You only need a few simple ingredients to make this fantastic German potato salad recipe. It is so easy to put together, full of flavor, and is perfect for making ahead of time. The combination of bacon dripping, chicken broth, vinegar, and Dijon mustard makes for a luscious dressing that the potatoes soak up for a moist and flavorful potato salad everyone will love.
This potato salad will be a hit whether you are making this for a summer potluck, backyard BBQ, Oktoberfest, or holiday dinner. The flavors and texture are such a delight. It goes with everything; you’ll want to make this for every meal! Want another easy side dish? Try my cucumber tomato salad recipe, corn salad recipe, or garlic bread recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Potatoes — you can use baby red or yukon gold potatoes. Waxy potatoes are ideal. I do not recommend swapping for russet potatoes as they are starchier, so they’ll fall apart as you toss them with the rest of the ingredients. Select potatoes that are similar in size as you want them to cook evenly.
Bacon — do not swap for pre-cooked bacon crisps as you need the grease from the bacon to cook the onions and dressing. The bacon fat adds a ton of flavor that is hard to replicate with a substitution. If you can, use a thicker cut of bacon.
Chicken broth — using chicken broth in the dressing adds much more flavor than water. You can use regular chicken broth or low sodium chicken broth. Vegetable and beef broth is an excellent alternative if you are out of chicken broth.
Vinegar — white vinegar adds a tangy flavor that German-style potato salad is known for. Alternatively, you can use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Sugar — you only need a bit of sugar to help balance out the acidity from the vinegar.
Dijon mustard — Dijon mustard adds flavor and creaminess to the dressing. If you can find German mustard, that is a great swap.
How to Make German Potato Salad
1. In a large pot, bring the potatoes, 3 teaspoons of salt, and enough water to cover potatoes by 1-inch to a boil over medium-high. Cook until the potatoes are just fork-tender. Drain well and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon. Cook until crisp. Remove the bacon, leaving the drippings in the skillet, and drain on paper towels.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to bacon grease. Cook until tender before stirring in the garlic.
4. Stir in the broth, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half. Stir in the oil, mustard, pepper, and remaining 1¼ teaspoon salt.
5. Turn off the heat, and add the parsley, sliced potatoes, and cooked chopped bacon.
6. Toss everything until well coated in the dressing. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Not peeling your potatoes before is helpful for this recipe where you are trying to keep the whole potato intact so that it is easier to slice. If you want to peel, you can do that after the cooking.
- You can chop the bacon before or after cooking them. If you are cooking them chopped, you’ll need a slotted spoon to move the bacon while leaving the grease behind.
- Make sure to give the potatoes a good scrub before cooking them.
- Boiling the potatoes in cold water instead of adding them to a pot of boiling will ensure that the potatoes cook evenly.
- When tossing the potatoes in the dressing, be gentle to avoid mashing the potatoes.
- If you have some potatoes that are larger than most, you can cut them to match the rest to ensure they all cook evenly.
- Make sure to salt the water. The salt will add flavor to the potatoes throughout the potatoes, whereas adding salt after the fact will only salt the exterior of the potatoes.
- Don’t let the potatoes sit for too long before tossing them in the dressing. While hot, the potatoes absorb much more flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this be served cold?
If you have leftovers, you can serve them cold. It’s up to your personal preference!
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover German potato salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can bring it to room temperature before serving.
What is the difference between German and American potato salad?
The main difference between the two types of potato salads is that American potato salad tends to be mayonnaise-based, whereas the German version uses bacon drippings, mustard, and vinegar. Also, you serve American potato salad cold, and while you can serve German potato salad cold, it is usually served warm or at room temperature.
What can I serve with this potato salad?
While this German potato salad pairs perfectly with your traditional German dishes, such as bratwurst, Schnitzel, or pork chops, it really goes with everything! It’s always a welcomed addition at any BBQ or potluck.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this German Potato Salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
German Potato Salad
Equipment
- pot
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby red or yukon gold potatoes (900g)
- 4 ¼ teaspoons salt divided
- 6 slices bacon chopped (165g)
- ½ cup chopped red onion (80g)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup chicken broth (60mL)
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the potatoes, 3 teaspoons of salt, and enough water to cover potatoes by 1-inch to a boil over medium-high. Cook until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
- Drain well and let cool for 5 minutes. (If desired, peel the potatoes by scoring the skin, gently pinching and pulling it away.) Carefully, slice the potatoes about 1/2-inch thick, and set them aside.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon. Cook until crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the pan, leaving the drippings in the skillet, and drain on paper towels.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion to bacon grease. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, vinegar, and sugar. Bring to a simmer.
- Cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Stir in the oil, mustard, pepper, and remaining 1 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stirring constantly for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, and stir in the parsley, sliced potatoes, and cooked bacon until everything is well coated in the dressing. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired. The potato salad is best served warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Not peeling your potatoes before is helpful for this recipe where you are trying to keep the whole potato intact so that it is easier to slice. If you want to peel, you can do that after the cooking.
- You can chop the bacon before or after cooking them. If you are cooking them chopped, you’ll need a slotted spoon to move the bacon while leaving the grease behind.
- Make sure to give the potatoes a good scrub before cooking them.
- Boiling the potatoes in cold water instead of adding them to a pot of boiling will ensure that the potatoes cook evenly.
- When tossing the potatoes in the dressing, be gentle to avoid mashing the potatoes.
- If you have some potatoes that are larger than most, you can cut them to match the rest to ensure they all cook evenly.
- Make sure to salt the water. The salt will add flavor to the potatoes throughout the potatoes, whereas adding salt after the fact will only salt the exterior of the potatoes.
- Don’t let the potatoes sit for too long before tossing them in the dressing. While hot, the potatoes absorb much more flavor.
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