Comforting German Potato Salad
The first time I ever tasted German-style potato salad was at an Octoberfest street fair years ago. As I walked down the street I smelled an intoxicating aroma of bacon mixed with something tangy. The fragrance seemed to pull me toward a large cast iron kettle filled to the brim with potatoes, onions, and bacon. I asked the attendant for a serving of whatever-that-is, and she genuinely seemed concerned that I was unfamiliar with german potato salad. Never had I tasted potato salad that was so rich and tangy with a hint of sweetness… Plus this authentic german potato salad was warm, not cold, like the potato salads I was used to. Although I love making classic chilled potato salads through the spring and summer, the moment the kids are back in school I immediately switch over to this classic German Potato Salad Recipe loaded with crispy bacon, sweet onions, fresh parsley, and tons of tang! Unlike classic potato salad, this German-style potato salad does not use a mayonnaise-based dressing. The dressing is made with apple cider vinegar and dijon mustard, with a few other ingredients, to create a tangy and light vinaigrette sytle dressing!
Ingredients You Need
Potatoes – use small potatoes with mixed colors Bacon – for a crispy, savory flavor Sweet Onion – in slices or diced Apple Cider Vinegar – for a tangy flavor Whole Grain Dijon Mustard – will add loads of flavor Granulated Sugar – to balance everything out Chopped Parsley – for a bit of herbs Salt & Pepper – to taste
How to Make German Potato Salad
Place the potatoes in a large pot of water. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook until fork tender, about 6-10 minutes. Then drain off the water. Chop the soft potatoes into bite-size pieces. Meanwhile, place the bacon in a large saute pan or deep skillet. Set over medium heat and cook until the bacon is red-brown. Then pour off half the bacon grease and add the onions. Sauté until the onions are soft and starting to caramelize around the edges. Whisk apple cider vinegar, water, whole grain dijon mustard, and sugar to make the tangy dressing. Then pour the chopped potatoes into the pan. Toss everything well to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed. Toss in the fresh parsley and serve warm!
Tips & Tricks
Use any potatoes you have on hand! From russets to yukon gold potatoes to red potatoes, you can truly use any kind of potato you prefer in this recipe. Use the bacon grease! Make sure to only pour half of the bacon grease out of the pan. You need to keep some of it for a lovely added flavor! Don’t worry about peeling the potatoes! I like to simply clean the potatoes and keep the skin on. If you are using very large potatoes, it is probably best to dice them into smaller pieces prior to boiling them, or else boiling them will take a very long time!
Serving Suggestions
I could honestly eat this classic German potato salad on its own, but you can serve it along with so many other meal options, too! Try pairing it as a side dish with some of my other favorite recipes like:
Maple Mustard Chicken Oven “Fried” Turkey Breasts Apple Stuffed Baked Ham Grilled Pork Chops with Carolina BBQ Sauce Slow Cooker Spiced Apples The Best Broccoli Salad Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gratin
Looking for More Salad Recipes to Try? Be Sure to Also Try:
Deviled Egg Potato Salad Best Ever Potato Salad Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Italian Pasta Salad Best Macaroni Salad
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