Hot German Potato Salad

Hot, Not Haute: My Love Affair with German Potato Salad 🥔❤️

Forget the cold, mayo-drenched blob masquerading as potato salad at your average cookout. I’m here for the warm, tangy, bacon-kissed glory that is German potato salad. It’s comfort food with a passport—and I’ve been hooked ever since I tried to impress a German boyfriend with my culinary skills. Spoiler: the relationship didn’t last, but the recipe sure did.

Why I Love German Potato Salad 🥔

Yes, it’s hot—meaning it’s served warm, not spicy. I’ve been making German potato salad for years, ever since I dated a German guy and tried to master his homeland’s cooking, so he’d have a taste of home.

I don’t like American potato salad. You know, the cold, mayonnaise-laden stuff? Won’t touch it. But German potato salad? That’s a real weakness of mine.

German vs. American Potato Salad

Let’s break it down:

I’m sharing a recipe from Allrecipes titled “Authentic German Potato Salad” by Angela Louise Miller. It’s a solid version, but I’ve made a few tweaks over the years. I’ll share those in the notes below.

Hot German Potato Salad- Photo Deb Neumann

Authentic German Potato Salad

Submitted by: Angela Louise Miller
Tested by: Allrecipes Test Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, diced
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes:
   Place diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water (1–2 inches above the potatoes). Bring to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Cook the bacon:
   In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry bacon until browned and crisp (10–12 minutes), turning as needed. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cool. Leave the bacon grease in the skillet.
3. Sauté the onion:
   Cook diced onion in the bacon grease over medium heat until browned (6–8 minutes).
4. Make the dressing:
   Add vinegar, sugar, water, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil.
5. Combine:
   Add the cooked potatoes and half the crumbled bacon to the skillet. Stir and cook until heated through (3–4 minutes).
6. Serve:
   Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with remaining bacon, garnish with parsley, and serve warm.

My Notes & Tweaks ✍️

• Potato skins: I never peel my potatoes. I like the texture and flavor of the skins but go with your preference.
• Vinegar: The original recipe calls for white vinegar. I first made it with apple cider vinegar because that’s what I had—and it worked beautifully. Both are great, just different.
• Sugar: I skip the white sugar. It wasn’t in the version I learned, and I don’t think the salad needs the extra sweetness.
• Parsley: It’s probably a lovely touch, but I rarely have fresh parsley on hand. Still tastes amazing without it.

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. I’m hooked. It’s my go-to side dish for chicken schnitzel, and it never disappoints.