German Potato Salad

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I like all kinds of potato salads, but German might be my favorite!

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 from the classic mayonnaise-based version, and you can serve it warm or chilled.

How to make the best potato salad

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

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

The potatoes will also be firmer and less likely to fall apart once they’ve cooled a little, making it easy to slice them into even slices. (Don’t worry if the slices don’t have perfectly clean edges – that’s part of the charm!)

Butter, oil or bacon fat?

For a vegetarian version, you could cook the onions in butter or oil instead. Just add some salt or 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 sausage (a classic pairing!)

Make-Ahead Potato Salad

You can make this salad up to a day in advance. Serve chilled from the fridge or allow to come to room temperature.

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

Try these other potato salads

Classic potato salad
Instant Pot Potato Salad
New potato salad with sour cream and dill
Mediterranean potato salad
Creole Potato Salad

Want even more inspiration? Check out all of our potato salad recipes!

preparation time
10 mins

cooking time
25 minutes

cooling
20 minutes

total time
55 minutes

portions
4
up to 6 servings

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

Vegetarian variant: Instead of bacon, sweat the onions in butter or oil. Stir in 2 tablespoons of capers along with the fresh herbs or increase the salt in the vinaigrette to taste.

1 1/2 lb (about 8) small red potatoes
3 slices (approx 4 ounces) Thick-cut baconrolled
2 Middle (3/4 pounds) Red onionsrolled
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/3 Cup low-sodium vegetables or chicken broth (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 mix of chives and parsley)

Steam potatoes:

Fill a saucepan with an inch or two of water and place a steamer basket inside. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Wash the potatoes and place them in the steam basket.

Cover and steam the potatoes for 20 minutes. To test doneness, prick one of the potatoes with a paring knife; 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, sear the bacon over medium-high heat until it begins to release some of its fat, about 5 minutes. (Cook 8 minutes for crispier bacon.)

Add the onions and sauté an additional 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent and the bacon is cooked through.

Pour the vinegar into the pan. Stir in the onions and bacon and let reduce, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetable stock, mustard, salt and pepper and turn off the heat.

(If your potatoes aren’t quite done yet, turn off the heat, but then reheat briefly before mixing in the sliced potatoes in step 4.)
Peel and slice potatoes:

Use your fingers or a paring knife to gently peel the potatoes. (You can leave the skins on if you want a more rustic potato salad.) Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Stir the potatoes and herbs into the warm dressing:

Add the potatoes and chopped herbs to the pan with the vinaigrette. Stir gently until the potatoes are evenly coated with the herbs, onions, and bacon.
Serve the salad warm or chilled:

This salad can be made up to a day in advance.