Why Potato Salad Always Tastes Better From The Deli

Growing up, I remember going to our local deli to pick up potato salad for our Friday night dinner. Their basic potato salad was always delicious, seemingly only made with a few key ingredients, but it was packed with flavor. Years later, when I tried to recreate it in my kitchen, my potato salad was a bland, lumpy mess. What was I missing? If you've ever tried making potato salad at home, you likely understand the struggle.

Food Republic consulted Maggie Turansky, founder and head recipe developer at No Frills Kitchen, to get her cheat code for deli-worthy potato salad. Turansky said the reason potato salad tastes better when it's from the deli likely comes down to seasoning — namely, salt.

She explained, "Potatoes need a lot of salt, and the easiest way to ensure that they're evenly seasoned is to heavily salt the cooking water. This means more than a dainty pinch — that's not going to do anything!"

To get everything thoroughly seasoned throughout, Maggie Turansky suggested, "Add at least a tablespoon of salt to the cooking water[,] and you will be amazed at just how flavourful your finished potato salad will be!" But don't stop at salt.

There are so many other ingredients you can add to upgrade your potato salad. Take the lead from Amish Potato Salad and add some sugar and homemade mayo — just whisk all your ingredients together. Adding sugar makes it both tangy and sweet. Dijon mustard is also a great addition because it adds complexity with a mix of sweet, sour, and spicy notes.

Adding onions to your potato salad (green onions, thinly sliced red onions, or caramelized onions are great options) will give it that irresistible umami taste that you get at the deli. No onions on hand? One of my favorite hacks is using Trader Joe's Green Goddess seasoning blend. The combination of dried onions, green onions, and chives adds a nice umami taste. Meanwhile, the lemon provides the perfect tang to balance the creaminess of the mayonnaise.

Lastly, add bacon and fresh herbs to bland store-bought salad. Dill tastes wonderful when paired with pork and potatoes. If you don't have fresh herbs, smoked paprika also works wonders on potato salad. Similarly, popular seasoning mixes like Lawry's Seasoned Salt or Old Bay both can help take your salad from bland to deli-worthy delicious.