McAlister's Deli Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my potato salad taste so bland? ›

If it's a potato salad, be sure to let the potatoes cool (the starch cells close up) before adding any dressing or salad mixture. Warm potatoes will soak up the liquids. Taste an hour after mixing and see if the spices need tweaking. Mashed potatoes do the same thing if you add in the garlic or cheddar cheese too soon.

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

Not Getting The Cook Time Right

If you overcook them, the result is a mushy, grainy mess. And if you undercook them, you end up with crunchy (not in a good way) potatoes. It's a delicate balance to achieve soft, tender potatoes for that just-right potato salad texture.

Not seasoning the water when cooking the potatoes.

You'll never get as much flavor if you wait to season when the potatoes are cool or when you're dressing the salad. The key is seasoning as soon as possible. → Follow this tip: The key to a well-seasoned potato salad is adding salt to the water when the potatoes cook.

Dehydrate potatoes before assembling the salad

Another trick you might try to prevent a watery potato salad is covering your just-boiled potatoes with a kitchen towel to let them steam and slightly dehydrate. Simply keep the potatoes in the colander you drained them in and cover them with a breathable towel.

Taste of Home Deputy Food Editor James Schend suggests adding a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar to the water before it comes to a simmer, which will help create a “crust” on the potatoes. This way, they'll be less likely to fall apart.

You can make the Potato salad 1 or 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I often make my potato salad the night before serving for best results. Store the bacon separately or cook it up right before you serve to keep it crispy.

Always cut up the potatoes into a dice before boiling them. If you boil the potatoes whole, the exterior of the potato will get too soft and crumbly before the interior has a chance to cook through. Best potatoes for potato salad? Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad.

What if I put too much mayonnaise in my potato salad? ›

The obvious solution is to add the dressing to your potato salad slowly to ensure that you don't overdo it. But if you accidentally end up with too much dressing anyway, your best bet is to add more potatoes.

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

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Mcalister's Potato Salad (1 serving) contains 22g total carbs, 21g net carbs, 17g fat, 2g protein, and 250 calories.

Like pasta, potatoes absorb the water they're cooked in. Leaving salt out means you're starting off with bland potatoes. Follow this tip: Begin the process of seasoning your mashed potatoes by adding salt to the water when cooking the potatoes.

Herbs, fruits, peppers, change your olive oil or try sesame, hazelnut or other traditional nut oils. Also try our variety of basils: Large Green, lemon-basil, spicy Thai, etc.

I boil or steam my potatoes after peeling and cutting into halfs or quarters. I then usually drain them and put some oil in a pan and add some mixed herbs and then add back in the potatoes.

Cutting Your Potatoes Too Small

Small potato pieces will absorb more water than larger pieces during cooking. Water-logged potato pieces lead to watery and bland mashed potatoes, and no one wants that! So when you're cutting your potatoes before cooking them, make sure your pieces are at least 1 1/2” wide.