Potatoes are mixed with cut up onions, bacon, and herbs and then covered in a vinegar-based dressing. Serve this alongside sausage for a great German meal!
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Recipe Origins
In America, when we think of potato salad it’s common to think about diced potatoes drowning in mayonnaise, mixed with hard boiled eggs, and sitting out next to the hamburgers at the barbecue cookout.
But that, of course, is not the origin of potato salad. Centuries ago, a different kind of Potato Salad became popular amongst German immigrants in America.
This potato salad was served warm, and was served with cut up onions, bacon, fresh herbs, and a vinegar-based dressing. Because of its prevalence amongst the German immigrant community in America, it was called German Potato Salad or Hot Potato Salad.
This particular German Potato Salad recipe originated in the Southern portion of Germany, Swabia. There are other potato salad recipes across Germany, with some even being mayonnaise-based in the northern regions!
Why Make this Recipe
- Travel to Germany: If you want to experience the beauty of German food, this is the recipe for you! It’s so simple to make and even easier to enjoy! Plus, you’ll feel like you’re in Swabia.
- No Mayonnaise: If you’re like me, mayonnaise covering your potatoes maybe isn’t your favorite thing. This is a great way to enjoy potato salad without excessive amounts of mayonnaise. It’s also a way safer cookout recipe to keep on a picnic table in the heat of summer.
- The Mix-Ins: The raw onions and cooked bacon in this recipe are to die for, and the dijon vinaigrette pulls it all together. It is sweet, tangy, and so flavorful.
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe?
Ingredients
- Potatoes: You want to use a waxy potato. I used golden potatoes, but red skinned potatoes could work as well. Do not peel or cut the potatoes until after cooking them
- Sunflower Oil: You can also use vegetable oil
- Mustard: I used dijon mustard but if you can find it, I would recommend a German mustard!
- Onion: Use a sweet onion. I used half of a large onion, but if you can find a small one, that should be the perfect amount.
Tools
- Instant Pot (optional)
- Large Pot (optional)
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Medium Frying Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Potatoes
Wash the potatoes. Put the whole, unpeeled potatoes in the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water. Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes with a 6 minute natural pressure release.
After the 6 minute natural pressure release, make sure that the potatoes are fork tender. If not, cook for a few more minutes.
Run the potatoes under cold water until they are cool enough to touch. Once cooled, use your hands to peel the skin off of the potatoes.
Use a knife to cut the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Cut each half in half lengthwise again, and then 3-4 times horizontally, effectively cutting each potato into 16ths. Place them in a large serving bowl.
Step 2: Cook the Bacon
In the meantime, cook the bacon.
Add the bacon to a small skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until very crispy. Remove from the pan to a paper-towel lined plate to remove excess grease.
Use a knife to cut the bacon into small bits.
Step 3: Make the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, sunflower oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, nutmeg, and salt.
Step 4: Assemble
Pour about ½ of this mixture over the cut potatoes. Add bacon, onion, chives, and parsley to the bowl. Mix. Add more dressing if desired, or keep as is. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- You do not have to use an Instant Pot if you don’t have one/prefer not to. Simply fill a large pot with water, add the potatoes, and bring the water to a boil. Continue boiling until the potatoes are fork tender. Then follow the rest of the steps as directed.
- Traditionally this recipe is served warm, but you can also chill it and serve cool if preferred
- If you don’t like raw onions, you can always saute the onions in the leftover bacon grease before adding them to the salad.
- It is delicious reheated so feel free to make it the day before you want to serve.
Recipe FAQs
How to Prepare this Recipe Ahead of Time
I find that with this potato salad, the flavor continues to deepen the longer that the potato salad rests. It’s delicious to serve the day of, but you can also make the German Potato Salad ahead of time and reheat it on the day you’d like to serve it.
Best Dishes to Serve this With
You can enjoy this German Potato Salad with pretty much anything, but some of my favorite options are:
- Sausage
- Burgers
- Chicken
- Ribs
- Wiener Schnitzel
Did you enjoy this German Potato Salad Recipe? If so, make sure to check out these other German recipes I picked out just for you:
- Cheese Spaetzle from Germany
- German Beef Rouladen
- German Black Forest Cake Recipe
- Obatzda: Beer Cheese Spread
- Wiener Schnitzel Recipe
German Potato Salad
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker (Optional)
- Large Pot (optional)
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Medium Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 2 lb golden potatoes, about 6-7 potatoes, whole, unpeeled
- 6 cups water
- 4 pieces Bacon
- ¾ cup Beef broth
- 3 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp White wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ⅛ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 small sweet onion, or ½ large sweet onion, diced
- 2 tbsp Chives, chopped
- 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes. Put 2 lb whole, unpeeled potatoes in the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water. Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes with a 6 minute natural pressure release.
- In the meantime, cook 4 bacon pieces. Add the bacon to a small skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until very crispy. Remove from the pan to a paper-towel lined plate to remove excess grease.
- Use a knife to cut the bacon into small bits.
- After the 6 minute natural pressure release, make sure that the potatoes are fork tender. If not, cook for a few more minutes.
- Run the potatoes under cold water until they are cool enough to touch. Once cooled, use your hands to peel the skin off of the potatoes.
- Use a knife to cut the potatoes in half, lengthwise. Cut each half in half lengthwise again, and then 3-5 times horizontally, effectively cutting each potato into 16ths. Place them in a large serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ¾ cup beef broth, 3 tbsp sunflower oil, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, ⅛ tsp nutmeg, and ½ tsp salt.
- Pour about ½ of this mixture over the cut potatoes. Add chopped bacon, 1 small diced sweet onion, 2 tbsp chopped chives, and 2 tbsp chopped parsley to the bowl. Mix. Add more dressing if desired, or keep as is. Enjoy!
Notes
- Potatoes: You want to use a waxy potato. I used golden potatoes, but red skinned potatoes could work as well. Do not peel or cut the potatoes until after cooking them
- Sunflower Oil: You can also use vegetable oil
- Mustard: I used dijon mustard but if you can find it, I would recommend a German mustard!
- Onion: Use a sweet onion. I used half of a large onion, but if you can find a small one, that should be the perfect amount.
- You do not have to use an Instant Pot if you don’t have one/prefer not to. Simply fill a large pot with water, add the potatoes, and bring the water to a boil. Continue boiling until the potatoes are fork tender. Then follow the rest of the steps as directed.
- Traditionally this recipe is served warm, but you can also chill it and serve cool if preferred
- If you don’t like raw onions, you can always saute the onions in the leftover bacon grease before adding them to the salad.
- It is delicious reheated so feel free to make it the day before you want to serve.
Linda says
My mom is from Swabia and makes it with dill pickles, pickle juice and dill.
The Foreign Fork says
Sounds delicious Linda 🙂 I will need to try that next time!
Karen says
My great aunt from Flein made the best potato salad. Keep it simple. No bacon or mustard. Thank you for the memories.
The Foreign Fork says
No problem Karen, I’m happy it brought back good memories 🙂
Peggy Shinkle says
A big MUST! Pour the dressing over the diced potatoes while they are still HOT! So that the bacon, vinegar, and herb flavors sink in deeply and quickly.
Susanne says
Going to give this a trial run for when I make rouladen for Christmas.
The Foreign Fork says
Hope you enjoy it!
Sue Kurth says
You left out the best part of German Potato Salad— the bacon grease. No need for oil, nutmeg, mustard or beef broth. Just let the bacon flavor shine thru.
The Foreign Fork says
Sounds great, Sue. Thanks!
Rhonda L says
How do you go about reheating it the next day? Just microwave it?
The Foreign Fork says
Yes! Thats what I do.
Chris steinhoff says
Always use bacon grease no oil
Dave Ulmer says
Great side to grilled bratwurst! Better than “moms” (don’t tell her)
The Foreign Fork says
Haha! Now THAT’S a compliment 😉 Thanks for leaving a comment!