Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

Published June 11, 2021.This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This tasty German potato salad is so easy to make and is jam-packed with caramelized onions and crisp thick-cut bacon.

In my family, side dishes are what make the meal. When done right they become the perfect accompaniment and can enhance the flavor of the main course. If you’re looking for some great new side dish ideas, check out my Vinegar Coleslaw or Italian Pasta Salad Recipe.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (1)

German Potato Salad

German potato salad, better known as Schwabischer Kartoffelsalat in Germany, is a vinegar-based salad consisting of cooked potatoes, onions, and crisp bacon. This tasty side dish can be served hot or cold, and both ways are delicious.

Classically German speck, which is their version of cured bacon, would be used but thick-cut bacon is most commonly used here in the United States. In addition, there are several traditional recipes that do not use any meat at all, instead, they would serve this up alongside a schnitzel.

How to make German Potato Salad from Scratch

Use this easy-to-follow instruction for making a German potato salad from scratch:

Slice the Yukon potatoes about ¾ inches thick.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (2)

Boil the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water for 4 minutes.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (3)

Remove them from the hot water and strain. Set aside at room temperature in a colander to dry out a bit.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (4)

Next, add the bacon to a large frying pan or shallow rondeau pot on medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes or until crispy.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (5)

Remove the crisp bacon lardons and set them aside.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (6)

Add the slightly dried potatoes into the pan with rendered bacon fat on high heat along with the onions and cook for 4-6 minutes while stirring to lightly brown.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (7)

Finish by adding ¾ of the crisp cooked bacon, beef stock, vinegar, salt, pepper, and finely minced fresh parsley and mix to combine.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (8)

Garnish with more crisp bacon and addition chopped parsley.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (9)

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time.

How to Reheat: Place the desired amount in a small pan or pot and heat over low heat until warm. You can also heat in the microwave until warm.

How to Store: Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this recipe, although you will lose moisture and flavor, for up to 3 months, covered.

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (10)

chef notes + tips

  • This potato salad will taste better the next day after infusing the flavors while in the refrigerator.
  • German potato salad can be served hot or cold.
  • This dish will go well with Pork, Sausage, Schnitzels, or at your next backyard BBQ get-together.
  • You can substitute the Yukon potatoes for russet or red bliss potatoes.
  • Feel free to substitute the beef stock for vegetable stock.
  • Make sure the strained potatoes have little to no water on them before frying in the bacon fat.
Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (11)

More Potato Recipes

  • Potato Soup
  • Southern Potato Salad
  • Sweet Potato Pie
  • Scalloped Potatoes
  • Sweet Potato Casserole

Be sure to follow me onFacebook,YouTube,Instagram,andPinterest,and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (12)

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Easy German Potato Salad Recipe

Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (13)

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5 from 5 votes

This tasty German potato salad is so easy to make, and is jam packed with caramelized onions and crisp thick cut bacon.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds of sliced Yukon gold potatoes, about ¾” thick
  • 1 peeled and medium diced yellow onion
  • 6 thinly sliced strips thick cut bacon
  • ¾ cup beef stock
  • 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
  • salt and pepper to tast

Instructions

  • Add the potatoes to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 4 minutes or just until tender.

  • Remove them from the water and strain in a colander and hold them there until ready to use.

  • Next, add the bacon to a large frying pan or shallow rondeau pot over medium-high heat and cook for 4-6 minutes or until crisp and browned. Set them bacon aside.

  • Turn the heat to high and add in the strained potatoes and onions and cook for 4-6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir every minute using a spoon or spatula.

  • Pour in the beef stock, vinegar, ¾ crisp bacon, salt, pepper, and parsley and mix until combined.

  • Serve with remaining ¼ of the crisp cooked bacon and additional chopped parsley.

Notes

Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time.

How to Reheat: Place the desired amount in a small pan or pot and heat over low heat until warm. You can also heat in the microwave until warm.

How to Store: Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this recipe, although you will lose moisture and flavor, for up to 3 months, covered.

This potato salad will taste better the next day after infusing the flavors while in the refrigerator.

German potato salad can be served hot or cold.

This dish will go well with Pork, Sausage, Schnitzels, or at your next backyard BBQ get-together.

You can substitute the Yukon potatoes for russet or red bliss potatoes.

Feel free to substitute the beef stock for vegetable stock.

Make sure the strained potatoes have little to no water on them before frying in the bacon fat.

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 157mgPotassium: 560mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: dutch, german

Author: Chef Billy Parisi

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12 comments

    • Jan Rake Hernandez
    • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (14)

    Chef, I KNOW your recipes are always awesome. But please, stir some celery seed (small amount) into this recipe — then it was be perfect 🙂

    • Reply
    • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (15)

        Please do what you’d like to make it your own and to fit your tastebuds 🙂

        • Reply
      • Joan Dugan

      I used to help my grandmother make this. She would crack an egg over the finished product to make it glisten. Delicious

      • Reply
      • Wendy

      OMG, this was also my first time making German potato salad and will definitely make again and again. Super easy so much better the next day. I used extra bacon because, well why not!

      • Reply
      • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (16)

          excellent!

          • Reply
        • Lulu
        • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (17)

        This recipe was super easy and delicious. I added extra parsley since we love it and if I was the only one eating it I would have used a little more vinegar, but the fam thinks it was perfect.

        • Reply
        • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (18)

            excellent!

            • Reply
          • Jeanine
          • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (19)

          Delicious and easy recipe! Thank you!

          • Reply
          • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (20)

              my pleasure

              • Reply
            • Heidi

            OMG! Your reaction while tasting the potato salads is 100% accurate. LOVE, LOVE them both. Although the German one is a winner! I browned the potatoes a bit longer and it was amazing! Thank you so much for posting both recipes. I love your enthusiasm! It certainly rubs off on me!

            • Reply
            • Denise Klingbeil
            • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (21)

            This is truly Delicious. First time I have ever made a German potato salad and it won’t be the last. Wish I had made it the day before so it would have had a chance to let it sit. Will be making this every fall with my Brats, peppers and onions. FYI took a little longer the what the recipe said but worth it.

            • Reply
            • Max Parker
            • Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (22)

            Been making this for years. Got the recipie from the German Festival in Louisville years ago . Hard to improve upon but use smoked pork jowel instead of bacon and serve warm !

            • Reply
          Easy German Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

          FAQs

          What is German potato salad made of? ›

          This is a warm potato salad, German-style! Slices of boiled potato are tossed in a warm, tangy-sweet bacon vinaigrette while hot so they absorb the flavour. They're then showered with crispy, golden bacon bits and hit with freshness from dill and green onion.

          How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

          Don't Undercook (or Overcook) the Potatoes

          Poke them with a fork after the water has boiled for 5 minutes (or, if steaming, after 15 minutes). Don't wait until they fall apart when pierced with a fork.

          What's the difference between American and German potato salad? ›

          What Is German Potato Salad? Unlike mayonnaise-based American potato salads, German potato salad is tossed in a vinegar-based dressing made with bacon drippings. It is usually served warm instead of cold, but some people prefer to serve it at room temperature.

          What type of potatoes do Germans use? ›

          The best-known varieties in Germany include: Adretta, Aula, Freya, Gunda (pictured top), Karat, Libana, Lipsi, Melina and Naturella. Stuck for what to do with a bag of mehlig kochend potatoes?

          What not to do when making potato salad? ›

          Mistakes That Could Be Ruining Your Potato Salad
          1. Starting The Spuds In Hot Water.
          2. Forgetting To Salt The Water.
          3. Not Getting The Cook Time Right.
          4. Rushing To Dress The Potatoes.
          5. Other Potential Potato Salad Ruiners.
          Jun 24, 2023

          Should I peel potatoes before boiling for potato salad? ›

          Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

          How to make potato salad martha stewart? ›

          Directions
          1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
          2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
          Feb 25, 2021

          Do you have to let potatoes cool before making potato salad? ›

          Yes, if your potato salad is a cold salad, as most are, allow the cooked potatoes to cool to room temperature before adding the dressing and other ingredients.

          Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad? ›

          Cutting potatoes into 2-inch cubes makes it so easy to make potato salad. The potatoes cook evenly, and they are the perfect bite-sized pieces. Cook, cool, and mix your salad recipe.

          Should you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling for potato salad? ›

          Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

          Who makes canned German potato salad? ›

          Easily create a tasty meal or snack with Read German Potato Salad.

          What do German potatoes taste like? ›

          Description/Taste

          The flesh is a vibrant yellow to gold and is firm, waxy, and dense. When cooked, German Butterball potatoes have a creamy and tender flesh that takes on a smooth consistency and offers a rich, buttery flavor.

          What is the history of German potato salad? ›

          American style “German Potato Salad” originated from German immigrants based upon the German Kartoffelsalat. But the true origin of this recipe may be southern Poland. Cuisine doesn't recognize countries borders so who knows for sure.

          Did potato salad originate in Germany? ›

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