German Potato Salad
intro
Warm, tangy no-mayo German potato salad with smoky bacon, bright vinegar dressing, and fresh chives, perfect for pairing with grilled BBQ meats.
Ingredients
Steps
Boil the potatoes
Place 900g whole, unpeeled waxy Yukon Gold potatoes in a large stockpot, cover with 2 liters of cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 18-20 minutes, until a fork pierces the potato center with light resistance (do not overcook to a mushy texture). Drain and set aside to cool for 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle safely.
Crisp the bacon
While potatoes cool, heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add 150g of 1cm-cut thick bacon pieces, cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fat is fully rendered and bacon is crisp at the edges. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate, leaving all rendered bacon fat in the skillet for the dressing.
Sauté the onion
Return the skillet with reserved bacon fat to medium-low heat. Add 120g finely diced yellow onion, cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and completely translucent with no browned, caramelized edges, which would overpower the dressing’s bright tang.
Make the dressing
Add 80ml apple cider vinegar, 120ml low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, and 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the skillet with softened onions. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cook for 2 minutes, whisking occasionally, until dressing is fully emulsified and warmed through. Turn off stovetop heat.
Slice the potatoes
Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, slip off the thin skins (they will peel easily by hand without a tool) and cut into 1cm thick round slices. Place sliced potatoes in a large, wide ceramic mixing bowl, then pour the entire warm skillet dressing directly over the potatoes while both components are still warm.
Toss and rest salad
Add three-quarters of the crisped bacon to the mixing bowl with potatoes and dressing. Gently toss with a flexible rubber spatula to coat all potato slices evenly, taking care not to mash or break the tender potato slices. Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow potatoes to absorb the dressing, then top with the remaining crisp bacon and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives before serving warm.
Tips
2.Toss potatoes with dressing while both are still warm: warm potato slices absorb the tangy, savory dressing far better than cold potatoes, resulting in deeper, more even flavor.
3.For a vegetarian adaptation, swap bacon for 2 tablespoons of olive oil, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth, and add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika to replicate bacon’s smoky depth.
OMG this Swabian potato salad is an absolute game changer! I brought it to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and every single person asked me for the recipe. I usually make the creamy mayo-based version, but this tangy, broth-infused one is SO much better, even my super picky 7-year-old went back for seconds. Total cook time was spot on at 40 minutes, super easy even for a weeknight side!
I was so nervous to make German potato salad for my Oma’s visit since she’s originally from Swabia, but this recipe nailed it! She said it tasted exactly like what her mom made when she was a kid, I almost cried. Only tweak I made was adding a little extra bacon because, duh, more bacon is always better. So easy to follow, no fancy steps at all.
Meal prepped this on Sunday for weekday lunches and it held up perfectly all week! I paired it with grilled brats and some steamed green beans, and it made such a filling, tasty lunch that didn’t leave me feeling sluggish like the mayo-heavy potato salad usually does. 10/10 will be making this all summer long for cookouts.
Wait I messed up and used russet potatoes instead of waxy ones the first time I made this, and it still turned out pretty good! Do y’all think it’s worth tracking down Yukon golds next time or will russets work forever? My kids devoured it either way so I’m not mad, but I wish I’d seen the note about potato type a little clearer in the ingredient list!