Skip to main content

How to Doctor Up Store-Bought Potato Salad

Image
Donna Urso
Store-bought potato salad is convenient, but let's be honest, it can be a little bland. The good news is that you can make deli potato salad taste homemade in about 10 minutes with a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. 

My favorite additions are celery, red onion, fresh chives, and a splash of vinegar for extra flavor and crunch. Here's a potato salad time-saver for you, just in time for summer cookouts. 

You'll love how easily you can transform grocery store potato salad, whether you are hosting a BBQ or bringing a side dish for a summer barbecue.

How to Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Better

A bowl of potato salad topped with fresh chives.

When you need a quick potato salad and have no time to make one from scratch, that ordinary store-bought potato salad you have in your refrigerator can go from blah to amazing in just a few minutes with just a few ingredients. Yes, you can improve store-bought potato salad. I cook from scratch most of the time, but sometimes convenience wins. When I need a quick side dish for a cookout or potluck, this is the shortcut I use.

How to Doctor Up Potato Salad for More Flavor

You're going to a potluck picnic, or having people over for an impromptu barbecue, and you'd like your potato salad to be a little special. There is no need to fret.  A quick trip to the grocery store will get you started. Just buy a few additional ingredients that will kick up the potato salad's flavor.


Jazz Up Store-Bought Potato Salad
The first step in your journey from blah to amazing is to taste the store potato salad. You need to know what flavors you are starting with.  The best store-bought potato salad is the one you like best.  

I like to do a little advanced legwork by finding the local store with the best potato salad at the beginning of the season.

What to Add to Store-Bought Potato Salad?

When buying from the deli counter, ask for a taste before you buy.  How does it taste?  Does it need a little more salt and fresh ground pepper? 
A bowl with chopped red onion, chives, celery and other things to add to potato salad.

You will want to add more flavor and color to the potato salad. Consider a little celery seed or some fresh dill. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed or 1 Tablespoon of chopped fresh dill. Both add wonderful flavor to a potato salad.

Next, you'll want some add-in ingredients.  
You'll want to add a little color, some crunch, and a little seasoning.  I personally love some red onion and celery.  Both will add nice color and texture to the potato salad. 

The video below shows you how I jazz up my potato salad.

See Me Doctor My Potato Salad in this Video


What Else Can You Add to Store-Bought Potato Salad?

A chart with suggestions to add to potato salad.

For More Crunch

  • Celery
  • Diced bell peppers
  • Chopped pickles
  • Radishes

For More Flavor

  • Fresh dill
  • Celery seed
  • Dijon mustard
  • Apple cider vinegar

For More Protein

  • Chopped hard-boiled eggs
  • Crumbled bacon
  • Diced ham

For More Color

  • Chives
  • Green onions
  • Red onion
  • Parsley
A chart suggesting ways to fix potato salad.

How to Fix Store-Bought Potato Salad

Too sweet?

  • Add a splash of vinegar.
  • Add a little Dijon mustard.

Too bland?

  • Add salt, pepper, celery seed, or fresh herbs.

Too creamy?

  • Stir in extra potatoes, celery, or chopped eggs.

Too dry?

  • Add a spoonful of mayonnaise.

Donna's Quick Potato Salad Fix

semi-homemade potato salad, quick potato salad
side dish,
American
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Donna Urso
Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Your Own

Make Store-Bought Potato Salad Your Own

You can turn a store-bought potato salad into your own with just a few quick steps.

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Taste the potato salad to know your starting point.
  2. Is it a little too sweet or a bit blah? Add some zip with a little vinegar. Just a teaspoon at a time and taste after mixing. Take care because a little goes a long way.
  3. Add the celery, onion, and chives. Stir to combine.
  4. Taste and add salt and pepper. Cover and chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to combine.
  5. You can add a little more of whatever the potato salad needs before you serve it. Serve this kicked-up store-bought potato salad proudly.
  6. Chill for 2-3 hours.
  7. Taste the potato salad again before you serve it to make sure the flavors are what you want them to be. Adjust as necessary.

Recommended Products

Knife Set

Silicone Spatula Set

Measuring Spoons

Nutrition Facts

Calories

185.32

Fat (grams)

10.33 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

1.80 g

Carbs (grams)

15.20 g

Fiber (grams)

2.04 g

Net carbs

13.16 g

Sugar (grams)

0.48 g

Protein (grams)

3.73 g

Sodium (milligrams)

738.44 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

85.00 mg

Similar Recipes

Creamy Coleslaw

Creamy Crunchy Cucumber Salad

Fresh Garden Tomato Salad with Basil and Mozzarella

https://www.justonedonna.com/2016/06/quick-potato-salad.html
©Just One Donna
You've made it your own in a semi-homemade kind of way.  Your family and friends will love it.

Pin This!
A white serving bowl filled with creamy, classic potato salad garnished with fresh chopped green onions and a dusting of paprika on a summer patio table.


Thank you for sharing this post on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or Yummly.

Enjoy!

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 7, 2020 at 2:06 AM

    I love this idea! I bought potato salad from the grocery for our Labor Day family dinner, and it's too sweet and has too much mayo. Your tips were very welcome, as I was considering adding celery, additional onion, and needed validation! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jade1950February 25, 2022 at 6:21 PM

    Add salt if too much sweet

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 7, 2022 at 5:46 PM

    I like adding extra hard boiled eggs, diced dill pickles, and a little bit of Italian dressing for a zippy potato salad! Some crumbled bacon over it puts it over the top. No one will ever know it's store-bought!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Talk to me. I welcome your comments. (These comments are strictly moderated. Spammers take note.)

More Popular Posts

How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

Donna Urso
In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.  When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year.  This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect.
3 comments
Read more

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

Donna Urso
These old-fashioned whoopie pies are soft, chocolatey, and filled with a rich, creamy filling, just like the ones many of us remember. This is a true New England-style recipe. If you’re looking for a true whoopie pie recipe—the kind made in New England with a cooked filling—this is it. Whoopie pies are a beloved treat, a nostalgic dessert that evokes childhood memories and continues to delight today. My mom would make them for us every once in a while. Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies! This recipe, inspired by traditional Maine-style whoopie pies, comes from my family recipe box. It delivers soft, chocolatey cakes with a rich, creamy cooked filling – no marshmallow fluff needed! The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe (Soft cakes & Creamy Filling) This post includes affiliate links. Whoopie pies are essentially handheld cake sandwiches: soft, round, cake-like cookies embracing a luscious, creamy filling.  While their ...
11 comments
Read more

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

Donna Urso
If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a  kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!
2 comments
Read more

How to Kill Ants in Your Home

Donna Urso
Simple Homemade Ant Bait That Works If you’ve ever had ants show up in your kitchen, you know how quickly a small problem turns into a big one. This simple homemade ant bait uses just three ingredients and works by eliminating the colony, not just the ants you see. No sprays. No guesswork. Just a method that actually works.
Post a Comment
Read more

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

Donna Urso
One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can surely bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe.   An Old-Fashioned Date Cookie Recipe What are old-fashioned date-filled cookies?   Old-fashioned date-filled cookies are a nostalgic, soft sandwich cookie featuring two rounds of tender sugar cookie dough with a sweet, homemade date jam filling in the center.  This vintage 1930s recipe is a traditional holiday favorite, prized for its soft texture and the perfect balance of buttery dough and naturally sweet dates. This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932, so this...
18 comments
Read more

Crunchy, Spicy Gingersnap Cookies

Donna Urso
An Old-Fashioned Cookie That Always Turns Out There’s something about a good gingersnap cookie that just feels right. Not fancy. Not complicated. Just dependable… and really, really good. These crunchy, spicy gingersnaps are the kind of cookie you make when you want something you know will turn out—and something everyone will recognize and enjoy. They’ve got that classic crackled top, a warm blend of spices, and just enough sweetness to balance it all out. And the best part? They’re easy. No mixer required. Traditional Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe ( This post contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated when you make a purchase with these links.) Gingersnaps Cookies This old-fashioned gingersnap cookie is a winner.  It's easy to make and will be a favorite in your recipe rotation.
11 comments
Read more

Five Keys to Growing A Healthy Ficus Tree

Donna Urso
Have you ever wondered how a single Ficus benjamina tree could become a beloved part of your home for decades, thriving and growing alongside your family?  If you haven’t yet, you might consider the addition of this living, air-purifying companion in your home that not only beautifies your space but also stands the test of time.  You may know this tree as either a Ficus benjamina or a weeping fig.   I have loved growing a ficus tree in my home for 36 years. It’s remarkable that I've had this tree for so long.   How to Grow A Ficus Tree Inside for Decades This post includes affiliate links. I may receive compensation when you use these links. When thinking about how I managed to keep this indoor ficus tree happy, healthy, and growing strong all these years it boiled down to five key Ficus benjamina plant care tips. Follow these tips and you can have a happy, healthy ficus tree in your home for many years, too.
22 comments
Read more

The Ultimate Cinnamon Swirl Bread: A Bread Machine Recipe

Donna Urso
Today's recipe will fill your kitchen with an incredible aroma and lots of smiles. It's homemade cinnamon swirl bread made with your bread machine. If you’ve ever struggled to get that perfect cinnamon swirl or ended up with gaps or leaking filling, this method fixes that using your bread machine. Bread Machine Cinnamon Swirl Bread (Soft, Easy Recipe) This post includes affiliate links. This recipe brings together the ease of your trusty bread machine with the deliciousness of a warm, sweet, and perfectly swirled cinnamon bread. Get ready for a slice of pure comfort!
2 comments
Read more

The Best Way to Cook Bacon: Oven vs. Stovetop

Donna Urso
How to cook bacon is often hotly debated. Cooking bacon in a pan on the stove has always been an easy go-to method. Cooking bacon in the oven has grown in popularity over time.  Are you curious about which bacon cooking method cooks bacon faster, which method produces the crispiest bacon, or which method offers easier cleanup? Those were the primary questions I wanted to answer in this bacon cooking comparison. How to Cook Bacon (This post includes paid links.) Whether you're a breakfast aficionado or just looking for bacon cooking tips for the quickest, crunchiest, and most hassle-free way to cook your bacon, I've got answers. Check out the Oven vs. Stovetop bacon battle and discover the fastest, crispiest, and easiest way to cook bacon for breakfast.
Post a Comment
Read more

Calla Lily Tea Sandwiches

Donna Urso
These calla lily tea sandwiches are an easy way to create something truly special for a bridal shower, tea party, or small gathering, without making things complicated. One look at these calla lily tea sandwiches and you might think they are far too fussy for you to make for your special gathering.   Fear not! These calla lily tea sandwiches are adorable, tasty, and not too fussy once you get your assembly technique down. Best of all, these calla lily finger sandwiches make a beautiful presentation on your buffet table. Calla Lily Finger Sandwiches (This post includes affiliate links.) Calla Lily Tea Sandwiches If you are looking for finger sandwiches that are a little different, you have found them here. These calla lily sandwiches are a perfect little bite to add to your party menu.  They are especially perfect for bridal show...
Post a Comment
Read more