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Traditional German Potato Salad

Traditional German Potato Salad

Traditional German Potato Salad

Looking for a unique and flavorful potato salad recipe? Look no further than our German Potato Salad Recipe! This dish is packed with delicious ingredients like bacon, onions, and potatoes, and it’s perfect for any occasion.

Traditional German Potato Salad

I’ve got the perfect German potato salad recipe for you. This dish is simple to make and will be a hit at your next potluck or BBQ! Serve this potato salad recipe at your next gathering and watch as it quickly disappears. The combination of flavors in this dish is sure to please everyone’s taste buds.

This potato salad recipe is so good. It ranks right up there with my loaded potato salad.

Traditional German Potato Salad

How Is German Potato Salad Different From The American Kind?

German potato salad is usually served warm and comprises boiled potatoes, bacon, and a vinegar-based dressing. Also involved are mustard, parsley, and onions. (Side note: Try this recipe with mustard if you want a little kick). American potato salad, though, is usually served cold and features a mayonnaise-based dressing. Along with the boiled potatoes are onions, celery, and hard-boiled eggs and is often garnished with herbs such as dill or parsley.

Why Is It Called A ‘German’ Potato Salad?

Good question! This article from NPR seems to think it’s because Germans in the 1800s were the first ones to mix boiled potatoes with vinegar and mustard — a combination of flavors the Teutons really took to. Americans adapted the recipe shortly after mayonnaise became popular in the 1930s.

ingredients

Prep Time: 30 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs potatoes (4 medium) cut into halves
  • 3 slices bacon
  • medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp salt and a dash pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vinegar

Instructions

  • In a large pot, heat 1″ salted water to boiling. Add potatoes, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook until tender, 10 to 25 minutes. Drain and cool.
red potatoes
  • In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
baon on paper towle
  • Cook and stir onion in bacon fat until tender.
potatoes and sauce
  • Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly.
sauce in a pot
  • Stir in water and vinegar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Slice warm potatoes into hot mixture, crumble bacon in.
red potatoes on a cutting board
  • Cook, stirring gently to coat potato slices, till hot and bubbly.
Traditional German Potato Salad

FAQs

Can I use the leftover bacon fat?

You can use the leftover bacon fat on this recipe (reduce, reuse, recycle, right?), but let it cool completely before adding to the salad.

Is apple cider vinegar an option?

You can use apple cider vinegar as a substitute for white distilled vinegar if you like. You might need to adjust the amount of sugar that you use. The apple cider vinegar can add some sweetness due to the apples.

The salad tastes bland. What can I do?

Consider adding fresh herbs to your German potato salad. This is a great way to pack in even more flavor and it can be done right before serving.

How To Store German Potato Salad

German potato salad will stay fresh for 3-4 days when stored correctly. Just be sure to store it before it sits out for longer than 2 hours. Also, it is important to keep the potato salad in the refrigerator and in an airtight container. You can either eat it cold or warm it up in the microwave (stirring regularly) or on the stove.

See Also

This recipe was first published in October 2013. It has been updated with new images and helpful tips. However, the delicious classic German potato salad recipe remains the same.

Check out some of my other favorite potato salads:

Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Loaded Potato Salad

Potato Salad With Dill Relish

Traditional German Potato Salad

Traditional German Potato Salad

About a Mom
Looking for a unique and flavorful potato salad recipe? Look no further than our German Potato Salad Recipe! This dish is packed with delicious ingredients like bacon, onions, and potatoes, and it's perfect for any occasion. Whether you're looking for a side dish for your next potluck or you're just in the mood for something new, our German Potato Salad Recipe is sure to satisfy.
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Side Dish
Cuisine German
Servings 6
Calories 114 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes 4 medium cut into halves
  • 3 slices bacon
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp celery seed
  • dash pepper
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vinegar

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, heat 1″ salted water to boiling. Add potatoes, heat to boiling, reduce heat and cover. Cook until tender, 10 to 25 minutes. Drain and cool.
  • In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels.
  • Cook and stir onion in bacon fat until tender.
  • Stir in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly.
  • Stir in water and vinegar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat.
  • Slice warm potatoes into hot mixture, crumble bacon in.
  • Cook, stirring gently to coat potato slices, till hot and bubbly.

Nutrition

Calories: 114kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 397mgPotassium: 507mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
Keyword german potato salad
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