German Style Potato Salad recipe is made with creamy gold potatoes bathed in a warm bacon dressing. It makes a delicious side dish for potlucks, and barbecues and is packed with sweet, salty, and savory flavors.
This family favorite German-style potato salad is delicious served warm or cold. The tangy dressing is made with onions cooked in bacon drippings, white vinegar, and sugar for sweetness and acid.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
✔️ The sweet and tangy warm dressing is a delicious combination with the creamy potatoes.
✔️ It is a warm potato salad recipe that can also be enjoyed cold and is easily portable!
✔️ It is the perfect potato side dish for grilled meats.
🥘 Ingredients
Yukon gold potatoes, (also known as yellow potatoes) are waxy potatoes with a creamy texture and are great for boiling. They are creamy and delicious and hold their shape well.
Salt
Garlic cloves
Yellow onions
Thick cut bacon, this is my preferences as I like meatier pieces of bacon. Regular cut bacon will work in this recipe also.
Granulated sugar
White vinegar
Water
🔪 Instructions
- Place potatoes covered in cold water in a large pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork tender. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain. Set aside.
- While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the bacon to the hot skillet and cook bacon for 7 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place the bacon pieces on paper towels to drain.
- Add the onions to the bacon grease and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic into the sautéed onions and cook for 2 minutes longer, until the onions begin to soften. Add the granulated sugar, vinegar, water and water. Cook and stir for 1 minute until dressing begins to thicken.
- Place hot potatoes in a large serving bowl and toss with the warm bacon dressing. Stir in the cooked bacon pieces and garnish with fresh parsley (if using).
🥄 Equipment
Large pot
Large frying pan
Chef knife
Cutting board
Mixing spoon
Large bowl with lid
🥫Storage
Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
📖 Variations
- Apple cider vinegar can be used in place of white vinegar.
- Red onion can be substituted for white onion.
- Add 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard to the bacon dressing for extra tang.
- Sprinkle a tablespoon or two for fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, or green onions on top of the salad to garnish.
- Use vegetable broth or chicken broth for the water for extra flavor.
- Small red potatoes can be substituted for the gold potatoes.
💭 Top Tip
- Wash and dice the potatoes into bite sized small pieces then cook them. This way they are ready to just toss with the dressing when warm.
📚 Related Recipes
Try this classic potato salad recipe with a mayonnaise based dressing.
This German Chocolate Bundt Cake is a family dessert favorite!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Onions is perfect to set and forget!
🍽 Serve with...
Serve this German Potato Salad recipe with a dollop of sour cream, Grilled Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, and a green side salad.
🏫 The last word
An authentic German Potato Salad is made with bacon drippings to make a sweet vinegar dressing and is tossed with warm potatoes and crispy bacon pieces. It is delicious warm, but can be enjoyed at room temperature or cold.
This particular recipe does not have a thickener for the sauce as it does not need one. The dressing absorbs into the potatoes, giving it great flavor. It can be enjoyed cold or easily be reheated in the microwave to enjoy it warm!
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📖 Recipe
German Style Potato Salad
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Ingredients
- 3 cups potatoes , peeled and diced
- 4 slices thick cut bacon , diced
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Place potatoes covered in cold water in a large pot over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just fork tender. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain. Set aside.
- While the potatoes are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the bacon to the hot skillet and cook bacon for 7 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place the bacon pieces on paper towels to drain.
- Add the onions to the bacon grease and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic into the sautéed onions and cook for 2 minutes longer, until the onions begin to soften. Add the granulated sugar, vinegar, water and water. Cook and stir for 1 minute until dressing begins to thicken.
- Place hot potatoes in a large serving bowl and toss with the warm bacon dressing. Stir in the cooked bacon pieces and garnish with fresh parsley (if using).
Peggy
The recipe mentions adding the garlic, and it's also listed in the ingredients list (before the recipe), but not in the actual recipe, but not how much to use. I'm making this for supper tonight, and since we really like garlic I am going to add 2 cloves minced.
Shelby Law Ruttan
Thanks for letting me know, I'll be sure to fix that!