German Potato Salad

This authentic warm German Potato Salad reminds me of my childhood! The simple combination of red potatoes, bacon, onion, and a sweet and tangy dressing creates the perfect potluck picnic dish or Oktoberfest side.

Warm German Potato Salad

German food has always been one of my dad's favorite cuisines (it's probably that winning combination of beer + sausage!), so I vividly remember my parents' regular trips to the German deli as a child. I can even conjure up the smell of the little shop, which was full of a variety of homemade German sausages, meats, salads, and sides.

They would stock up on Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Knockwurst, mustards, pickled red cabbage, cold cuts, and my favorite -- German Potato Salad.

What is hot German Potato Salad?

Potato salad is a classic side dish that’s made with boiled potatoes and a variety of other ingredients. It’s believed to have originated in Germany, eventually making its way to other European countries and the European colonies.

A classic German potato salad is typically served warm or at room temperature and is dressed in a vinegar-based sauce. By contrast, American-style potato salad is often served cold or at room temperature, and is coated with a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, or yogurt. Most potato salad recipes include other seasonings, herbs, or vegetables in addition to the potatoes.

How to make German Potato Salad:

After some time spent playing and testing in the kitchen, I finally landed on this delicious recipe for a homemade German Potato Salad with eggs that instantly sends me back to family dinners at home. Bonus -- it's really easy!

Ingredients for Warm German Potato Salad:

• Red potatoes
• Celery
• Onion
• Hard-boiled eggs (optional)
• Parsley or dill
• Bacon
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Flour
• Dry mustard
• Salt and pepper

1. Boil the Potatoes: start with the whole potatoes (skin-on) in a pot of cold water, and then bring the water to a boil. Add salt to the boiling water, and cook the potatoes until fork-tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain.
2. Cube the Potatoes: once they're cool enough to handle, dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. You don't need to peel them since the skin on the red potatoes is so thin.
3. Add Celery, Eggs and Parsley: in a large bowl, gently combine the warm, diced potatoes with the celery, hard-boiled eggs (if using) and the fresh parsley.
4. Fry Bacon: cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp and brown. Then use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon, reserving the drippings in the skillet.
5. Make Dressing: prepare the dressing for the German potato salad by adding the flour to the bacon grease. Cook the flour for about 1-2 minutes, and then stir in the sugar, vinegar, water, dry mustard, salt, pepper and onion. Cook and stir until the onion is tender and the dressing has thickened.
6. Toss Warm Dressing with Potatoes: add the bacon to the bowl with the potatoes, then toss with the warm dressing from the skillet.

What is the best kind of potato to use for German Potato Salad?

With so many different varieties of potatoes available at the market, it can be confusing to know which potatoes will work best in a creamy potato salad recipe. I’ve shown red potatoes here (which are the traditional choice), but Yukon Gold potatoes or other waxy potatoes will also work well. These potatoes hold their shape when cooked and keep their firm texture in the salad when you chop them up and toss them with dressing. You’ll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.

Should it be served hot or cold?

Unlike a traditional Southern mayonnaise-based potato salad which must be served cold, the German potato salad is best at room temperature or warm. There's no wrong way to enjoy the side dish, so it's just a matter of your personal preference. That warm bacon-flavored dressing is heavenly, though!

What to serve with German Potato Salad:

We love this recipe when paired with other German-inspired dishes. Here are a few great options that go well with the potato salad:

• 3-Ingredient Grilled Beer Brats
• Sausage and Cabbage
• Soft pretzels
• Easy Sauerkraut
• Braised Red Cabbage
• Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Preparation and Storage Tips:

• German potato salad can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Leftover potato salad that has been kept properly chilled will stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• If your potato salad has been sitting out at room temperature (or in the hot summer weather at a picnic) for more than 2 hours, you should discard any leftovers.
• I do not recommend freezing this German potato salad. The ingredients will not retain the same consistency when thawed.

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:

• It’s important to put the potatoes in the pot of water before you heat up the water and bring it to a boil. This ensures even cooking. If you drop the potatoes into already boiling water, the outside of the potatoes will cook quickly, while the inside will stay hard.
• Boil the potatoes whole. Do NOT dice or peel the potatoes before they go in the water. Cutting or dicing the potatoes causes them to release steam while cooking, which will result in a mushier potato.
• The potatoes will take about 15-20 minutes in the boiling water to become fork-tender. If you’re using baby potatoes, they may only require about 10 minutes, so keep a close eye on them — you don’t want to overcook them and end up with mushy potatoes.
• How much potato salad per person? It’s safe to assume that 1 pound of potatoes will feed about 3-4 people. In this case, 2 pounds of potatoes for the potato salad yields about 6-8 servings. If you plan to feed 20 people, you will need to triple all of the ingredients. To feed 50 people, you will need about 8 batches; for 100 people, about 15 batches…and so on.
• Optional additions to the German Potato Salad: Garnish the dish with any fresh herbs that you enjoy (such as parsley or dill); the hard-boiled eggs are optional so feel free to omit them. If you don't have dry mustard, you can add a dollop of Dijon mustard to the dressing.

More potato salad recipes that you might enjoy:

• Easy Potato Salad
• Southern Potato Salad

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5 from 2 votes

German Potato Salad

The simple combination of red potatoes, bacon, onion, and a sweet and tangy dressing makes this authentic German Potato Salad the perfect side dish!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine European

Keyword German, potato salad, side dish

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 261kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. red potatoes (about 8 medium)
• 8 ounces bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup water
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ of an onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or fresh dill, chopped

Instructions

• Place potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add salt to the boiling water and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain.
• When the potatoes are dry and cool enough to touch, cut into bite-sized cubes. Transfer the cubed potatoes to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp and brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Leave the bacon drippings in the skillet.
• Add the flour to the bacon drippings and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir in sugar, vinegar, water, dry mustard, salt, pepper and onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender and sauce has thickened (about 5-8 minutes). If the dressing gets too thick while the onion is cooking, stir in additional water until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Add celery, hard-boiled eggs (if using), parsley or dill, and cooked bacon to the large bowl with the potatoes. Pour hot dressing over the potato mixture and gently stir to combine.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

• It’s important to put the potatoes in the pot of water before you heat up the water and bring it to a boil. This ensures even cooking. If you drop the potatoes into already boiling water, the outside of the potatoes will cook quickly, while the inside will stay hard.
• Boil the potatoes whole. Do NOT dice or peel the potatoes before they go in the water. Cutting or dicing the potatoes causes them to release steam while cooking, which will result in a mushier potato.
• The potatoes will take about 15-20 minutes in the boiling water to become fork-tender. If you’re using baby potatoes, they may only require about 10 minutes, so keep a close eye on them — you don’t want to overcook them and end up with mushy potatoes.
• How much potato salad per person? It’s safe to assume that 1 pound of potatoes will feed about 3-4 people. In this case, 2 pounds of potatoes for the potato salad yields about 6-8 servings. If you plan to feed 20 people, you will need to triple all of the ingredients. To feed 50 people, you will need about 8 batches; for 100 people, about 15 batches…and so on.
• Optional additions to the German Potato Salad: Garnish the dish with any fresh herbs that you enjoy (such as parsley or dill); the hard-boiled eggs are optional so feel free to omit them. If you don't have dry mustard, you can add a dollop of Dijon mustard to the dressing.
• Cooking for a Smaller Family? Cut all of the ingredients in half to prepare just 4 cups of potato salad. The instructions remain the same.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the salad (about 1 cup) | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg