Copycat McAlister’s Deli Potato Salad

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I could go for a New Yorker sandwich from McAlister’s Deli right now. Boy would that ever be good. And a side of potato salad. Please. Or, I could make a copycat McAlister’s Deli potato salad at home. True, my pastrami sandwich isn’t quite as good as theirs, but this potato salad is. This is easily my favorite. I could sit down with a (large) bowl of this any time and finish it off. The perfect crunch, creaminess, and flavors. This is reminiscent of a classic version, but one that has been amped up. A lot.

Copycat McAlister's Deli Potato Salad

Baked, Not Boiled

I like to bake my potatoes for my copycat McAlister’s Deli potato salad. Some people (oh, say, like my wife) prefer to boil them. I like them baking because first, I think baking adds more flavor and more importantly, prevents flavor from being lost to the boiling water. I also like how baking keeps the size and shape of the potato. Baked potato chunks are nice and squared. Boiled are round from being bounced around in a torrent of bubbling water. Go baked, I say!

I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.

Copycat McAlister's Deli Potato Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Copycat McAlister’s Deli Potato Salad

Easily my new favorite potato salad.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword copcyat, potato salad
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Fridge time 2 hours
Servings 8
Calories 282kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F.
  • Poke a few holes in each potato with a sharp knife.
  • Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until done as desired. Cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes and how much 'crunch' you want to your salad. I use a bamboo skewer to test for doneness.
  • Remove potatoes from oven and let cool.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the vinegar, dried parsley and celery flakes. Set aside to let the dried herbs rehydrate, stirring every 5 minutes or so.
  • In a medium bowl combine the red onion, relishes and sugar.
  • Peel the potatoes.
  • Chop potatoes into cubes and add to the bowl containing the onion mixture.
  • Gently toss the potatoes to coat.
  • Gently stir in the vinegar and dried herb mixture.
  • Add half of the mayonnaise and stir. If you want a creamier salad add more mayonnaise.
  • Sprinkle with the celery salt.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. If you want, also add more celery salt but be careful. It's strong stuff and can quickly overwhelm the salad. I happen to like it so I added more.
  • Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  • Serve salad sprinkled lightly with paprika.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

2 thoughts on “Copycat McAlister’s Deli Potato Salad”

  1. Cant be a copy-cat McAlister recipe…theres NO minced celetry! and I have a cup of real McAlisters right here in front of me and I can tell you it has real celery pieces in it…..not just celery flakes. Better luck next time.

    1. A copycat doesn’t necessarily mean same ingredients but I get your point. The texture would certainly be slightly different with fresh celery. I’ll try it with minced celery next time!

      Thanks!
      Mike

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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