Hot German Potato Salad

By Lauren MiyashiroUpdated: Jun 28, 2024

Approved by the Delish Test Kitchen

preview for This German Potato Salad Outshines Every Mayo-Based Recipe

4.4

10 Ratings

Yields:: 6 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 10 mins
Total Time:: 40 mins
Cal/Serv:: 292

Jump to recipe

American potato salad comes in many shapes and sizes, but they all typically have a mayonnaise base with a mix of crunchy chopped veggies and fresh herbs. All variations (Southern, jalapeno popper?!, etc.) are equally delicious and the result of German immigrants lending their love for flavors like vinegar and mustard to American cuisine. This version became so closely linked with German immigrants that it became known as THE German potato salad.

Unlike the chilled, creamy, mayo-dressed picnic staple we're familiar with, German potato salad is served warm, or even hot, with a bacon vinaigrette. I repeat, bacon vinaigrette. If you've never made a dressing with bacon fat, you're in for a treat. The best part of this is that there's no need to wait for the potatoes to get to room temperature before tossing everything together and heaping it on your plate.

What People Are Saying:
"My go to potato salad recipe. the first time I made it, I ate the WHOLE recipe by myself!!!" - BlueCone

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ingredients

2 lb.
baby potatoes, halved
6
slices bacon
1
red onion, finely chopped
6 Tbsp.
apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp.
water
2 Tbsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp.
wholegrain Dijon mustard
1 tsp.
granulated sugar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4
green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Step 1 In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and season generously with salt. Bring water to a boil and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly before transferring to a large serving bowl.
2. Step 2In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of fat in pan, and transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
3. Step 3 Add red onion and cook over medium heat until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Whisk in in apple cider vinegar, water, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and sugar. Bring mixture to a simmer, then turn off heat and season with salt and pepper.
4. Step 4Stir in green onions and gradually pour mixture over potatoes. Crumble the bacon over the potatoes.
5. Step 5Toss to combine and serve warm.

potato salad with chopped onions and bacon

PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

How To Make German Potato Salad

Ingredients

Potatoes: I used baby Yukon golds for this recipe, but any waxy variety will hold its shape after being cooked and tossed and, therefore, will work.
Bacon: What is bacon vinaigrette? Incredibly delicious, that’s what it is. Cooked bacon is not only added to the salad, but the leftover bacon fat is what we cook the rest of our vinaigrette ingredients in, creating a smoky, tangy, and slightly sweet combination that you'll want to come back to over and over again.
Red Onion: Cooking chopped red onion in leftover bacon fat not only softens it, but adds heaps of favor. Alternatively, you can use a shallot.
Apple Cider Vinegar: This is my preferred source of acidity, but you can also use white wine vinegar if you prefer.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Use your favorite brand, or check out our list of the best (and worse!) olive oil brands.
Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard has a signature sharp, tangy flavor that really ties the dressing together, and adds another sharp flavor to balance out the smoky bacon. Some more simple recipes for German potato salad don’t use it, but I think it truly makes a worthwhile difference. I recommend looking for wholegrain Dijon mustard to switch up the texture, but you can use smooth Dijon (or any good quality mustard you love) if you prefer.
Granulated Sugar: A little bit of granulated sugar adds a necessary sweetness to balance out the rest of our flavors.
Green Onions: Sliced green onions add a freshness (and slight crunch) that this salad just wouldn’t be complete without. That being said, feel free to adjust and add as many green onions as you please (or cut down if you’re not as much of a fan).

Step-By-Step Instructions

After cutting the potatoes in half, the next step in creating this potato salad is to boil our potatoes until they are tender, and you can easily pierce them with a knife. Tip: Bland potato salad is a picnic no-no. To avoid it, give the potatoes a head start to being perfectly seasoned—don't forget to salt the cooking water generously! After your potatoes are done, drain and let cool slightly before adding to a large bowl.

Now we can move onto the stars of the show: our bacon, and the bacon vinaigrette. First cook some bacon, then pour out all but two tablespoons of the fat. Sauté a red onion (or shallot) in the fat, then add apple cider vinegar , water, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and a little bit of granulated sugar to the skillet and whisk it all together. Bring it to a simmer, then turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then throw in some green onions and toss the vinaigrette with the potatoes and cooked bacon.

This is a potato salad you want to serve warm, so don't delay in serving it once it's ready!

PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Recipe Tips

Should I peel potatoes for potato salad? It depends on what kind of potatoes you use. I prefer waxy, unpeeled potatoes for this kind of potato salad rather than starchy, peeled potatoes. Waxy potatoes typically have thinner skin, hold their shape, and add a pop of color to the salad. Starchy potatoes, like Russets, will absorb tons of flavor, but they tend to get mushy faster. If you only have starchy potatoes, like Russets, and you're hellbent on making this salad, leave the potatoes whole, score each potato around the middle, and boil. Once the potatoes cook through, remove the skin by holding the potato with a clean dish towel and twisting the top and bottom of the potato in opposite directions to peel the skin off.
Why is my potato salad gummy? Gummy potato salad comes from overcooked potatoes. While this is less likely with waxy potatoes, be sure that all of your potatoes are relatively the same size before halving them and check them regularly as they cook. Start with cold water, and don't let them sit in the water once they've reached the proper level of doneness; the hot water will continue to cook the potatoes well past tender.

What To Serve With German Potato Salad

Hot German potato salad would fit seamlessly into any picnic or BBQ spread (alongside campfire hot dog skewers, butterflied grilled chicken drumsticks or grilled ribs) but don't count it out for an easy weeknight side. Serve it alongside a juicy, crispy chicken schnitzel or grilled beer brats.