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If you thought you knew potato salad, this German Potato Salad Recipe is going to blow your mind.
With tender Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon, fresh herbs, and a vinaigrette to bring it all together. Serve this Whole30 and paleo potato salad hot or cold—it's fantastic either way.
How to boil potatoes the right way
Yes, there's a chance you're going to roll your eyes, but I'm going to tell you how to boil potatoes for awesome potato salad.
First, chop up those potatoes into uniform-sized cubes. Put 'em in a pot. Add water until the potatoes are submerged by at least an inch. Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil.
Make sure you boil the potatoes in that order. Growing up, I had always learned to boil the water and then add the potatoes — turns out that's WRONG. If you do that, the outside of the potatoes will cook before the inside and start to fall apart. On the other hand, if you bring the water to a boil with the potatoes already in it, the potato cubes will heat evenly.
After the potatoes have boiled for 5-8 minutes, test them by stabbing a potato piece with a fork. If it slides off the tines, you're good to go. Turn off the heat and immediately strain through a colander. Give the potatoes a good shake. And here's the pro tip: add the potato cubes back to the pot on the burner (it should still be hot because you JUST turned it off) and quickly stir to evaporate the excess water. It only takes a few seconds, but this step truly makes a difference!
Plus, the quick stir breaks down the outsides of the potato cubes a little, which adds a tiny bit of creaminess to the end potato salad without adding any mayo. Win!
What makes German Potato Salad different
Curious what sets German Potato Salad apart from other potato salads?
Essentially, German potato salad uses a vinegar-based instead of mayo-based sauce. Because of that, it can be served either hot or cold.
When I first had a vinegar-based potato salad, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. After all, when you're used to mayo-based potato salad, anything else seams like a cheap knock-off. But that's absolutely not true.
With vinegar and bacon, German potato salad has the tart bite of vinegar with the umami flavor of bacon. Mustard, parsley, and dill create a little more complexity and beautify the dish.
More summer recipes to try
- Mediterranean Cauliflower Salad
- Easy Cucumber Salad
- Greek-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Thighs
- Grilled BBQ-Rubbed Chicken Drumsticks
- How to Make Cold Brew Coffee
German Potato Salad Recipe
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- Author: Chelsea at Do You Even Paleo
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Method: boiled
- Cuisine: German
Description
Bacon, mustard, fresh herbs, and a bacon fat vinaigrette make German Potato Salad Recipe a summer potluck showstopper. It's Whole30, paleo, and gluten free!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- ½ pound bacon, chopped into 1-inch strips
- ¾ cup minced red onion
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain or stone ground mustard
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (optional)
- ½ tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill (optional)
Instructions
- Cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in a deep pot. Fill with water to an inch above the potatoes. Bring the pot to a boil, cooking for 15 minutes total from the time you turn the burner on.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook for about 8 minutes or until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a plate, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet. Add red onion to the skillet, sauteing until tender. Add the apple cider vinger, mustard, garlic, black pepper, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a boil for about 2 minutes to thicken.
- Once potatoes are done boiling, remove from heat immediately and drain. Give them a good shake in the colander to rid them of excess water. Return the potatoes to the pot on the burner, stirring constantly for about 10 seconds to evaporate any water clinging to the potatoes.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Pour the apple cider vinegar mixture overtop and stir to coat. Add the bacon, parsley, chives, and dill, stirring just to combine. Serve warm or cold—your choice!
