New York Deli potato salad is a simple side dish that combines thinly sliced potatoes with a vinegar brine, mayonnaise, and shredded carrot for garnish. This is the quintessential no-frills potato salad you’d find in most delis in the New York metro area and it’s a great side with sandwiches, burgers, and any warm-weather fare!
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There are so many different ways to make potato salad but one of my favorites is this classic New York or more specifically Long Island deli potato salad.
The vinegar brine and thinly sliced and chopped potatoes are what give this that deli flavor that so many other potato salads lack.
While this is great as a side to deli-style sandwiches, like the Italian hero, tuna salad or chicken salad sandwich, it’s also perfect with grilled chicken and anything else made on the grill!
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Place 3 1/2 pounds of New potatoes or Yukon Gold in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until almost fork-tender.
- Grate a 1/2 cup of onion. In a large bowl whisk together 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 1/4 cup of water, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1 1/4 teaspoons of fine sea salt, 3/4 teaspoon of white pepper, and the onion.
- Once the potatoes are almost fork tender, drain them and run them under cold water to cool them enough to handle. Peel the potatoes, chop into smaller chunks, and slice them into 1/8-inch or thinner pieces. You can also use a mandoline for this step.
- Spread the potatoes out in a flat baking dish and pour the brine on top.
- Cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. For even better flavor, let the potatoes sit for 2 days. Halfway through the refrigeration time, mix the potatoes to evenly coat with the brine.
- The next day you can drain any excess brine but you don’t have to go overboard. Place the potatoes into a large bowl with 3/4 cup of mayonnaise. Use a spoon to combine, adding more mayo until a smooth and creamy consistency has been achieved. Taste test and season with a bit more salt and pepper if required. Shred a 1/2 small carrot and add to the potato salad along with 3 tablespoons of flat-leaf Italian parsley for garnish.
Top tips
- The brine. The key to the NY deli flavor lies within the brine. It’s best to let the potatoes sit in the brine for 2 days, but definitely overnight, before mixing with the mayonnaise.
- Type of Potatoes. New potatoes or any small waxy potato work best since they won’t get mushy and will hold their shape. Yukon Gold (part waxy) are also fine to use when in a pinch. Avoid powdery/dry potatoes like Russet and Idaho since they will fall apart and turn to mush.
- Slice Potatoes Thin. Slice the potatoes very thin. That’s one of the hallmarks of a typical deli potato salad. If you’re not too proficient with a knife break out the mandoline but do be careful!
- Garnish. We added some parsley and shredded carrot for color and garnish, but often you’ll see this potato salad in the deli with no garnish. Ditto for New York Mac salad and coleslaw. The flavor really speaks for itself here!
- Pepper. We used white pepper in this recipe to keep the color of the potato salad uniform, however, you can certainly make your Long Island deli-style potato salad with black pepper.
More summer sides
- Deli-style German potato salad – with crispy bacon and a vinegar brine.
- Italian pasta salad – with salami, olives, and mozzarella.
- Spinach pasta salad – with gorgonzola and an easy vinaigrette.
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New York Deli Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the brine
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup onion grated
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds New potatoes or Yukon Gold
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise plus more to achieve a smooth consistency
- 1/2 small carrot shredded, for garnish
- 3 tablespoons flat leaf Italian parsley for garnish
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Instructions
For the brine and potatoes
- In a large bowl, whisk together all of the brine ingredients and set aside.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until almost fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes and run under cold water to cool them enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and chop into smaller pieces then slice them into 1/8-inch or thinner pieces. You can use a mandoline for this process.
- Place the potatoes in a flat baking dish then pour the brine on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for even better flavor wait 2 days. Halfway through the refrigeration process mix the potatoes to evenly coat them with the brine.
For the potato salad
- The next day, drain the potatoes of excess brine.
- Place the potatoes into a bowl and mix with 3/4 cup of mayonnaise to start. Add more mayo until a smooth creamy consistency has been achieved. Taste test and season with a bit more salt and pepper if required, but you shouldn't need much. Garnish with carrot and parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- The key to getting that New York deli flavor is the brine. If you can wait let the potatoes sit in the brine for 2 days before mixing with mayo. This is how most delis do it.
- White pepper can be used for appearance.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 5 days and taste even better after a few days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I use red potatoes, and I peel then cut them to the desired size before I cook them, You need to watch them carefully to prevent overcooking, but by cutting them first I get a very even doneness.
peter,really appreciate you sharing recipe.
James — Of all the recipes I have seen (and I have seen many) this is the first one in which the potato salad tastes just like the great potato salad that almost every REAL Long Island deli one made. I have used several of your recipes, everyone excellent, and I know from reading the ingredients that this potato salad is the real McCoy. I can’t thank you enough.
Boyd Scheff
We’re so happy to hear that, Boyd!
Hi Jim,
Made small batch of these potatoes to test. They were excellent. Just made a full batch. Used Yukon gold and all your other ingredients.
Great recipe and thank you kindly.
Glad to hear you enjoyed, Nick!
My wife of 47 years and I live in PA now but visited Queens, LI, NY many times since my wife was raised there. We always enjoyed deli salads from La Monaca’s on Kissena Blvd. No we can continue to enjoy your delicious potato salad! It is exactly as we recall the NY deli style and flavor.
If only there were hard rolls available here in PA like those the deli had years ago, I could enjoy a liverwurst and potato salad sandwich like my father-in-law used to make for me!
Do you bake cookies? We made many trips to Sal’s Italian Bakery in Bayside to get the BEST cookies. Lots of bakeries make Italian butter cookies, as did Sal’s, but my favorite are NOT a traditional butter cookie – rather a dry, ‘sandy’ textured cookies that appears to be piped and then some are half chocolate dipped, others have colored sprinkles. I have never found any like this or as great!
THANKS for all your videos, we enjoy them all the time and have made many of your recipes. Blessing to you and your family!
Hi Peter, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the potato salad and that it resonated with you. Jim is working on the deli roll recipe so that should be out some time in the new year. As far as cookies, take a look at our dessert category – we have several Italian cookie recipes, but not the butter cookies you’re referring to. We know them well though and may do a recipe for them at some point. My dad grew up in Bayside – I’ll be sure to ask him about Sal’s next time we speak!
This was my favorite potato salad when I was a little girl- we got it at the Neighborhood Deli in Westwood NJ near where I grew up. I sort of recreated it since I never found it again as an adult. I lived all over the country and potato salad has regional differences, adding eggs, mustard etc.
This recipe is perfection and the only potato salad I make or will ever make again-thanks so much!
So happy you enjoyed this one as well, Ellen! Thanks for the comment!
James…
I am almost 80 and grew up in Mineola off of Old Country Road. Near us was Krause’s Deli. My grandmother did all the cooking in our home except for Potato Salad which we bought from Krause. Krause’s son Bill was my Sunday School teacher and when I was In high school Bill took me into the back of the deli and explained their PS recipe which was surprising since it was so popular. I tried for years in retirement in Florida to replicate that special Long Island style potato salad… got close even using the one trick that I remembered after more than 50 years… Krause used a simple hard boiled egg slicer to cut the cooked potatoes.
Now fast forward… I caught your Channel and found the LI Potato Recipe and it is spot on from what I remember from the 1950s. Krause’s was the best in our area of Mineola/Garden City. And so now is yours. I have made several more of your salads and they are spot on as well.
I make these salads often and will continue to make more… the crumb cake is next and I will watch the Sauerbratten one but I will not sugest anything to my wife as she makes a great 5 day version of her own which we enjoy on Christmas Eve family dinner.
Thank You, Thank You
Hi Carl, really appreciate you sharing your story with me. Knowing that you feel my recipe is in line with what you remember means so much, so thank you! I hope you like the crumb cake too!
My wife said she only liked her mother’s potato salad. After she tried this recipe, she went back for two helpings and she asked when I was going to make it again.
Thanks for the great comment, Denis! We’re so happy you and your wife enjoyed!