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.
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
Ingredients
- 3 medium Russet potatoes unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- ½ tablespoon dried celery flakes
- 1 medium red onion minced
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup mayonnaise you might need more
- 1 pinch celery Salt
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- paprika for garnish
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
Nutritional values are approximate.
