This deli potato salad is just like the kind you'd find at a good New York deli. It's cold, white, and creamy with thin-sliced potatoes and a sweet mayo dressing. The kind served at Katz's or any bagel shop in the city or out on Long Island.
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Classic New York deli potato salad made with thin-sliced russets, mayo, and grated onion. Best chilled overnight. Keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Do not freeze.
New York Deli Potato Salad
This classic side dish has thin slices of boiled potatoes. It includes mayonnaise, grated onion, and a bit of sugar.
For the best taste, let it chill in the fridge overnight so the flavors come together. Serve it cold with roast beef, grilled fish, Serve it cold with roast beef, tuna salad, or a pastrami sandwich.
Add flavored cream cheese with hot bagels, and the whole spread feels just like an old-school deli.
How to Prep the Potatoes
Russet (brown baking) potatoes give this salad its classic deli-style texture. Use about 2 large baking potatoes or 6 to 8 smaller ones from a 5-pound bag. You need 2 pounds.
- Peel them, cut in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch pieces.
- As you cut them, drop the slices into a big bowl of cold water to keep them from turning brown.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the potatoes. Boil until just soft, about 8 minutes. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the warm pot. Let them sit off the heat for 5 minutes to dry out.
- Spread the potatoes on a sheet pan and let them cool completely, about 30 minutes before mixing with the dressing.
Grating An Onion
A grated onion is used in this recipe. Grate a small yellow onion or half of a lager one on the large holes of a box grater. The juices mix right into the dressing, adding flavor without big chunks.
Ingredients
Makes one quart, one tall deli container, 6-8 servings.
- Russet potatoes (2 large baking potatoes or about 6-8 small ones from a big bag)
- Kosher salt
- Grated yellow onion (about ½ medium onion, grated on a box grater)
- Mayonnaise
- White vinegar
- Sugar
- White pepper: black pepper will leave dark specks in the salad.
- Optional garnish: chives or parsley, grated carrots, red onions
How To Make Potato Salad
- Peel the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into ¼-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a big bowl of cold water as you cut to keep them from turning brown.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water (this is in addition to the salt in the dressing), then add the potatoes.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander, then pour them back into the warm pot. Set the pot on the same (turned off) burner and let them sit for about 5 minutes to dry out.
- Spread the potatoes out on a sheet pan and let them cool for about 30 minutes.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, and white pepper in a large bowl.
- Stir in the grated onion, then add the cooled potatoes. Gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula until well mixed.
- Spoon the potato salad into an airtight quart-size container. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove from the fridge, pour into a big bowl and stir well before serving.
A Note About Salt and Potatoes
Potatoes soak up salt, and some batches may need a little extra seasoning especially after sitting in the fridge.
The texture and temperature can affect the flavor, so give the salad a taste before serving and adjust the salt if needed.
Storage and Leftovers
Store the potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.
Give it a quick stir before serving, since the dressing can settle as it chills.
Do not freeze. The texture will not hold once thawed.
Serving Ideas
- Lunch: Scoop over a bed of lettuce or serve with sliced tomatoes and onions, veggie tuna, and sweet coleslaw.
- Dinner: Goes with roasted chicken, cold cuts, sandwiches, sour pickles, and rye bread.
- BBQ: Serve alongside grilled burgers, hot dogs, or BBQ chicken.
- Seafood: Pair with fried fish or blackened shrimp.
- Party Platter: Serve as part of a buffet with coleslaw, macaroni salad, shrimp cocktail, and sliced roast beef.
FAQ
It's better to peel the potatoes before boiling. While you can peel them afterward if they're cooked whole or halved, the process is messier and the potatoes may break apart. For the best texture and easier handling, peel them first.
Yes, and it'll taste even better. The flavors have time to soak into the potatoes.
Stick with russets if you want that classic white potato salad texture. Waxy potatoes like red or Yukon Gold don't soak up the dressing the same way.
No more than 2 hours, less if it's hot out. If you're serving it outside, place the bowl in a bed of ice to keep it cold.
Plan on about ½ cup per person as a side. For bigger appetites or if it's your main side, go closer to ¾ cup. One quart serves 6 to 8 people.
More Deli Recipes
If you like classic deli food, start with the salads. Potato salad is a staple, and the dill pickle potato salad is a sharper, tangier take that pairs especially well with sandwiches.
- Chicken Salad
- Deli Egg Salad
- Baked Salmon Salad
- Deli Chopped Liver
- Matzoh Ball Soup
- Southern-Style Potato Salad With Pickles
One of my favorite deli salads is potato salad, but I've also been making a fresh lobster salad since moving from New York to Florida.
Down here in the Keys, we enjoy spiny lobster. Different from their northern cousins, but just as delicious.
Deli Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, 2 large baking potatoes or about 6 small ones from a big bag
- 2 teaspoons salt for boiling the potatoes
- 2 tablespoons grated yellow onion about ½ medium onion, grated on a box grater
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt for the dressing
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- Optional garnish: chives or parsley, grated carrots, red onions
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a big bowl of cold water as you cut to keep them from turning brown.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt to the water (this is in addition to the salt in the dressing), then add the potatoes.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander, then pour them back into the warm pot. Set the pot on the same (turned off) burner and let them sit for about 5 minutes to dry out.
- Spread the potatoes out on a sheet pan and let them cool for about 30 minutes.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, kosher salt (1½ teaspoons), and white pepper in a large bowl.
- Stir in the grated onion, then add the cooled potatoes. Gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula until well mixed.
- Spoon the potato salad into an airtight quart-size container. Refrigerate overnight.
- Remove from the fridge, pour into a big bowl and stir well before serving.
- Garnish with chives, parsley, grated carrots, or red onions
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