German Potato Salad Recipe
This German potato salad is sliced Yukon gold potatoes caramelized in rendered bacon fat with yellow onion, finished with beef stock, white wine vinegar, and fresh parsley. It's so easy to make, and in just 30 minutes I have a warm, smoky, and flavor-packed side dish ready to serve.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of sliced Yukon gold potatoes, about ¾” thick
- 1 peeled and medium diced yellow onion
- 6 thinly sliced strips thick cut bacon
- ¾ cup beef stock
- 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to tast
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 4 minutes or just until tender.
- Remove them from the water and strain in a colander and hold them there until ready to use.
- Next, add the bacon to a large frying pan or shallow rondeau pot over medium-high heat and cook for 4-6 minutes or until crisp and browned. Set them bacon aside.
- Turn the heat to high and add in the strained potatoes and onions and cook for 4-6 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir every minute using a spoon or spatula.
- Pour in the beef stock, vinegar, ¾ crisp bacon, salt, pepper, and parsley and mix until combined.
- Serve with remaining ¼ of the crisp cooked bacon and additional chopped parsley.
Notes
Brown the potatoes in the bacon fat before adding the stock. That's my biggest piece of advice for making this German potato salad, so don't skip it. I always dry the potatoes well after parboiling, use a wide pan so they have plenty of room, and let the slices sit undisturbed until they develop a golden brown color. Once you've done that, the rest of the recipe is easy.
Crowd the pan less, sear the potatoes more: Use the widest pan in the kitchen, ideally a 12-inch rondeau, so the potato slices sit in a single layer. A crowded pan steams the same way wet potatoes do.
Reserve a quarter of the bacon for the top: Fold 3/4 of the lardons into the pan and save the other 1/4 for the garnish. Folded bacon softens in the dressing; reserved bacon stays crisp on top and gives every spoonful a hit of crunch I love.
Use beef stock, not just water: The stock is what makes the dressing taste like more than warm vinegar. Chicken stock is the next best option; plain water is the last resort.
Do not skip the parboil: The 4-minute boil lets the saute in bacon fat finish the potatoes fast on high heat without stewing the pan. Raw slices dropped straight into the fat sit forever and never catch real color.
This potato salad will taste better the next day after infusing the flavors while in the refrigerator.
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Reheat: Place the desired amount in a small pan or pot and heat over low heat until warm. You can also heat in the microwave until warm.
How to Store: Cover and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this recipe, although you will lose moisture and flavor, for up to 3 months, covered.
Nutrition
Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 157mgPotassium: 560mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg