Name: German Potato Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds unpeeled red potatoes ((if small, cut in half and if large, cut in fourths)); salt; 8 slices bacon, (cut into ½-inch pieces); 1 medium onion, (chopped finely); ½ teaspoon granulated white sugar; ½ cup distilled white vinegar; 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Here’s a traditional German Potato Salad recipe made with bacon, onion and a tangy whole grain mustard sauce.

German Potato Salad

If you’re looking for a potato salad to make and serve that is not too heavy, this is the potato salad to make. It’s very easy to make. It’s traditionally served warm instead of cold. But you can always serve it at room temperature if you don’t want to serve a warm dish.

This recipe comes from a favorite cookbook of mine: One-Hour Comfort by America’s Test Kitchen. ATK has the best recipes! This book is full of all of your favorite comfort food. I love it.

Here are a few recipes in the book that I can’t wait to try:

French-Style Scrambled Eggs with Rosemary Candied Bacon
Spicy Coconut Chicken Noodle Soup
Parmesan Polenta with Mushroom Ragu
Bubble and Squeak
Hoisin Glazed Meatloaf
Chopped Cheese Sandwiches
Sweet and Spicy Pickled Red Onions
Chocolate Cream Pie in a Jar
Loaded Rice Crispy Treats

ingredients for making german potato salad

🛒 Ingredients Needed:

red potatoes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
bacon
onion
granulated white sugar
white vinegar
whole grain mustard
fresh Italian parsley

✏️ How to make German Potato Salad:

*The complete, printable recipe with all ingredients and instructions is at the end of this post.

Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 1-inch, and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup ot the potato cooking water, then drain the potatoes; return the potatoes to the pot and cover to keep warm.
While the potatoes are simmering, cook the bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium-heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; pour off all but ¼ cup bacon fat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, about 30 seconds. Add the vinegar and reserved potato cooking water; bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture is reduced to about 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in the mustard and pepper. Add the potatoes, parsley and bacon to the skillet and toss to combine; season with salt to taste. Serve warm.

➡️ Tips and Substitutions:

Make sure you toss the potatoes in the skillet with the bacon drippings while still warm. That will help the potatoes absorb the flavor.
Substitute Yukon Gold potatoes for the red potatoes, if desired.
Ham or sliced apples are sometimes added in to a German potato salad.

wooden spoon in pan of german potato salad

✔️ What is the difference between regular potato salad and German potato salad?

American potato salads are typically mayonnaise-based. German potato salad is tossed in a vinegar-based dressing made with bacon drippings. It is usually served warm instead of cold, but some people prefer to serve it at room temperature.