Easy Homemade Deli Potato Salad

This Deli Potato Salad is one of those summer dishes that is filling without heating you up. A traditional potato salad recipe that goes great with grilled meats, sandwiches, and salad buffet meals, it’s a great after-anything kind of snack.

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Once upon a time, our local grocery store deli served the best potato salad. Tangy, but not too sweet. And hubs and I both devoured it. For years I tried a variety of other deli potato salads, hoping to find that old favorite from my memory. And I always came up short.

Well, until I was able to conjure it up on my own.

I discovered a beautiful trick to add just the right amount of sweet tanginess without tasting too sweet. You know what I mean? The trick?

Rice vinegar.

Sweet yet slightly acidic, rice vinegar adds a little zip to salads without breaking into a sweet. Perfect for summertime!

I use rice vinegar quite often in Asian-inspired dishes like Summer Rolls or Potsticker Dipping Sauce. But now that I know I can use it in other dishes, I’m wondering if there are no limits!

Ingredients in this deli potato salad recipe:

This recipe is a traditional potato salad but you might like our twist on this recipe with my Loaded Potato Salad Recipe!

• Potatoes – We use russet potatoes but Yukon gold potatoes is another great option.  You want to peel and cube them.
• Mayo – This is what makes it a very American-style traditional potato salad recipe. 
• Spices – We use lots of spices in this recipe to give this potato salad lots of flavor. We used a combination of salt, paprika, celery seed, dill, and paprika.
• Garlic – One clove of fresh garlic that’s minced. 
• Rice vinegar – As mentioned above it’s my secret ingredient to make this one tasty potato salad. 
• Celery – I love adding fresh celery. It gives it a good crunch!
• Red onion – Chopped up red onion for a little heat. 

How to make this traditional potato salad recipe 

• Boil the potatoes – In a large stockpot full of salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil.Boil the potatoes until they are tender.
• Make the dressing – Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, dill, salt, mustard, paprika, black pepper, celery seed, and garlic. Whisk until smooth.
• Assemble the potato salad. Drain the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the rice vinegar over the hot potatoes. Add the red onion, celery, and mayonnaise sauce to the bowl. Fold gently to combine the ingredients. Cool slightly at room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator. Adjust the seasonings before serving.

Do I need to cut the potatoes up before boiling?

I recommend it so they boil faster. And I also peel mine first. But you can boil them whole but it will take longer. 

Should I peel the potatoes before boiling?

I like to peel the potatoes before boiling. Especially since I cube mine up and peeling after would be very difficult! If you want to peel them after boiling them, then leave the potatoes whole before boiling. 

Can I add hard boiled eggs?

You absolutely can. I would recommend 3-4 hard boiled eggs. Just chop them up and stir them in before serving.

Can I make this deli potato salad ahead of time?

Yes you can! You can make this potato salad 2-3 days ahead of time and then simply refrigerate it, covered, until ready to serve. I think it tastes even better after a day or two.

How to store this potato salad:

You want to make sure to not let your potato salad sit out for more than 2 hours. After that refrigerate any leftovers, covered, for up to 4 days.

What do I serve with this deli-style potato salad?

This is a classic side dish you can serve year-round. It’s perfect anywhere you want a side salad or a hearty meatless dish. Serve it alongside sandwiches or grilled meats or as part of a salad buffet.

It’s wonderful to serve with my Grilled Balsamic Pork Chops Recipe or Easy Mediterranean Grilled Steak Recipe. You can always serve it alongside my Easy Turkey Burger Recipe!

Do you need special kitchen equipment for this dish?

This is a pretty straight-forward dish. You don’t need any fancy equipment. However, having some good basic kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs. Here are the tools that I like to use in this recipe.

Here are some tools I use to make it EASY:

• large kettle
• collander
• plastic cutting board
• chef’s knife
• stainless steel mixing bowl

How much does it cost to make your own deli potato salad?

There are a few questions I go through to determine if I should make something myself. 

Is it better? Check.

Is it easy enough? For sure!

Is it cheaper? Let’s see…

When purchased at a midrange grocery store at non-sale prices, the costs for this potato salad are as follows:

• potatoes – $3.96 ($0.99/lb)
• mayonnaise – $0.83 ($4.19/30 oz)
• spices – $0.25
• Dijon mustard – $0.02 ($1.69/12 oz)
• rice vinegar – $0.36 ($2.29/12.7 oz)
• shallot or red onion – $0.40
• celery – $0.76 ($1.99/stalk)

A 4+ pound batch of homemade deli potato salad costs $6.58 or about $1.64/lb. Store-bought and deli potato salad starts at $3.99/lb, depending on the variety.

Yep! It’s cheaper, better, and easy to make your own potato salad.

Save even more when you follow the Good Cheap Eats System!

This is just at regular prices, however when you follow the Good Cheap Eats System, you’ll save even more.

• Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Stock up when you see items on sale and stash it in the freezer. Likewise, load up on onions and potatoes.
• Price match. Check your grocery store fliers to see who has the best price on the items on your list.

If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!

Deli Potato Salad

This Deli Potato Salad is one of those summer dishes that is filling without heating you up. A traditional potato salad recipe that goes great with grilled meats, sandwiches, and salad buffet meals, it’s a great after-anything kind of snack.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Chilling time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 189kcal

Author: Jessica Fisher

Cost: $4

Ingredients

• 4 lb russet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 shallot chopped or ½ small red onion can also be used
• 4 ribs celery chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a large stockpot full of salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil.
• Boil the potatoes until they are tender.
• Meanwhile in a small mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, dill, salt, mustard, paprika, black pepper, celery seed, and garlic. Whisk until smooth.
• Drain the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl.
• Drizzle the rice vinegar over the hot potatoes.
• Add the shallot, celery, and mayonnaise sauce to the bowl.
• Fold gently to combine the ingredients.
• Cool slightly at room temperature before chilling in the refrigerator.
• Adjust the seasonings before serving.

Notes

Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Nutritional values are approximate and based on ¼ pound serving (or 1/16 the recipe).

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 93IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

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This post was originally published on July 20, 2011. It has been updated for content and clarity.