If Your Pasta Salad Isn't Packed With Flavor, Reach For This Sandwich Condiment

A simple pasta salad typically starts with either mayonnaise or a vinaigrette base. Mayo is bland but rich, so it's easy to build on. To contrast that rich, fatty flavor without the extra work of juicing lemons or measuring vinegar to taste, just add a spoonful of relish.

Relish is a tangy, vinegar-based condiment that usually makes an appearance on hot dogs, but there are plenty of other creative ways to use it — such as on pasta salad. It's essentially pickled cucumbers, though some brands like Heinz also incorporate cabbage. The two punchy ingredients that add flavor are vinegar and salt, both of which offer great contrast to the fat in mayonnaise. You can grab a jar at the store, or if you have any mushy pickles, make an easy version at home. Your pasta salad shouldn't necessarily only contain relish and mayonnaise, but if you add in those extra ingredients you love and find that it's still missing something, tangy relish might be exactly what it needs. It's best to fold in just a small amount at first, then taste the pasta salad to make sure the condiment doesn't overpower the rest of the dish.

Pasta salad can have as many or as few ingredients as you want, but it all needs to come together nicely. It's all about balance, so too much vinegar or salt will throw the profile off. If you're using classic relish, be cautious about adding other vinegar-heavy ingredients such as pickled red onions or bold, flavorful capers (both of which are usually soaked in vinegar).

While cucumber relish is the most common relish type, there are other relishes that could work well in a pasta salad, too, such as hot pepper relish. Hot pepper relish is a spicy, tangy version often made with a combination of hot peppers and onions, giving this condiment a serious bite. You can balance it with other salty, fatty ingredients besides just mayonnaise, such as chopped salami or crispy prosciutto. Even something like fresh mozzarella balls would help balance the spice. The type of relish you use is up to you, but keep in mind that a little of this condiment goes a long way, and you should only incorporate it if the other ingredients in the pasta salad allow it.