This hot German potato salad is a tangy, bacon-studded twist on the classic picnic side. It's topped with hard-boiled eggs and tastes just as good warm as it does cold.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This German Hot Potato Salad Recipe
- Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- How To Make German-Style Potato Salad
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making This Recipe For German Potato Salad
- What To Serve With This Warms Potato Salad Recipe
- Other Summer Salads To Try
- Hot German Potato Salad
Why You'll Love This German Hot Potato Salad Recipe
Are you guys sick of delicious summer recipes yet? Good. Neither am I. But once in a while, I like to enjoy traditional things (like potato salad) a bit differently, and this recipe is exactly that. I'm talking about the usual mayonnaise-based potato salad. Delicious? Yes. Do I want it at every picnic? Not so much. Because of this, I like to mix things up a bit sometimes.
Luckily, I have an excellent family recipe for German potato salad. It's a little more labor-intensive than your average potato salad, but don't let that scare you off! It's not a huge amount of extra work, and the results are absolutely worth it. Here's why you've got to try it:
- Tangy, bacon-studded dressing
- Great warm or cold
- Topped with hard-boiled eggs
- Perfect for picnics
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Potatoes- Cut into pieces and boiled. Peeling is optional and comes down to personal preference. I like to use red potatoes but Yukon Gold also works.
- Bacon (and save the grease!)- Crumbled, with the grease reserved for the dressing. Use 6-8 pieces, or more if you love bacon as much as I do.
- Hard-boiled eggs- At least 2-3 eggs, more if you want extra (I always want extra!).
- Onion- Chopped and sautéed in the bacon grease- my absolute favorite smell in the world!
- Apple cider vinegar- Adds the signature tang to the dressing. White wine vinegar works as a substitute.
- Sugar- Balances out the acidity from the vinegar.
- Flour- Thickens the dressing to the right consistency. Cornstarch works as a gluten-free substitute.
How To Make German-Style Potato Salad
Step 1- Sauté the onion.
Heat the bacon grease in a skillet, then sauté the onion over medium heat until soft, about 6-7 minutes.
Step 2- Make the dressing.
Stir the vinegar, water, and sugar into the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 3- Thicken the dressing.
Whisk in a little flour to thicken, starting with 1 tablespoon and adding more as needed.
Step 4- Combine and serve.
Mix the boiled potatoes and some of the crispy bacon with the dressing. Top with chopped hard-boiled eggs and the remaining bacon, then serve warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Waxy potatoes like red or Yukon gold hold their shape best after boiling and won't turn mushy when mixed with the warm dressing.
For this German-style version, a warm bacon fat-based dressing with apple cider vinegar and a touch of sugar gives the best balance of tang and richness.
This version can be made gluten-free by swapping the flour for cornstarch to thicken the dressing. Otherwise, all the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
Tips For Making This Recipe For German Potato Salad
- Make sure you have enough dressing. This is the key to the whole recipe! Too little and the potatoes will taste dry and bland.
- Save a couple slices of bacon to render extra fat if you need to make more dressing. You'll also have a few extra pieces to snack on or add to the salad.
- If you plan to serve this later, reserve some dressing to add right before serving. Warm it up for the best flavor and texture.
- If reheating, pop the potato salad in the oven to warm, stirring so it heats evenly and doesn't dry out.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Boil the potatoes and eggs, and cook the bacon a day ahead. Store separately in the fridge and assemble when ready.
- Leftovers and storage- Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the oven, stirring occasionally.
What To Serve With This Warms Potato Salad Recipe
This savory side pairs perfectly alongside grilled meats and classic picnic dishes for a complete spread. Here are some of my favorite options:
- Sheet Pan Lemon Dill Salmon
- Artichoke Asiago Dip
- Grilled Balsamic Asparagus
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Tart
Other Summer Salads To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Hot German Potato Salad
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Fry pan
Ingredients
Salad:
- 5 pounds red potatoes cut until pieces and boiled (peeling is optional)
- 8 strips bacon (and the grease from cooking the bacon) crumbled; save the grease (or more if you're like me and LOVE bacon!)
- 3 large hard boiled eggs or more if you want
Dressing:
- 1 cup onion chopped
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Flour Start with one and add more if needed
Instructions
- Fry bacon until crisp, remove from pan leaving bacon grease. Boil potatoes until fork tender while you make the dressing. Crumble bacon and set aside.
- In the bacon grease, sauté onions over medium heat until soft, about 6-7 minutes.
- Stir in vinegar, water and sugar and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in 1 Tablespoon flour to thicken (add more if you need it). Simmer 2 minutes.
- Mix the potatoes and half the bacon with the dressing. Top with remaining bacon and hard boiled eggs and serve warm. If you are serving later, pop it into the oven to warm before serving, stirring frequently so that it doesn't dry out.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you have enough dressing. This is the key to the whole recipe! Too little and the potatoes will taste dry and bland.
- Save a couple slices of bacon to render extra fat if you need to make more dressing. You'll also have a few extra pieces to snack on or add to the salad.
- If you plan to serve this later, reserve some dressing to add right before serving. Warm it up for the best flavor and texture.
- If reheating, pop the potato salad in the oven to warm, stirring so it heats evenly and doesn't dry out.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Boil the potatoes and eggs, and cook the bacon a day ahead. Store separately in the fridge and assemble when ready.
- Leftovers and storage- Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the oven, stirring occasionally.
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