The BEST German Potato Salad Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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This delicious vinegar based German Potato Salad recipe is loaded with tender potatoes, crisp bacon, sautéed onions, and tons of flavor. Serve cold, warm, or hot – it makes an excellent side dish alongside sausages.

Different than traditional Potato Salad with a mayonnaise based dressing, this version tastes completely different!

Why this recipe is so great:

• Amazing flavor: Everyone knows salt and vinegar make an outstanding combination. The vinegar based dressing paired with the salty crispy bacon is a flavor match made in heaven. Combined with creamy tender potatoes, your taste buds will be thanking you.
• Serve hot, warm, or cold: I prefer to eat this potato salad warm, but it tastes great at any temperature.
• Tasty side dish: German Potato Salad is a fantastic side to sausages or pork tenderloin. It is also a great option to make for a potluck.

Ingredients needed:

Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below.

• Potatoes – I prefer Yukon gold but red potatoes work as well
• Bacon – this is a great recipe to use bacon ends and pieces, otherwise slice bacon works
• Onion – gets sautéed in the bacon grease
• Dressing – made from white vinegar, water, sugar, spicy brown mustard, celery seed, salt & pepper

How to make German Potato Salad:

Detailed instructions are located in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.

1. Cook potatoes: Place potatoes into a pot and fill with enough water to cover them. Bring your pot to a boil and cook for about ten minutes. You will know the potatoes are ready when you can pierce them with a fork easily. Then drain the water and set the potatoes aside to cool.
2. Cook bacon: While the potatoes are cooking, cook the chopped bacon. Start with a relatively high temperature and slowly reduce the temperature as the grease bubbles to avoid burning. When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the pan. The reserved bacon grease will be used in the dressing.
3. Cook onions: Add the chopped onion to the bacon grease and cook until tender.
4. Make dressing: Add the vinegar, water, sugar, mustard, salt, celery seed, and pepper to the pan. Bring this mixture to a boil and then set it aside.
5. Mix potato salad: Cut the cooled potatoes into small pieces with the skin on and add them to a large serving bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat. Top the German Potato Salad with crumbled bacon as well as parsley and chives. Serve warm and enjoy!

Traditional potato salad vs. German potato salad:

Similarities:

• Main ingredient is boiled potatoes
• Served as a side dish

Differences:

• Temperature: American potato salad served cold whereas German potato salad is traditionally served warm but can also be enjoyed hot or cold.
• Ingredients: The traditional version often includes mayonnaise, hard boiled eggs, and raw onions and celery; the German version is typically made with cooked onions and a vinegar based dressing.

Love potato recipes?

You’ll definitely want to try these:

• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Loaded Potato Skins
• Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Baked Potatoes
• Grandma’s Potato Salad
• Bite Sized Smashed Potatoes

This recipe was originally published in July 2014 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!