Don't Like Mayonnaise? Then You'll Love German Potato Salad (2024)

Potato Salads
Side Dishes
Father's Day
Bacon
Red Potatoes

Serve it hot, warm, or cool at your next backyard barbecue.

Coco Morante

Coco began developing recipes for Simply Recipes in 2016 and is the author of five cookbooks. She is an industry expert on Instant Pot cooking.

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Updated September 21, 2023

What Is German Potato Salad?

For German potato salad, sliced potatoes are tossed with bacon, sautéed onions, fresh herbs, and a mustardy white wine dressing. It’s a nice change-up from the classic mayonnaise-based version, and you can serve it warm or chilled.

How to Make the Best Potato Salad

I follow a couple rules to ensure an excellent potato salad.

First, I make sure to use waxy potatoes, the smaller the better. The baby red potatoes I used in the photos are about six to a pound, and they steam in just 20 minutes. You can use creamer or fingerling potatoes instead if you like—those will cook even faster!
Second, I let the potatoes cool for at least 20 minutes before handling them. They’re easier to deal with when they’re cool, and you can easily peel off the skins with your fingers or a paring knife.

The potatoes are also more firm and less likely to fall apart once they’re a bit cooled, so you can easily cut them into even slices. (Don't worry if the slices don't have perfectly clean edges—that's part of the charm!)

Don't Like Mayonnaise? Then You'll Love German Potato Salad (4)

Butter, Oil, or Bacon Fat?

Some recipes for German potato salad use butter or oil, but I find that the bacon provides plenty of richness all on its own.

For a vegetarian version, you could cook the onions in butter or oil instead. Just up the salt, or else add a handful of capers for a salty, savory twist!

How to Serve German Potato Salad

Serve the salad hot, warm, or chilled. It's a perfect side dish for grilled sausages (a classic pairing!), or any of your standard cookout fare, like burgers, steak, or hot dogs.

Don't Like Mayonnaise? Then You'll Love German Potato Salad (5)

Make-Ahead Potato Salad

You can make this salad up to a day ahead. Serve it chilled from the fridge or let it come up to room temperature.

Leftovers will keep for up to five days in the fridge.

Try These Other Great Potato Salads

Classic Potato Salad
Instant Pot Potato Salad
New Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Dill
Mediterranean Potato Salad
Creole Potato Salad

German Potato Salad

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Cooling20 mins

Total Time55 mins

Servings4to 6 servings

This salad can be made up to a day ahead. It can also be easily doubled or even tripled.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (about 8) small red potatoes
3 slices (about 4 ounces) thick-cut bacon, diced
2 medium (3/4 pound) red onions, diced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (I like a mixture of chives and parsley)

Method

Steam the potatoes:
Fill a pot with an inch or two of water and set a steamer basket inside. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Rinse the potatoes and place them in the steamer basket.
Steam the potatoes, covered, for 20 minutes. To test for doneness, use a paring knife to pierce one of the potatoes; steam for a few more minutes if not quite done.
Remove the steamer basket from the pot and let the potatoes cool for 20 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooling, make the bacon dressing:
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the bacon until it begins to render some of its fat, about 5 minutes. (For crispier bacon, cook for 8 minutes.)
Add the onions and sauté for 5 more minutes, until the onions are softened and translucent, and the bacon is cooked through.
Add the vinegar to the skillet. Stir it in with the onions and bacon and let it reduce, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth, mustard, salt, and pepper, and turn off the heat.
(If your potatoes aren't quite ready yet, turn off the heat, but then warm briefly again before mixing in the sliced potatoes in Step 4.)
Peel and slice the potatoes:
Use your fingers or a paring knife to gently peel the potatoes. (You can also leave the skins on if you like a more rustic potato salad.) Slice the potatoes 1/4-inch thick.
Stir the potatoes and herbs into the warm dressing:
Add the potatoes and chopped herbs to the skillet with the vinaigrette. Gently stir until the potatoes are coated evenly with the herbs, onions, and bacon.
Serve the salad warm or chilled:
This salad can be made up to a day ahead.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
209	Calories
7g	Fat
27g	Carbs
10g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	209
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g	9%
Saturated Fat 2g	12%
Cholesterol 19mg	6%
Sodium 474mg	21%
Total Carbohydrate 27g	10%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 17mg	84%
Calcium 27mg	2%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 794mg	17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.