Best Recipe German Potato Salad

This warm German Potato Salad recipe features tender red potatoes and bites of bacon in a tangy bacon, vinegar, and mustard dressing. It’s a family favorite that we enjoy all year long!

With strong German ancestry on both sides of my family, it should come as no surprise that potatoes and sauerkraut and any variety of sausage were common dishes at our table when I was growing up.

But it wasn’t until my family was on vacation in the Black Hills many years ago, that I had my first experience with authentic German potato salad. And I was instantly hooked!

Vegan German Potato Salad (swabian Style)

This German Potato Salad recipe is awesomely flavored with vinegar and mustard, and is served warm or at room temperature. And there’s BACON! I hope you love it, too!

“YUUUUUUUM!!! Made this for a Memorial Day cookout and it was a hit. Easy to put together, and omg the Apple cider vinegar was amazing. I’ll never go back to American-style potato salad again.” Amber

Here in America, when we talk about potato salad, it usually means a cold salad with a dressing that includes mayonnaise. Other typical ingredients include peeled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, some kind of pickles, a touch of fresh celery for crunch, and a bit of yellow mustard. My Dill Pickle Potato Salad is a perfect example of this kind of salad.

Grandma's German Potato Salad

German potato salad flips our American ideas upside-down. First, the traditional German salad is most often served warm or at room temperature. Second, it never includes mayo – only bright and tangy vinegar. And finally, it’s loaded with bacon. Sounds WONDERFUL to me!

This potato salad recipe consists of common ingredients. I’m betting you have most of these items on hand, except you might need to make a run for some bacon.

The thing that makes this potato salad so radically different from any that I had ever eaten before, is that it’s most often served warm. At first this felt odd to me. But after just a few bites, I was thoroughly convinced that warm German potato salad NEEDS to be a salad on regular repeat!

Deep South Dish: Deep South Style German Potato Salad

I love how the potatoes soak up all of that sweet vinegar-y, bacon-y goodness. The salad is so many things all at once – tangy, savory,

This will depend on a variety of things, such as the size of your potatoes, the size of your pot, and how much water is in the pot. But, in general, we’re looking at about 10 to 15 minutes of boiling time.

I stress to not pay attention to the minutes as much as the texture of the potatoes. When the water starts to boil, I set a timer for 10 minutes. Then I check the doneness by stabbing a potato with a fork. If there is ANY resistance, I set the timer again for another minute or two, and then check again.

Instant Pot German Potato Salad

You’ll know the potatoes are done when the fork pierces the potatoes easily, with no resistance. When this happens, immediately drain the potatoes. Do not overcook them!

When it’s just our family eating this potato salad, I most often serve it straight from the skillet, hot and fragrant from the stovetop.

But when serving this to guests, around the dining room table or outside on the backyard patio, I will likely transfer the salad to a serving bowl. I aim to serve the salad anywhere between hot and warm…and when it cools to room temperature it’s still awesome!

Easy Potato Salad Recipe (northern German Style): Oma's Kartoffelsalat

And if you’re wondering about serving it cold, I have to admit that it’s still pretty darn wonderful straight from the fridge! Just know that when the salad sits in the refrigerator, it absorbs more of the dressing. So you may want to spritz a bit more vinegar (or a little water or chicken broth) over the top, and then give it a stir to loosen it back up.

I’m going to get really German on you here. See that plate above? THAT is a plate of German goodness. A tasty grilled bratwurst (we love the ones from our local Hagberg’s butcher shop!), a helping of sauerkraut, and a pile of warm German potato salad.

But, really, this salad is a perfect side for so many meals. It goes with any backyard gathering, with a main entrée from the grill. Think about serving it with my famous Beer Can Chicken, these Easy Grilled Pork Chops, a flavorful Grilled Turkey Tenderloin, or these beautiful Sugar Grilled Beef & Asparagus Kebabs!

Hot German Potato Salad

For some non-grilling ideas, how about this gorgeous Mustard Pork Loin Roast? This salad would also be great with Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes or a Classic Pot Roast!

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.

A little bit of history with this recipe! This is where I first tasted German Potato Salad, on a family trip to the Black Hills.

Hot German Potato Salad (kartoffelsalat)

While my family waswaiting our turn to board the 1880 Train, a vintage steam locomotive near Mt. Rushmore, it was recommended that we eatlunch at the Alpine Inn.

Located just across the street from the train depot, we were seated at a sweet little table on the restaurant’s covered porch, giving our daughters a front row seat to all the locomotive action.

As I perused a menu that included spaetzle, schnitzel, and loads of red cabbage, my eyes caught sight of the German potato saladthat accompanied the smoked bratwurst. When the waitress explained this new-to-me rendition of potato salad, I knew I had to try it. And as they say, the rest is history!My German Potato Salad is made with vinegar, bacon, and onion and can be served warm or cold. A perfect hearty side dish for any occasion, from holiday dinners to BBQs!

Bacon Filled Hot German Potato Salad Recipe

I’m German and I love potato salad! I took my Grandmother’s recipe and tweaked it a little bit to make it easier for you to make an authentic German potato salad that tastes like the one you get in a Bavarian restaurant or at the Oktoberfest. It’s tangy and loaded with bacon and onions.

A Bavarian potato salad should be moist but not wet, the dressing will have an almost creamy consistency that coats the potatoes. It should definitely not be dry !

The hot potatoes soak up the flavor of the delicious dressing and the added bacon makes this simple recipe so finger-licking-good. Sprinkle the salad with chopped chives or parsley and voila: German potato salad perfection!

Old Fashioned German Potato Salad

American potato salad is usually mayonnaise-based, German potato salad, especially in Bavaria, is made with bacon drippings and vinegar dressing. What Americans typically think of as “German Potato Salad” (unpeeled red potatoes, lots of parsley, sometimes garlic, lots of sugar) is not actually found in that form in Germany.

It’s better to boil potatoes whole and with the peel on. They are peeled while they’re still hot because this way the potatoes will better soak up the dressing and the salad will be more flavorful.

In Germany, Potato Salad is often served as a side dish with Schnitzel, sausages, pork chops, or breaded fish. It’s also a popular dish to bring to a BBQ or potluck! Fun fact: Many Germans eat potato salad on Christmas Eve.

Southern German Potato Salad (no Mayo)

This salad keeps for about 2 days in the fridge, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

If you want to try more food from Germany I highly recommend taking a lookat my other German Recipes and please leave me a comment if you’re looking for a specific German recipe that I haven’t posted yet!

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Authentic German Potato Salad Recipe: How To Make It

Cooking potatoes in the Instant Pot Place a trivet in the instant pot, add one cup of cold water, and place the potatoes on top of the trivet. Close the lid and cook at high pressure for 9-12 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Quick-release the pressure.

Calories: 252 kcal | Carbohydrates: 27 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Cholesterol: 15 mg | Sodium: 437 mg | Potassium: 813 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 117 IU | Vitamin C: 16 mg | Calcium: 22 mg | Iron: 1 mg

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German Potato Salad (authentic Recipe)

For German potato salad, sliced potatoes are tossed with bacon, sautéed onions, fresh herbs, and a mustardy white wine