German Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

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If you thought you knew potato salad, this German Potato Salad Recipe is going to blow your mind.

With tender Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon, fresh herbs, and a vinaigrette to bring it all together. Serve this Whole30 and paleo potato salad hot or cold—it's fantastic either way.

German Potato Salad Recipe (1)

How to boil potatoes the right way

Yes, there's a chance you're going to roll your eyes, but I'm going to tell you how to boil potatoes for awesome potato salad.

First, chop up those potatoes into uniform-sized cubes. Put 'em in a pot. Add water until the potatoes are submerged by at least an inch. Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil.

Make sure you boil the potatoes in that order. Growing up, I had always learned to boil the water and then add the potatoes — turns out that's WRONG. If you do that, the outside of the potatoes will cook before the inside and start to fall apart. On the other hand, if you bring the water to a boil with the potatoes already in it, the potato cubes will heat evenly.

German Potato Salad Recipe (2)

After the potatoes have boiled for 5-8 minutes, test them by stabbing a potato piece with a fork. If it slides off the tines, you're good to go. Turn off the heat and immediately strain through a colander. Give the potatoes a good shake. And here's the pro tip: add the potato cubes back to the pot on the burner (it should still be hot because you JUST turned it off) and quickly stir to evaporate the excess water. It only takes a few seconds, but this step truly makes a difference!

Plus, the quick stir breaks down the outsides of the potato cubes a little, which adds a tiny bit of creaminess to the end potato salad without adding any mayo. Win!

German Potato Salad Recipe (3)

What makes German Potato Salad different

Curious what sets German Potato Salad apart from other potato salads?

Essentially, German potato salad uses a vinegar-based instead of mayo-based sauce. Because of that, it can be served either hot or cold.

German Potato Salad Recipe (4)

When I first had a vinegar-based potato salad, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. After all, when you're used to mayo-based potato salad, anything else seams like a cheap knock-off. But that's absolutely not true.

With vinegar and bacon, German potato salad has the tart bite of vinegar with the umami flavor of bacon. Mustard, parsley, and dill create a little more complexity and beautify the dish.

German Potato Salad Recipe (5)

More summer recipes to try

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German Potato Salad Recipe (6)

German Potato Salad Recipe

  • Author: Chelsea at Do You Even Paleo
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: boiled
  • Cuisine: German

Description

Bacon, mustard, fresh herbs, and a bacon fat vinaigrette make German Potato Salad Recipe a summer potluck showstopper. It's Whole30, paleo, and gluten free!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
  • ½ pound bacon, chopped into 1-inch strips
  • ¾ cup minced red onion
  • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain or stone ground mustard
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (optional)
  • ½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in a deep pot. Fill with water to an inch above the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil, cooking for 15 minutes total from the time you turn the burner on.
  2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes or until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet. Add red onion to the skillet, sauteing until tender. Add the apple cider vinger, mustard, garlic, black pepper, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 2 minutes to thicken.
  3. Once potatoes are done boiling, remove from heat immediately and drain. Give them a good shake in the colander to rid them of excess water. Return the potatoes to the pot on the burner, stirring constantly for about 10 seconds to evaporate any water clinging to the potatoes.
  4. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Pour the apple cider vinegar mixture overtop and stir to coat. Add the bacon, parsley, chives, and dill, stirring just to combine. Serve warm or cold—your choice!

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German Potato Salad Recipe (7)

Reader Interactions

Comments

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  1. Karly says

    This sounds delicious! Oh and the bacon!! Yum.

    Reply

    • Chelsea says

      Thank you, Karly!

      Reply

  2. Trista says

    I made this to have with dinner tonight! We had it with bratwurst and sautéed cabbage. I totally did a little happy dance when I took my first bite of this German Potato Salad! So good!

    Reply

    • Chelsea says

      Hooray, Trista! I'm so glad to hear that! And bratwurst and cabbage? PERFECT pairing!

      Reply

  3. Staci says

    This was FANTASTIC! I grew up having German potato salad at Easter and made this for my family yesterday and we LOVED it! I substituted mustard seed for the mustard to be more similar to my family's recipe and it was perfect. I even made a larger batch for leftovers- YUM! Thank you for this great recipe!!! I'll definitely be checking out your site in the future.

    Reply

    • Chelsea says

      Thank you so much, Staci! I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

      Reply

  4. Jackie says

    I've made this potatoe salad at least 4 times and it so delicious!

    Reply

    • Chelsea says

      Glad to hear it, Jackie! It's a favorite around here too!

      Reply

  5. Miriam says

    I’m anxious to try this potato salad, do you peel the potatoes before cooking them?

    Reply

    • Chelsea says

      You can if you'd like - personally, I often skip the step just to save time! 🙂

      Reply

German Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is German potato salad made of? ›

This is a warm potato salad, German-style! Slices of boiled potato are tossed in a warm, tangy-sweet bacon vinaigrette while hot so they absorb the flavour. They're then showered with crispy, golden bacon bits and hit with freshness from dill and green onion.

What is amish potato salad made of? ›

This Amish Potato Salad starts off with a sweet, creamy dressing that gets drizzled over all the potato salad classics – celery, boiled eggs, onions, and sweet pickle relish. This is a great summer side dish and a nice change from the usual. That sweet dressing is a bit different, but oh so good!

What are mashed potatoes called in Germany? ›

Kartoffelbrei m

I make mashed potatoes with milk and butter. Ich mache Kartoffelbrei mit Milch und Butter.

Can German potato salad be reheated? ›

To reheat it in the oven, place the potato salad in a baking dish covered with foil and bake for about 10-15 minutes at 350º or until warm. To reheat it in the microwave, place it in a microwave safe bowl and heat it for 1-minute at a time, stirring in between each increment, until warm.

What are all the ingredients for potato salad? ›

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

How long does German potato salad last in the refrigerator? ›

You can store your leftover German potato salad in a shallow, airtight container for up to five days.

What are funeral potatoes made of? ›

Make Cheesy Funeral Potatoes

Next, into the prepared baking dish, combine: a 2lb bag of frozen diced hash browns, 16 ounces of sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken, 1 stick of melted butter, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and add in some garlic powder (measure with your heart).

What is Russian potato salad made of? ›

This is no ordinary potato salad. This salad consists of potatoes, turkey hot dogs, pickles, scallions, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet peas. All of the ingredients are finely chopped and dressed with mayonnaise.

What is French potato salad made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 9 Yukon Gold potatoes.
  2. ½ cup vegetable oil.
  3. ¼ cup tarragon vinegar.
  4. ¼ cup beef consommé or vegetable broth.
  5. ¼ cup chopped green onions.
  6. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
  7. 1 teaspoon salt.
  8. 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.

What is the most common potato in Germany? ›

40% of all potatoes in Germany come from Lueneburg Heath. Everyone loves the "terrific tuber": in fact, Germany consumes more than 60 kg of potatoes per person and year.

Do Germans eat baked potatoes? ›

A delicious, utterly basic dish that gets a lot of play in the German kitchen, the baked potato is cooked in its skin and often comes wrapped in aluminum foil. Served with a hefty helping of a herbed "Quark" (like yogurt) and a side salad, the "Pellkartoffel" will fill you up — even without a portion of meat.

What are German Butterball potatoes? ›

German Butterball potatoes are medium to large in size and are round to oblong in shape, averaging 10-12 centimeters in length.

What makes potato salad go bad? ›

Blame it on the bad bacteria that grow rapidly when food remains in the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F for more than two hours. 2 This means that potato salad made without mayo isn't exempt from these time and temp guidelines. Bottom Line: When stored safely, fresh potato salad should keep for up to five days.

Can you leave potato salad out all night? ›

The typically accepted range for room temperature is 68-74 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the FDA, perishables, such as mayonnaise-based potato salad, fall under the "two-hour rule" and should be refrigerated after two hours.

Can you boil potatoes a day ahead for potato salad? ›

Your potato salad will of course be best if you make it shortly after cooking. But if you want to do some of your work ahead of time, boil the potatoes, let them sit uncovered for several hours, even overnight, and then cut and dress them at the last minute.

What are the German potato varieties? ›

The best-known varieties in Germany include: Adretta, Aula, Freya, Gunda (pictured top), Karat, Libana, Lipsi, Melina and Naturella. Stuck for what to do with a bag of mehlig kochend potatoes?

What type of potato is German Butterball? ›

German Butterball potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are members of the Solanaceae or nightshade family along with tomatoes and peppers. They are considered an heirloom variety even though they are relatively new, having been introduced in 1988.

What is the meaning of Kartoffelsalat? ›

(For more details, click/tap on the translation) potato salad. potato salad.

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