Deli-Style Potato Salad for Passover

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Deli-Style Potato Salad for Passover is an easy, one-bowl recipe for the delicious vegetarian potato salad found in New York delis.

New York delis have the BEST potato salad and this Deli-Style Potato Salad for Passover recipe tastes just like it. And it’s easy to make. Just one bowl. And it refrigerates really well!

AND since there is no matzo meal in it, you can have it on the day of the seder!

Eating on the day of the seder

Jews who keep the laws of Passover do not eat matzo or any foods that contain anything from matzo (such as matzo meal or matzo cake meal) the entire day before the seder, which is in the evening.

Some people even have the custom of not eating such foods for two weeks before, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan or even as far back as Purim, which is a month before.

Food on Passover

Torah-observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye).

In addition, Torah-observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronounced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include legumes, corn, rice, and similar foods that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.

Many observant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).

Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrokts” (or gebrochts).

Gebrokts (gebrochts) means “broken” in Yiddish, and in this case refers to matzo that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrokts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition, where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matzo.

So, things like matzo sandwiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.

There is a joke that sums it all up:

On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.

Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for Passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.

I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience, and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!

Kosher for Passover Pantry Essentials (Suggestion)

As I learned to prepare more and more recipes for Passover, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice—especially during the holiday—and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.

While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids will ask for eggplant parmesan or something at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.

So, I maintain a selection of what I consider “kosher for Passover pantry essentials” in my refrigerator and on my shelves during the week of Passover (some of the dry goods I keep from year to year, stored well).

While, of course, most of the essentials will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes can be made just with this list. So, if you make sure to have whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.

Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasoning, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style. Just make sure that everything is Kosher for Passover (or KLP—Kasher L’Pesach, in Hebrew) and if you are Ashkenazi, that list will be shorter than if you are not.

Make sure to check with a qualified rabbi if you have any questions.

The following is a pretty comprehensive list of what you can choose from to keep on hand. I keep quite a bit of it.

Utensils:

• Measuring cups for liquid
• Measuring cups for solids (flour, sugar, etc.)
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing bowls
• Kitchen scale

NOTE: When using measuring cups and spoons, make sure that the measurements are comparable to one another (example: that 4 tablespoons equals 1/4 of your measuring cup). You’d be surprised to know that not all measuring cups are the same, and this can throw your measurements off.

Seasoning and flavoring:

• salt
• ground black or white pepper
• granulated garlic or garlic powder
• onion powder
• ground cinnamon
• sugar (granulated)
• brown sugar
• chicken consommé powder
• onion soup mix
• various herbs
• additional spices to adapt taste to preference

Misc:

• oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
• potato starch as a thickening agent
• baking powder
• matzo cake meal (matzo meal, but ground into a powder)
• condiments, such as ketchup and barbecue sauce
• tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
• milk substitute (neutral flavor)

We always have eggs in the fridge and onions and potatoes on our shelves (if we were not Ashkenazi, I would certainly keep rice as well).

In addition, having fresh vegetables , such as carrots, celery, bell peppers (red, green, etc), tomatoes (if you don’t want to use canned), etc. can be very useful when putting together a quick but delicious meal.

It’s also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts) in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.

Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?

Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly.

Whether or not buying a bunch of herbs, spices, etc., before you know what you are going to make for the week is workable for you depends on your own personal preference.

Of course, the more you cook and the more varied your recipes, the more you will use, and the more you will need.

If you plan your meals ahead for the week, you will be prepared with whatever else you might need that you wouldn’t even normally keep in your Passover pantry.

If you do decide to keep them over from year to year, I would only do so if they can be sealed well (or better yet, stored in the freezer), because not only can weather have an effect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, but you will be surprised to know just how clever moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs – YUCK!

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Yield: 4 Servings

Deli-Style Potato Salad for Passover

Print

Delicious and very easy to make, potato salad in the style served in New York delis!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and boiled*
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise**
• 1/2 cup onion, grated very small or pureed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper, white or black (or a little more if you want to use as garnish)

Instructions

1. Cut the potatoes into approximately 1" pieces or cubes.
2. Add the mayonnaise, onion, sugar, vinegar, water, oil, salt, and pepper and mix together gently until thoroughly combinded.
3. Best eaten chilled for at least an hour.

Notes

*Approximately 7 medium potatoes (waxy potatoes are good to use for this as they have higher moisture and sugar and lower starch).

**You can use more mayonnaise if you like it better that way.

MAKE SURE ALL INGREDIENTS ARE KOSHER FOR PASSOVER.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 950Total Fat: 57gSaturated Fat: 7gUnsaturated Fat: 50gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 1018mgCarbohydrates: 103gFiber: 9gSugar: 22gProtein: 11g

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