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German Potato Salad

This easy German Potato Salad is a delicious change from the traditional mayonnaise-based potato salad. Made with tender potatoes, crispy bacon, onions, and a sweet-and-tangy vinegar dressing, it’s packed with flavor and can be served warm or cold.

Instead of mayonnaise, this German-style potato salad gets its flavor from bacon grease, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. The bacon adds a smoky, savory flavor while the vinegar and sugar create the perfect sweet-and-tangy balance.

One of the things I really like about this recipe is that you can serve it warm right after it’s prepared or refrigerate it and serve it cold later. That makes it a great option for everything from a weeknight dinner to a summer barbecue or family gathering.

Why You’ll Love This German Potato Salad

No mayonnaise: The vinegar-based dressing makes this a great alternative to creamy potato salads.
Full of flavor: Crispy bacon, onions, and the sweet and tangy dressing work perfectly together.
Can be served warm or cold: Choose whichever you prefer.
Easy to make: The ingredients are simple and inexpensive.
Great for gatherings: It’s an excellent side dish for barbecues, picnics, potlucks, and family dinners.

Ingredients

4 cups diced peeled potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 medium onion, diced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
⅓ cup white sugar
1 tsp celery salt (or regular salt)
fresh or dried parsley (optional)

How to Make German Potato Salad

1. Cook the potatoes

Place the diced potatoes into a pot and add enough water to cover them.

Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, or until they can easily be pierced with a fork.

Be careful not to overcook the potatoes. You want them tender but still firm enough to hold their shape when they’re mixed with the dressing.

Immediately drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool slightly.

2. Cook the bacon

Using your preferred method, fry the bacon until browned and crisp. I prefer the Oven-Baked Bacon Method.

Reserve the bacon grease. You’ll use it to cook the onions and add flavor to the dressing.

Once the bacon has cooled enough to handle, crumble it and set it aside.

3. Cook the onion

Combine the reserved bacon grease and diced onion in a large skillet.

Cook over medium heat until the onions become translucent and are just starting to brown.

Cooking the onions in the bacon grease gives the dressing a wonderful savory flavor.

4. Make the dressing

Add the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar, and celery salt to the skillet with the onions.

Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

At this point, you can choose whether you’d like to serve your potato salad warm or cold.

How to Serve German Potato Salad Warm

If you’re serving the potato salad warm, add the cooked potatoes and half of the crumbled bacon to the skillet with the dressing.

Heat everything through, gently stirring so the potatoes are coated with the sauce.

Transfer the potato salad to a serving dish and crumble the remaining bacon over the top.

Sprinkle with fresh or dried parsley if desired and serve warm.

How to Serve German Potato Salad Cold

For cold German potato salad, pour the sauce over the cooked potatoes in a bowl.

Add half of the crumbled bacon and gently stir everything together.

Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.

Just before serving, sprinkle the remaining bacon over the top. Add fresh or dried parsley if desired.

Tips for Making German Potato Salad

Don’t overcook the potatoes. The potatoes should be tender enough to pierce with a fork but not falling apart. Overcooked potatoes can turn the salad mushy when you stir in the dressing.

Cut the potatoes evenly. Try to dice the potatoes into similar-sized pieces so they cook at about the same rate.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Crispy bacon holds up better in the salad and adds a nice texture.

Save the bacon grease. Don’t discard it! It’s an important part of the dressing and adds plenty of savory bacon flavor.

Be gentle when mixing. Stir the potatoes carefully so they don’t break apart.

Add the bacon in two stages. Mixing half into the potato salad allows the bacon flavor to spread throughout, while saving half for the top gives you crispy bacon in every serving.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

You can use several different types of potatoes for this recipe. Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or red potatoes can all work well.

The most important thing is to avoid cooking them until they’re overly soft. You want the potatoes to remain intact when they’re mixed with the dressing.

Can German Potato Salad Be Served Cold?

Yes! German Potato Salad can be served either warm or cold.

For a warm potato salad, combine the potatoes with the dressing in the skillet and heat everything through before serving.

For a cold version, pour the dressing over the potatoes, mix in half of the bacon, and refrigerate until chilled.

Both versions are delicious, so it really comes down to personal preference.

What to Serve With German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad makes a great side dish for many meals. It’s especially good served with:

Grilled bratwurst
Sausages
Hamburgers
Hot dogs
Grilled chicken
Pork chops
Steak
Grilled vegetables
Barbecue

It’s also a popular choice for picnics, potlucks, cookouts, and holiday gatherings.

How to Store German Potato Salad

Store leftover German Potato Salad in a covered container in the refrigerator.

If you plan to serve it cold, it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it.

If you made the salad warm and have leftovers, you can refrigerate them and enjoy them cold or gently reheat them before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does German Potato Salad contain mayonnaise?

Traditional German-style potato salad typically uses a vinegar-based dressing rather than mayonnaise. This recipe uses apple cider vinegar, sugar, bacon grease, and seasonings to create a sweet and tangy dressing.

Can I use regular salt instead of celery salt?

Yes. The recipe calls for celery salt, but regular salt can be used if that’s what you have on hand.

Can I make German Potato Salad ahead of time?

Yes. The cold version is especially convenient to make ahead. Prepare the salad, cover it, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.

Why do you save the bacon grease?

The bacon grease is used as part of the dressing and adds a rich, savory bacon flavor to the potatoes and onions. It helps give this potato salad much of its characteristic flavor.

Can I use dried parsley?

Yes. Fresh or dried parsley can be used, depending on what you have available. Parsley is optional, so you can also leave it out.

Easy German Potato Salad

This German Potato Salad is an easy, budget-friendly side dish made with simple ingredients. Tender potatoes are combined with crispy bacon and onions, then coated in a sweet and tangy apple cider vinegar dressing.

Whether you prefer your potato salad warm or chilled, this recipe makes a flavorful addition to dinner, a barbecue, picnic, or potluck. And since it doesn’t use mayonnaise, it’s a nice alternative when you’re looking for something a little different from traditional potato salad.

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