As a lifelong gumbo-with-rice-eater, I was skeptical about potato-salad topped version to say the least. And let me just say, I was just as surprised as you to find (and hesitant to admit), that the potato salad folks are actually onto something.
With generations of family from Mobile, Alabama, I grew up on my grandmother’s seafood gumbo which is always served over fluffy white rice. I never even knew of the potato salad on gumbo world out there until recent years—and when I was enlightened, I was baffled. I immediately thought “now that’s just wrong” . . . but oh boy was I proven wrong once I tried it.
The Potato Salad-Topped Gumbo That Changed My Mind
Y’all, it has been over three months since I first tried the creamy combo and I’m STILL thinking about the delicious bowl from Wing Mouth in Jackson, Mississippi, that opened my eyes to the world of potato salad on gumbo. And if you’re thinking “Gumbo at a wing restaurant?”, it was their special that day. And hear me when I say, I know my gumbo and it did not disappoint—rice vs. potato salad debate aside.
When ordering my chicken and sausage gumbo from the walk-up window, the owner asked me rice or potato salad? (A question I’d never really been faced with before.) I stuck to my ways and opted for rice, but my friend went for the potato salad—which of course meant I had to try a bite to see what the fuss was all about. One taste and I was team potato salad. I remember thinking, “Oh my lawd, that is so good. Why am I just now trying this?”
The cool potato salad adds a creamy and almost melty element to the hot dish. It’s the perfect and surprising harmony of hot and cold that hits just right texturally in your mouth. Needless to say, I went back for a second bowl WITH potato salad.
Dotdash Meredith
Rice Vs. Potato Salad Debate
This is an age-old topic that Southerners are quite passionate about—not too unlike the sweet vs. savory cornbread debate—however, this one is rooted in key regional differences. For most households across the South, rice is the classic companion. It’s a neutral base that absorbs the rich flavors of the gumbo. Not to mention it’s also inexpensive, easy to make, and is a key ingredient to many Southern staples.
On the other hand, you’ll find that potato salad is the go-to accompaniment (whether on top of the gumbo or on the side) in Cajun cuisine, particularly in parts of South Louisiana. Its creamy texture is a welcome contrast to the flavor-packed and often spicy gumbo. It also offers a cooling effect and brings a tangy flavor that adds depth to the dish.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
My Takeaway
There are countless ways to make gumbo—seafood, chicken, sausage, or a combination—and that also includes what you serve it with, rice or potato salad, which is often tied to regional differences. Now, I’m not going to claim one way is “better” than the other, but I’ve certainly changed my opinion on potato salad with gumbo.
Will I always be putting a scoop on my gumbo from here on out? Absolutely not. But am I a fan now? You bet! The only thing I’ll add is that when it comes to seafood gumbo—especially my grandma’s recipe—I think I’ll stick with rice.
So how do you take your gumbo? And would you try it with potato salad?
