German Potato Salad • authentic recipe! (2024)

did you know?

German potato salad, known as kartoffelsalat, is a staple in German cuisine. Warm potato salad with a bacon and vinegar based dressing is from southern Germany and is known as warmkartoffelsalat. It’s a highlight of Oktoberfest and beer garden menus, and just like we do, Germans enjoy warm potato salad with barbecues and outdoor grilling.

lets break it down: German Potato Salad ingredients

salad

• potatoes
  • I used Goldust® Klondike potatoes, similar to Yukon gold. Look for large similar shaped potatoes so they’ll cook evenly.
• bacon
  • I cooked up 1/2 pound of bacon but of course as we all know the amount of bacon that actually makes it into a recipe is in inverse proportion to the cook’s willpower. Adjust accordingly 😉
• celery
• red onion
• parsley and chives
• salt and pepper

warm bacon dressing

• bacon grease
• cider vinegar
• brown sugar
• celery seed
• Dijon mustard

how to make warm German potato salad

1. Peel potatoes, halve lengthwise, and cook until just tender.
2. Meanwhile cook bacon and reserve some of the grease for the dressing.
3. Slice the hot potatoes and combine with onions, celery, and crumbled bacon.
4. Make hot dressing and drizzle all over salad.
5. Toss gently and serve with fresh herbs.

helpful tips and secrets to making German potato salad

Use similar sized potatoes, and peel them before cooking. I also slice them in half lengthwise before cooking them to make the process quicker.

Don’t sauté the onions and celery in the hot dressing. This is the classic method but I say don’t do it! I love the little bit of crunch from the raw veggies, it works so well with the soft potatoes.

Use a light hand with the dressing. The dressing in this recipe is just right for 3 lbs of potatoes. In too many German potato salads there is too much soupy dressing and the vinegar flavor overpowers everything. If you prefer a ‘wetter’ German potato salad, just make a little extra dressing.

Don’t worry if you can’t serve this warm. The salad cools off very quickly after you add the hot dressing, so room temperature will be just fine. The main benefit of the hot dressing is that it soaks right into the potatoes.

Serving leftovers: if you want to rewarm a serving of cold salad, you can microwave it briefly to revive it.

a few variation ideas

• Add some chopped dill pickles
• Top with wedges of cooked egg.
• Use dill instead of parsley and chives.

the bottom line

I was all set to start peeling another batch of potatoes when I began to slice mine and realized that they were fairly soft. I figured I boiled them a few minutes too long for the defined slices I was aiming for. But I tell you what…this stuff is gooooood, just as is. The soft edges of the potato drink in that amazing dressing and the whole package is pretty perfect. So as far as I’m concerned this recipe is a big success. (It’s helped banish the memory of those gloppy tubs of supermarket German potato salad from my mind forever.)

more summer sides to try

• Melon Salad with Chile and Lime
• Berry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
• Thai Mango Salad
• Lemon Couscous Salad
• Mediterranean Artichoke Salad

German Potato Salad

Warm German potato salad is Old World comfort food!

Nutrition

Calories: 268 kcal · Carbohydrates: 34 g · Protein: 7 g · Fat: 12 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g · Trans Fat: 0.04 g · Cholesterol: 19 mg · Sodium: 799 mg · Potassium: 852 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 130 IU · Vitamin C: 36 mg · Calcium: 40 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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