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This German Potato Salad is served hot and features red potatoes, crispy bacon and fresh herbs all coated in a warm, tangy bacon vinaigrette.
What is German Potato Salad?
The main difference between German and other American potato salads (like this Southern Potato Salad recipe) is the absence of mayonnaise. German potato salad is dressed with a warm vinaigrette made of bacon drippings.
This particular recipe is historically from the southern portion of Germany. It came to the great state of Texas when there was huge growth in German migration to the Republic/State during 1830-1900.
They settled in groups and still to this day there are German towns in Texas. One of the most popular towns is Fredericksburg, known for their food, wine and annual Oktoberfest!
Ingredients
- Red Potatoes: If needed you can substitute with Yukon Gold or Yellow Potatoes.
- Bacon: an important ingredient, use your favorite kind and cook to your desired done-ness. Just make sure you keep the bacon fat that renders!
- Onion: adds flavor. Can use red also.
- Vinegar: Apple Cider vinegar is my favorite type to use. This recipe features a fairly low amount of vinegar so it’s not overpowering. You can up the amount if desired, taste the resulting vinaigrette and adjust as needed.
- Chicken Broth: adds extra moisture to the potato salad. Add more or less as needed to thoroughly coat the potatoes in the dressing.
How to make
- Scrub the potatoes nice and clean, then cut into quarters, or smaller if needed depending on the size of your potatoes. Boil the Potatoes, add the potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then add the salt. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat and allow the potatoes to simmer until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare Vinaigrette, while the potatoes cook, prepare the vinaigrette. Dice the bacon and start to cook in a large skillet, add onion and sauté until bacon is cooked to desired done-ness.
- Add the vinegar, and allow this to cook for a couple minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in seasonings and chicken broth. Bring this to a simmer and then remove from heat.
Storage & Reheating
- Storage: store in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
- Reheating: remove the salad from the refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. If you desire to heat it further, you could put the leftovers in a skillet and heat over low heat, while covered.
Tips for Success
- After straining the potatoes place the pot onto the turned off burner, this helps the steam escape and dries off the potatoes.
- Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes. This helps the dressing soak into the potatoes.
- If serving at a BBQ keep in mind that food shouldn’t sit out for more than 2 hours. If needed place in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- This salad can also be served cold if you have leftovers, if that is the case stir in some additional chicken stock when serving since the dressing will have been absorbed by the potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad can be served hot, or room temperature. It’s best not cold, due to the use of bacon drippings in the vinaigrette.
Common options will be Yukon Golds, Yellow Potatoes or New Red potatoes, these all are waxy potatoes with a firm texture. Russets are not a good option since they are more starchy and won’t hold their shape well enough.
You can leave the peels on, the potato peels have more nutrients so as often as you can leave them on the better. Some recipes call for boiling the potatoes whole and then peeling after boiling then chopping.
What to Serve with this German Potato Salad
Thanks to the tangy vinegar in the dressing this salad is a wonderful side dish to Texas BBQ recipes of rich, smoky meats.
German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs red potatoes
- 1 tsp salt (for boiling potatoes)
- 9 slices bacon
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup chicken broth no or low sodium
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley diced
Instructions
- Chop potatoes: Clean potatoes and quarter, or if using larger potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch chunks. (Make them bite sized for easier eating. They don’t get peeled)
- Boil Potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water and heat over medium/high heat.
- Bring water to a boil and add in the salt. Stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain the water, return the potatoes to the pot, place on the now turned off burner, this will help the potatoes dry off.
- While the potatoes boil, prepare the vinaigrette: Dice the bacon, cook in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and continue to cook until bacon is crisp and onions are softened.
- Add the vinegar, and allow this to cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
- Remove potatoes from the pot to the serving dish.
- Add Dressing: Pour the dressing over the potatoes while they are still warm.
- Stir to combine.
- Serve salad warm. Garnish with fresh parsley or diced chives.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in a a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Salad can be served cold from the fridge. The dressing will soak into the potatoes the longer it is stored, so stir in some additional chicken broth if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by @KJandCompany.co
