of the Tejano people of Texas. It first came into existence when settlers began moving into what is now Texas and encountered Mexican culture. As more Americans settled in the area, Mexican food became more and more popular, and they began adding their own twists.

So, how does one determine if the food they are about to consume is Tex Mex or not? It’s easy! All you have to do is to take a closer look at the ingredients. Cheese is a great place to start. One of the definite marks of Tex Mex is the use of yellow or orange cheese. In authentic Mexican dishes, it’s hard to find any cheese being used that isn’t white.

The next characteristic of Tex Mex food is one particular spice. Mexican food commonly uses chili peppers, Mexican oregano, and cilantro, to name just a few. Most Tex Mex dishes will use cumin. And, this Tex Mex Potato Salad has just that!

HERE’S WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Potatoes – I used a mix of white and red baby potatoes. Once they were boiled, drained, and cooled, I cut them in half. You can use regular potatoes, just be sure to cut them into bite size pieces. Also, it’s up to you if you want to leave the skin on or not.
Corn – I love corn in potato salad!
Black Beans – I can’t think of anything Tex Mex without black beans!
Bell Peppers – Use red and green to get not only a really good flavour, but also lots of bright colour.
Garlic – Fresh garlic is a must for this dish!
Grainy Mustard – Mustard is not commonly found in Tex Mex recipes, but the grainy mustard works very well in this potato salad in spite of that.
Mayonnaise and Sour Cream – You can use one of these or half and half, like I did. I love the creaminess and saltiness of mayo in potato salad, but I love the sour tanginess of sour cream too, so I used both.
Cheese – The best cheese for this salad is cotija. It’s a crumbly Mexican cheese. If you can’t find it, parmesan will do just fine.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper, of course! Lots of ground black pepper. And, cumin too. I forgot to include it in the photo, but I added 1/2 teaspoon to the salad.
Parsley/Cilantro – I used parsley in my salad, because I do not like cilantro. If you like the taste of cilantro, I would highly recommend you use it instead to get a more authentic Tex Mex flavour.

HOW TO MAKE TEX MEX POTATO SALAD

Start by boiling the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain and allow potatoes to fully cool. While the potatoes are cooling, drain and rinse both the corn and black beans. Set them aside while you wash and finely chop the green and red bell peppers.

Next, measure the following ingredients into a bowl: mayonnaise, sour cream, grainy mustard, salt, ground black pepper, and cumin. Whisk to combine and set aside.

Once the potatoes are fully cooled, cut them into bite-sized pieces and place them into a mixing bowl. Add the corn, black beans, and bell peppers to the bowl as well. Roughly chop the cilantro or parsley and add that to the bowl as well. Lastly, add the cheese.

Pour the sauce mixture into the bowl and toss with the other ingredients until well mixed and combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. Leftover potato salad will keep for three days. Keep covered and refrigerated.

MAKE IT A MEAL!

Remember when I said that we love potato salad? I wasn’t kidding! Even though in true Newfoundland fashion, it is common to serve more than one type of potato salad in the same meal, I don’t think you need it in this one. However, I would never be able to turn down my Pickled Beet Potato Salad, or my Mustard Potato Salad! For this meal, why don’t we try to stick to things that would pair well with a Tex Mex theme?

I would gladly serve this potato salad with these Mexican Dry Rub Chicken Skewers. They have all of the classic Mexican flavours you are familiar with. My Mexican Couscous Salad would pair very well with it too. And, for dessert, I would serve these Spiced Chocolate Shortbread Buttons along with some really good vanilla ice cream. Yes, I know the button cookies are Christmas-themed, but they would be perfect to complete this meal!

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