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Avatar photoIsha Joe

German Potato Salad Recipe

German Potato Salad has warm, tender potatoes tossed with crispy bacon and fresh herbs in a tangy mustard vinaigrette dressing. Serve this traditional German salad warm or cold – it’s a comforting and flavorful potato salad that pairs well with a variety of dishes. 
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 316
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb Yukon gold or red potatoes*, whole, unpeeled, scrubbed
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz bacon, chopped into 1/2” pieces
  • 1/2 medium red onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp dill, finely chopped*
  • 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock, or water
  • 1/4 cup  apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, stone ground mustard, or whole-grain mustard
  • 1 tbsp sugar or honey, or to taste
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Method
 

  1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low boil and cook for 15-25 minutes (depending on their size), until the potatoes are easy to pierce with a fork. Drain and set aside, uncovered, to cool for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and sauté until crisp and browned, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a plate. Reserve 3-4 Tbsp of bacon grease in the pan.
  3. Into the hot bacon grease, add the red onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
  4. Add the vinegar, 1/4 cup of chicken stock, mustard, and sugar to taste. Start with 1 Tbsp of sugar and add more as needed to balance the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Continue stirring for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced slightly.
  5. While the potatoes are still warm, cut them into bite-size chunks. You can peel the potatoes, but I prefer to keep the skins on. Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and top with the dressing. Add the bacon and herbs, and toss to combine. Garnish with more parsley or dill if desired.

Notes

Look for potatoes that are uniform in size for even cooking. If potatoes are large, cut them in half before boiling.
Don’t overcook your potatoes—cook them just until they are fork-tender. If they become too soft, they’ll turn mushy, be difficult to slice, and won’t hold their shape when you mix in the other ingredients.
If you don’t have dill on hand, you can substitute it with chives or more parsley.