German potato salad is a warm, tangy potato side dish with lots of flavor and texture. Tender potatoes are tossed with bacon, sautéed onions, and a simple vinegar-mustard dressing that soaks into every bite. It’s easy to make ahead, delicious warm or at room temperature, and perfect with Schnitzel, sausages, or grilled meats.
German potato salad
German potato salad is loved all over Germany, but this warm version with crispy bacon is especially common in Southern Germany, particularly in Bavaria and Swabia. Instead of a creamy mayonnaise dressing like American potato salad, it’s made with a tangy, warm dressing of broth, vinegar, mustard, and a little bacon fat, so the potatoes soak up lots of flavor.
Compared to Austrian potato salad, which is usually a bit lighter and often made without bacon, this version tastes richer, heartier, and more rustic.
In this recipe, I’m sharing my favorite Southern German–style potato salad with bacon that’s full of flavor yet simple to make.
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy salad:
What kind of potatoes to use for German potato salad: it’s important to use waxy potatoes such as red potatoes, baby potatoes, or Yukon golds – they hold their shape well and don’t fall apart in the warm dressing. Try to choose potatoes that are similar in size so they cook evenly.
Good-quality beef broth is key here because it makes up the base of the dressing and really affects the final flavor – homemade or a good-quality store-bought broth works best.
Smoky bacon adds lots of depth and a savory note, while red onion gives a bit of sweetness and color. If you want to leave out the bacon, make this Austrian potato salad, instead.
The balance of sugar and vinegar is a matter of taste – some people prefer their salad more sour, others a bit sweeter – so feel free to adjust both to your liking.
A neutral-tasting oil helps the dressing coat the potatoes, and fresh parsley and chives make the salad taste bright and fresh, so don’t skip them if you can.
How to make it step-by-step
STEP 1: Cook the potatoes: Add potatoes, skin-on, to a large pot filled with cold water. The potatoes should be approximately evenly sized; if some potatoes are larger, cut them in half. Salt the water well. Bring to a boil, then simmer until just tender (about 15–20 minutes, depending on the size and type of potatoes).
(2 pounds (900g) waxy potatoes (red potatoes, baby potatoes, or Yukon gold), preferably even-sized potatoes)
STEP 2: While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing:
In a small pot, bring the broth to a boil, then simmer until reduced by half in volume (you should end up with about ½ cup).
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(1 cup (240ml) beef broth, good-quality, preferably homemade beef broth)
STEP 3: Dice the bacon, finely dice the onion, and the herbs.
(6 ounces (170g) bacon, 1 small/medium red onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped chives)
STEP 4: Add the bacon to a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium (the fat should slowly render from the bacon). Cook until browned and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Leave about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan (pour off excess if needed).
STEP 5: Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat for about 3–4 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
Add 2/3 of the bacon back to the pan, then add the beef broth, vinegar, sugar, and mustard to the onions in the pan. Stir and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to blend the flavors, whisking vigorously to combine all the ingredients. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the oil until the dressing is slightly emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing will taste a little bit on the sour side, but the sharp flavor will mellow when combined with the potatoes.
(¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar, 3-4 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons neutral-tasting vegetable oil)
STEP 6: Meanwhile, the potatoes should be ready.
Prepare the cooked potatoes: Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly. They should still be very warm; if they are too hot to handle, you can hold the potato through a paper towel and peel it with a small paring knife. Slice the potatoes into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds/dice (as you wish). While still warm, transfer to a large mixing bowl.
STEP 7+8: Combine: Pour the warm dressing over the sliced potatoes (ideally they should still be warm, because that way they will absorb the dressing better) and toss gently with a silicone spatula to combine. Stir in chopped herbs. At this point, the salad will be a little bit too runny, but the potatoes will absorb the dressing in a couple of minutes.
Let the salad stand for 15–20 minutes, gently stirring it from time to time, until the dressing is absorbed. Crumble the remaining bacon on top.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Storage
German potato salad tastes best fresh or on the same day, but leftovers keep well. Store the cooled salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days. It will thicken a bit as the potatoes keep absorbing the dressing – if it seems too dry, you can stir in a splash of broth, water, or a little oil before serving. You can serve leftovers cold or let them come to room temperature, or gently rewarm them in a pan over low heat (add a bit of liquid so the potatoes don’t stick or break apart). I don’t recommend freezing this salad, as the potatoes become mealy and the texture is not pleasant after thawing.
More German recipes for you to enjoy / Serving suggestions
- Brötchen – German Bread Rolls
- Oktoberfest Recipes
- Schinkennudeln (German Ham and Cheese Pasta)
- German Plum Cake
- Pork Schnitzel
- German Cucumber Salad
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German Potato Salad
składniki
- 2 pounds (900g) waxy potatoes (red potatoes, baby potatoes, or Yukon gold), preferably even-sized potatoes
- 1 cup (240ml) beef broth good-quality, preferably homemade
- 6 ounces (170g) thick-cut bacon
- 1 small/medium red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- ¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar
- 3-4 teaspoons sugar or to your taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons neutral-tasting vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
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wykonanie
- Cook the potatoes: Add potatoes, skin-on, to a large pot filled with cold water. The potatoes should be approximately evenly sized; if some potatoes are larger, cut them in half. Salt the water well. Bring to a boil then simmer until just tender (about 15–20 minutes, depending on the size and type of potatoes).2 pounds (900g) waxy potatoes
- While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing:
- In a small pot, bring the broth to a boil then simmer until reduced by half in volume (you should end up with about ½ cup).1 cup (240ml) beef broth
- Dice the bacon, finely dice the onion, and the herbs.6 ounces (170g) thick-cut bacon, 1 small/medium red onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- Add the bacon to a cold skillet and turn the heat to medium (the fat should slowly render from the bacon). Cook until browned and crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Leave about 1–2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan (pour off excess if needed).
- Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté over medium heat for about 3–4 minutes, or until soft and translucent.
- Add 2/3 of the bacon back to the pan, then add the beef broth, vinegar, sugar, and mustard to the onions in the pan. Stir and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to blend the flavors, whisking vigorously to combine all the ingredients. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the oil until the dressing is slightly emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The dressing will taste a little bit on the sour side, but the sharp flavor will mellow when combined with the potatoes.¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar, 3-4 teaspoons sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons neutral-tasting vegetable oil
- Meanwhile, the potatoes should be ready.
- Prepare the cooked potatoes: Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly. They should still be very warm; if they are too hot to handle, you can hold the potato through a paper towel and peel it with a small paring knife. Slice the potatoes into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds/dice (as you wish). While still warm, transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Combine: Pour the warm dressing over the sliced potatoes (ideally they should still be warm, because this way they will absorb the dressing better) and toss gently with a silicone spatula to combine. Stir in chopped herbs. At this point, the salad will be a little bit too runny, but the potatoes will absorb the dressing in a couple of minutes.
- Let the salad stand for 15–20 minutes, gently stirring it from time to time, until the dressing is absorbed. Crumble the remaining bacon on top.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Enjoy!
uwagi
- Calories = 1 serving (1/6 of the recipe). This is only an estimate!
- Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
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