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    Home » Recipes » Seasonal Recipes » Easy German Potato Salad with Bacon

    Easy German Potato Salad with Bacon

    Published: Apr 24, 2022 Modified: Jun 21, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    My easy German Potato Salad recipe is a perfect side dish for your next cookout, picnic, or family pot roast dinner! Complete with creamy potatoes, crispy bacon, and fresh herbs, this homemade potato salad recipe is ready in just 35 minutes and is packed with flavor.

    mixing german potato salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon
    Jump to:
    • Authentic German Potato Salad
    • Hot German Potato Salad FAQ
    • German Potato Salad Ingredients
    • How to Make German Potato Salad
    • Make-Ahead Instructions
    • Warm German Potato Salad Recipe Tips
    • Picnic Side Dishes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Authentic German Potato Salad

    Living in Florida, picnics and cookouts are a must for my family. We love to get out in the sun and enjoy a meal together outside. One of the best backyard cookout and picnic side dishes is potato salad, so this easy German potato salad recipe is a staple for me!

    When it comes to German side dishes, potato salad is a little different from what you might expect from American-style potato salad. The German variation is known as Kartoffelsalat, and is served warm with a vinegar dressing and bacon fat mixed through.

    This makes German potato salad into an extra special side dish I guarantee you and your family will love. This is classic, good picnic food perfect for pairing with sandwiches, BBQ, and more of your favorite family dinner ideas!

    close up of german potato salad in a white bowl

    Hot German Potato Salad FAQ

    What is the difference between German potato salad and American potato salad?

    Unlike American potato salad, German potato salad does not always require the potatoes to be peeled, and is prepared with a tangy vinegar dressing and bacon fat mixed through the potatoes.

    Can German potato salad be served cold?

    You can serve German potato salad hot or cold according to your preference. Though traditionally warm, leftover German potato salad served cold always tastes just as delicious.

    Do you put eggs in German potato salad?

    Though German potato salad does not contain eggs, you can add hard-boiled eggs if you like. Follow this recipe for hard-boiled eggs if you would like to easily make hard-boiled eggs for potato salad.

    German Potato Salad Ingredients

    • Yukon gold potatoes
    • Bacon strips, reserving bacon fat when cooking
    • Red onion, finely diced
    • Fresh dill, chopped
    • Fresh parsley, chopped
    • Chicken stock
    • Sugar
    • Kosher salt
    • Fresh cracked black pepper
    • Red wine vinegar
    • Japanese rice vinegar*
    • Vegetable oil

    If you can’t use Japanese rice vinegar, use ¼ cup more of red wine vinegar, making a full cup. I do not recommend substituting other kinds of vinegar for the rice vinegar in this recipe.

    ingredients for german potato salad on a white surface

    How to Make German Potato Salad

    1. Boil potatoes in their skin in salted water, enough to cover the potatoes, until fork-tender (about 20 minutes). Check at 15 minutes, as smaller potatoes may finish cooking sooner. Drain, and allow to cool enough to handle.
      boiling potatoes for potato salad
    2. In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy (or make Air Fryer Bacon). Drain bacon on a paper towel, saving 2 Tablespoons of the rendered fat. Chop cooked bacon and set aside. Then, while potatoes cook, dice onion and chop the dill and parsley. In a separate bowl, mix chicken stock, sugar, salt, pepper, and both vinegars.
      Chopped herbs and onions next to cooked bacon
    3. When cool enough to handle, peel the potatoes and cut them in half, then cut into ¼-inch slices. Place in a large mixing bowl and pour the vinegar mixture over the potatoes. Stir gently to mix through; the warm potatoes will soak up the dressing.
      Sliced potatoes in a bowl
    4. Add bacon, onion, and herbs, along with the reserved bacon fat. Stir again, gently. Reserve some bacon to sprinkle over the top if desired.
      mixing potato salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon
    5. Let sit for 5 minutes, then add the oil. Start with ¼ of the oil and fold in gently, then add the remainder. The mixture will appear soupy at the bottom, but over the next 15-20 minutes, the potatoes will soak it up.
      Mixed German potato salad in a bowl
    6. If you have any leftover bacon bits, sprinkle them over the top before serving. Serve (for best results, warm or at room temperature), and enjoy!
    German potato salad ready to eat

    Make-Ahead Instructions

    1. Prepare the German potato salad as instructed.
    2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
    3. Rewarm gently in the oven when ready to serve, and mix through.

    Warm German Potato Salad Recipe Tips

    • Boil the potatoes whole and let them cool a bit. This technique makes the potatoes easy to peel and cut—much easier than trying to do it when they are uncooked!
    • The dressing for German potato salads is typically oil and vinegar dressing with a bit of sugar, plus chicken stock. Pour it on when the potatoes are warm so they soak up all the tangy deliciousness. If you wait too long and the potatoes cool too much, they won’t absorb enough of the flavor.
    • Add the fresh dill, parsley, and lots of crumbled bacon bits for an exciting blend of flavors in every bite! I recommend saving some bacon bits and herbs to sprinkle over the top just before serving for a beautiful presentation and to add a little crunch.

    Picnic Side Dishes

    • Instant Pot Potato Salad
    • Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
    • Summer Pasta Salad
    • Spanish Potato Salad
    • Lemon Greek Potatoes

    Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below to let us know what you think! We love to hear from you!

    📋 Recipe

    mixing german potato salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon

    Best German Potato Salad Recipe with Bacon

    Isabel Laessig
    Learn how to make creamy German Potato Salad with bacon and fresh herbs for an amazing side dish for picnics, cookouts, and family dinners!
    4.75 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine German
    Servings 12
    Calories 274 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Bowl for mixing
    • 1 Skillet for cooking bacon

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
    • ½ pound bacon strips reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat
    • 1 small red onion finely diced
    • 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
    • ¼ cup chicken stock
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
    • ¾ cup red wine vinegar
    • ¼ cup Japanese rice vinegar
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    Cooking Conversions

    See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

    Instructions
     

    • Boil the potatoes in their skin in enough salted water to cover the potatoes until fork tender about 20 minutes. Begin checking at 15 minutes because smaller potatoes could be done sooner. Drain and allow to cool so that they can be handled and peeled.
      5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
      boiling potatoes for potato salad
    • In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy. Drain bacon on a paper towel and save about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat. Chop the cooked bacon and set aside. While potatoes are cooking, dice onion and chop dill and parsley.
      ½ pound bacon strips, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, ¼ cup fresh parsley, 1 small red onion
      Chopped herbs and onions next to cooked bacon
    • In a separate bowl, mix chicken stock, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegars. Peel potatoes and cut in half, then in ¼-inch slices. Place in large mixing (or serving) bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture over the potatoes and stir gently to incorporate. The warm potatoes will soak up dressing.
      ¼ cup chicken stock, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ¾ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup Japanese rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
      Sliced potatoes in a bowl
    • Add the bacon, onion and herbs. Add the reserved bacon fat and stir gently again.
      mixing potato salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon
    • Let sit for about 5 minutes, then add oil. Start with ¼ and fold in gently. Then add remaining oil. The mixture will be soupy at the bottom but over the next 15 or 20 minutes, the potatoes will soak it up.
      ½ cup vegetable oil
      Mixed German potato salad in a bowl
    • If you’ve saved any parsley or bacon bits, sprinkle them over just before serving. German potato salad is best served warm or at room temperature.
      German potato salad ready to eat

    Notes

    • Boil the potatoes whole and let them cool a bit. This technique makes the potatoes easy to peel and cut—much easier than trying to do it when they are uncooked!
    • The dressing for German potato salads is typically oil and vinegar dressing with a bit of sugar, plus chicken stock. Pour it on when the potatoes are warm so they soak up all the tangy deliciousness. If you wait too long and the potatoes cool too much, they won’t absorb enough of the flavor.
    • Add the fresh dill, parsley, and lots of crumbled bacon bits for an exciting blend of flavors in every bite! I recommend saving some bacon bits and herbs to sprinkle over the top just before serving for a beautiful presentation and to add a little crunch.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 274kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 540mgPotassium: 835mgFiber: 4gVitamin A: 115IUVitamin C: 23.3mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 6.4mg
    Keyword authentic german potato salad, german potato salad, hot german potato salad, warm german potato salad
    Did you try this recipe?Tag #SundaySupper on social and leave a comment below!
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    Isabel, AKA Family Foodie

    About Isabel Laessig

    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

    » About Me

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. theninjabaker says

      July 16, 2017 at 3:17 am

      Do believe the German relatives (on my husband’s side) would definitely approve. Yukon Golds are sooo yummy and I am definitely partial to Japanese rice vinegar.

      Reply
    2. thatskinnychickcanbake says

      July 16, 2017 at 9:51 am

      I used to snub the German version when I was a kid. Now, it’s my favorite!!! This looks like a perfect recipe!

      Reply
    3. Nikki says

      July 16, 2017 at 4:11 pm

      This is a gorgeous German Potato Salad and really looks scrumptious! Those bacon crumbles are really calling my name!

      Reply
    4. Cindy Kerschner says

      July 17, 2017 at 10:49 pm

      I like mine warm but I wouldn’t turn down a cold bowl of this potato salad!

      Reply
    5. Shaina Wizov says

      July 18, 2017 at 12:42 pm

      I love potato salad, but HATE when the potatoes are drowning in a rich, creamy mayo-based dressing. This sounds so much lighter and refreshing, and perfect for ANY picnic!

      Reply
    6. carolinescookingblog says

      July 21, 2017 at 2:09 pm

      I much prefer the German vinegar-based dressing than the mayo versions – this looks great!

      Reply

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