Authentic German Potato Salad

I have been wanting to make German Potato Salad for years and never knew how. I picked this one and I am so glad that I did! However I used more bacon than called for. I didn't have fresh parsley so I threw in some dried parsley and then I sprinkled in just a little celery seed. I also used white vinegar as called for and not cider vinegar as some other recipes used. It was so good that I will probably never make traditional potato salad again. This is a lot easier too! I printed this and added it to my recipe notebook! This is a keeper! I can't wait to make this for company! If I could have given it more than five stars I would have!

We were having a luncheon at the University I work at around Christmas time and everyone was to bring a recipe from their ethnic background. I am German/Irish and I decided to cook something German rather than Irish. I found this recipe and decided to give it a go. The only thing I added was a little celery seed. There was a contest for the best dish brought to this luncheon. Everyone there, about 40/50 people, placed their vote. I was hearing everyone around me talking about how good the german potatoe salad was and to my surprise, I won first place and a $50 gift certificate. So, this recipe is wonderful! I'm making it again tomorrow for another luncheon, but there won't be any prizes this time. Pretty good for someone who never made German potatoe salad before.

This is my German mom's recipe too, minus the sugar. I also use more water as the potatoes really do soak up a lot of the liquid. This is an amazing potato salad that everyone should try at least once.

I lived in Basel, Switzerland, for 16 years and spent a lot of time right over the border in Germany. They have great salads, meats, dairy's (oh dear!) and breads! My ex German mother in law made a great potato salad, but I have to say that for my own taste buds, this blew hers right out of the water. Be sure to curb the sugar to taste, however. Go slow as you go, tasting it. One major potato rule, especially for those who found it too dry, is that baking potatoes are starchy. Use Yukon, Charlotte, or New Red potatoes, as they are waxy...meaning they don't fall apart or lose their texture, but they also allow the dressing to rest on top rather than being absorbed and disappearing, causing the potatoes to get dry. Too bland? Peel and slice the potatoes to quarter inch thickness and boil them in broth: they'll absorb the flavor very well :) For those reviewers who found it without texture, try adding yellow mustard seed...just a pinch, and thinly sliced celery over a mandolin or celery tops, finely chopped and freshly sliced green onions :) That's my rant! I loved this, but do curb the sugar! And, yes, you can whisk in an egg into the dressing, giving it a creaminess as long as you let it set in the pan a minute or two to cook. There are so many ways to make German potato salad, so please appreciate the variations and have fun with them! If you can't say anything nice, why say anything at all? Cooking is fun! And thank you for the recipe!

This was a delicious potato salad! I hate mayo, so I was on the hunt for a potato salad that didn't have mayo in it and found this gem! I made it the night before for a BBQ the next day and just popped it in the oven 30 minutes before we were about to eat to reheat it through. It came out perfectly and not dried out. I also tripled the recipe to feed a dozen people.

My husband doesn't like the traditional egg potato salad, so I had to come up with a potato salad he would like. I figured it must be the eggs and mayo aspect of the recipe that didn't sit well with him. I found this wonderful rendition and he (and the rest of whosenever I make it for) loves it! Especially others who don't normally like potato salad--I can't keep a full dish! Thanks!

This potato salad is quite good. My only complaint is that the sauce did not go far enough. I'll double it next time. We had these with barbequed ribs -- quite good!!

Ich bin ein Berliner!!!!! No.... I'm not a jelly doughnut..... But this german potato salad COMPLETELY RULES!!!!!!!!!!!! I made this 5 days ago, and followed the recipe to the letter. VERY good, but I have to say, I made it again tonight with these changes and I like my changes.... Mmmmmmmmmmmm I cut my potatoes into cubes, but smaller cubes, so I can cram more of them into my mouth, and... so they cook faster.... 4 slices of bacon?...... If I was on a diet! I use 6 to 8 slices depending on how much I have left in the fridge. As for putting in half and mixing and then 1/2 on top at the end, that's good for show, so if you're taking it to a group outing or cook-off, then do that for show, but if you're eating it on your own, just put 100% in the pan and mix together for best results. I also use Apple Cider Vinegar and more like 1/3 cup for this many potatoes. Apple Cider Vinegar is DEFINITELY worth it, as it adds a little kick to the 'taters. Thanks!

I thought this was a great recipe, just a little sweet for my taste. I have been looking for a good German potato salad recipe, and I will definitely make this one again. I will just cut back on the sugar a little next time.

This turned out great and very authentic! I made some minor changes; I cooked 5 lbs of red potatoes in their skins and then, after cooking, I removed the skins and sliced them. Since I estimated that I doubled the amount of potatoes in the existing recipe, I doubled the rest of the ingredients .. but then it still seemed dry so I made another single serving of the vinegar mixture and added that. I would suggest that the liquid be poured ON the potatoes instead of adding the potatoes to the liquid because a lot of my potatoes broke while I was trying to stir the liquid off the bottom. I let it sit overnight in the refrigerator and took it out in the morning to bring it to room temperature before serving so the bacon fat didn't congeal. The end result was worth the trouble .. it really was yummy!

I don't know about the authentic name on this recipe but I do know it is great. I got great comments on it at church luncheon. The changes I made: I used gourmet small red potatoes. I boiled them for ten minutes skin on and cut them in eighths. I layered potatoes, vinegar dressing, fresh parsley, and bacon until I finished the top of the salad with lots of parsley and bacon. Layering kept me from having to disturb the potatoes with too much stirring and evenly distibuted the great taste. Put it in the recipe box.

Rather than frying the bacon in strips and crumbling it over the salad, I just cut the bacon into small pieces and fried it that way. I found the bacon easier to handle.

Germans use dill- lots of it (either dried or fresh)! However, if you wish to read authentic german recipes from Germany, scroll down to the bottom of allrecipes, select Germany.... and without any delay you have what you need. 100% german recipes!! Use a FREE online dictionary for translation!

I'm from Stuttgart, Germany and this is not how we make potato salad. We cook the whole potatoes and peel them while they are still hot. In Stuttgart we slice the potatoes very thin. We add some broth, vinegar and oil, salt, pepper and diced onions. Absolutely no sugar. You can add some sliced boiled eggs on top of the salad for decor. No heating up the potato salad. We serve it cold. I did not know that potato salad was served warm until I came to the USA

Our family has made this dish for years, and is everyones favorite. The only thing I do different is I use apple cider vingegar ( it really makes a difference in the taste). Bobbysue

I am German, born and raised, German citizen, and there are many different ways to make German potato salad. There is no "we do it this way". For example, I make mine with Miracle Whip. Very authentic German, seeing as I am German and made this for many years before moving to the US when I was 24. There is no one way to make a German potato salad. Not to mention that different regions have different ways of doing things. Now go make this potato salad and enjoy it. :) Who cares what it's called, as long as it tastes good. :)

I can't say enough about this recipe! No one could believe that this was homemade! I made a few adjustments, first of all I doubled the recipe b/c I was serving 12 and that was plenty. I used almost a pound of bacon and then drained 1/2 the fat off before adding the onion. I also cut back a little on the sugar but I would cut back even farther. Oh..I also used redskin potatoes b/c I knew they would be sitting in a crockpot for a few hours. They held up perfectly! Thanks for the yummy recipe!

Let me oreface this by saying it is not authentic German potato salad. Not enough sauce, the potatoes were peeled, and there was no diced pickle in it. This recioe did not yave deoth of flavour, and just tasted sour and salty. Would not recommend.

I've never had German potato salad before, so I had nothing to compare it to for authenticity, but this was absolutely divine! The best part is you don't have to worry about letting it sit out like American potato salad. Also, this is even better the next day - in fact, I would recommend making it at least a few hours ahead of time to give all the flavors a chance to combine.

I asked my authentice German neighbor (born and reared in Germany, married an American soldier 16 years ago then came to America) about this recipe, which I found to be delicious. She said it is very similar to what her 100% authentic German mother made and still makes, excepting the parsley, less sugar, and more onion.

This is about as authentic as it gets! Delicious!!! Because of the cholesterol, I am considering using canola or olive oil instead of bacon grease and substituting artificial bacon bits.

We had this with grilled bratwurst tonight. What a wonderful combination. At first I thought it was going to be too sweet, but as the flavors began to blend and cook a little bit I realized I was wrong. I wouldn't change a thing. My husband especially liked the flavors. We’ll save this in our tried and true cookbook. Thank you.

Delicious. My whole family are bacon nuts, so I doubled the bacon and it turned out great!

This is a great recipe, I just finished making it. We're taking it to a cookout later today - then we'll know how good it is. For all the complaints about whether it's "authentic German" or not: this morning I told my German wife (unlike many Americans who say "I'm German" or whatever, she is REALLY German born in Duesseldorf and we married while I was in the Army in Germany) that I wanted to make "German potato salad" and she got out all the ingredients for potato salad from her region - North Rhein Westfalia - including pickles and mayo. I said, no, we're doing this, and she said, "oh that's how they make it in Bavaria." There are COUNTLESS recipes for "authentic German potato salad"! This is a great dish -- at the advice of many, I used much less sugar and it came out really good. I tripled the recipe since we're going to a cookout and that was okay, too. Thanks!

Wow! This is great. I cut the sugar 1/3, as someone had mentioned it was sweet; it's easier to add more. I doubled the sauce (as someone else had suggested) by halving the potatoes. That means, 1.5 lbs. red potatoes w/the rest of the ingredients. I forgot to peel the potatoes. Mistake! The peels come off when everything mixes together, so don't make my mistake. My husband loved this, too, but prefers next time I slice, not dice, the potatoes. I hate German food, and I don't know what possessed me to taste this, but once I did I wanted to eat the whole batch at once. It's heavenly, and I'll be making it again and again. Thakns so much!!!

Go. Now. Make this.

This is delicious. I boiled the potatoes whole in their jackets to avoid absorbing excess water. Then, I peeled and cubed them and poured on the marinade/dressing while both were still warm. I added dill and green onions. It was good but I think it will taste better tomorrow!

This was very good. I didn't bother to peel the potatoes. I boiled them In the chicken broth, that another reviewer suggested. I sprinkled in the celery seed that too. The family enjoyed this was a welcome change from my stand by tater salad. I scattered chopped green onions at the serving time. Thank you Schoolbee yummy and willl make again.

This was excellent. I had to make this ahead of time, refrigerate it, then reheat it in the microwave. It tasted even better than serving it fresh! The flavors had a chance to meld together. I would make this again.

Very easy recipe, I prepared it a day ahead, which I knew previously would meld the flavors together even better. I did use Yukon gold potatos, the regular russets are just too dry for my taste. Added less sugar and probably a little more vinegar, it was a huge party hit!!

I loved this recipe. It was very easy to make. I would recommend cutting back on the sugar by one-third. Although I usually prefer things on the sweet side, it was too sweet. The next time I will definately cut back on the sugar by at least one-third. Also I highly recommend letting the salad sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to let the flavors gel.

WOW! i haven't been back to germany since '69..tried a lot of german potato salad recipes,,,cooked this one and tasted it in the skillet and said "WOW", that was the taste I remembered...already my wife's favorite potato salad of any kind...thank you. Those of you that don't think this is authentic are missing the point that Germany has many regions like the US and and each region will put their own twist on most recipes. This to me is the most authentic German food I have tasted in 45 yrs.

Rated this as per the ingredients listed. I love hot German potato salad but this recipe misses the mark. I do not think Hot German potato salad is supposed to be sweet. Use only 1 teaspoon of the sugar, don't peel the potatoes, cut up the potatoes after they have been boiled with leaving some of the skins on, add some celery seed and this recipe would be okay.

Very good. I omitted the bacon and used vegetable oil instead. I baked the potatoes whole then cooled before peeling and the skin peels right off. I cool completely then cut into small cubes. Refrigerate everything together over night for best results.

I rated this a 3 because my husband did not like his at all--so I ate the rest of his. I would probably rate it a 4 or 5 after I reduced the vinegar by about half. Also, I'd stir all the bacon bits in. This definitely did not take 50 min. start to finish; it took me more like 30 min. including peeling and dicing potatoes. Perhaps the reason was that I was cooking the potatoes and bacon at the same time and also cooked chopped bacon, which reduces the amount of time needed to cook the bacon.

Boil the potatoes in the jacket the night before, they will taste better and one can slice them (not cubed), add a little ground carawayseeds and mustard to your seasoning of p.-salad, you come closer to a authentic German potatoe salad.

This was very tasty. I followed the recipe as written, using red skinned potatoes, and it came out great. It had a nice, tangy sweet-and-sour taste to it. The potatoes had a pleasant texture, soft but not falling apart. I would like to point out to those arguing over the "authenticity" of this recipe that there is more than one type of potato salad made in Germany. It depends on the region of the country and the personal taste of the cook. In northern Germany, for example, you're more likely to come across a mayonnaise based potato salad, like the ones served in the United States.

I grew up eating this. When I make this I add fresh celery & onions which I saute in bacon grease after I fry off the bacon. I also add diced hard boiled eggs, and I use apple cider vinegar. A really wonderful dish, which leaves an empty dish every time.

I had a recipe at one time that was authentic.....this is it!!!!!!

I thought it was a bit dry. I am a native German and it worked well with my other German dishes. It might have been the kind of potato I used.

I loved it. My kids even ate it all up. I cooked the potatoes whole then cut them up (that's how I originally learned the salad). I also added a tablespoon of capers - they round out the flavor nicely.

I was asked to bring German potato salad for a work an Oktoberfest work function. I'd not made it before but this one looked easy and sounded good. Well, I made 15 pounds of it by recalculating ingredients, etc. and it was completely gone and everyone loved it. I had 23 emails this morning asking for the recipe. Truly a delicious potato dish. Thanks allrecipes.com!!

This is the most genuine recipe I have had since my German grand-mother died, many years ago. I had the ingrediants pretty much correct, but the process here is better than mine. Loved it !

Really good! I used russet potatoes since that's what I had on hand, but I really should have used red potatoes since they keep their shape better. I divided the salt and added 1/2 tsp. salt to the water to boil the potatoes in and 1/2 tsp. salt for the sauce. I think this really helped to not make the potatoes too bland.

Excellent recipe! Will definately do again and again

This is the best hot German potato salad we have ever eaten! I do make a few variations. I use either white or gold small new potatoes, leave the skins on, and quarter them before boiling. As others have said, I double the sauce. I also add @ a quarter cup of cream (or sour cream, if I don't have cream in fridge). The cream cuts the strong vinegar smell and makes a really nice, creamy sauce. Delicious!!

Absolutely the MOST delicious hot German Potato Salad we've ever eaten. I increased the recipe by 10 for an Oktoberfest/housewarming party. Had to do most of the assembly in a large foil pan and pour the dressing over top prior to baking. It still turned out delicious.

Sweet tasting. A great aternative to traditional potato salad.

Awsome and simple. Made it with red bliss from the farmers market. No changes needed. It was a big hit with the family!

Very tasty! I thought it was a little greasy so maybe next time I'll broil my bacon and fry the onions in a little olive oil. Other than that it was very good!

Wonderful recipe! Made it exactly as stated & it was great. I have used another microwave version for years, but this one is much better...and easier strangely! This is one of my hubbies fav sides & he liked it as well. Thank you!

This recipe is extremely similar in taste to a well-known German restaurant in the area owned and run by older German immigrants. To make this recipe more like the restaurant's, I boiled about 3.5 lbs. unpeeled red potatoes until tender. Drained them, rinsed in cold water, and added ice cubes to the colander to speed the cooling process. When cool, I sliced them (not thin). I doubled the dressing ingredients, but only used 2 tbsp. of sugar...my husband and I thought it still tasted too sweet, so next time I will try just 1 tbsp. (even with doubling the dressing ingredients.) I also didn't add parsley. We had enough for two meals, and the potatoes tasted just as good the next night re-heated in the microwave.

The addition of celery seed, or celery salt, as another poster suggested, does give it some added flavor. I've been making it for several years and I've always added chopped or thinly sliced green pepper along with the onion. (I usually blanch the pepper separately). I've never tried using the sauce with spinach, as was suggested in another review, but will definitely do so from now on. Sounds perfect for that and might even try it on cauliflower as there is a recipe for cauliflower salad that uses bacon, mayo, parmesan cheese and the sauce from the potato salad might give it a whole new 'twist.'

i just made this and the only thing i changed was the amount of sugar. i erred on the side of caution and only used 2 tbsp of sugar and it was still too sweet. my suggestion would be to make the sauce without the sugar and add the sugar to your liking

Very good! I liked this better than trying to peel cooked potatoes and cut them up. This is easier. I only used 2 Tb of sugar and 3/4 tsp salt. I would use only about 1/2 tsp salt next time. I didn't have fresh parsley so I used green onions instead for color. Served this with Hungarian brats and sweet and sour slaw.

Just made it. This recipe is delicious! It's going to become my second or third most favorite way to prepare potatoes! I modified it slightly by using vegetarian bacon and it still turned out very tasty. The only thing you have to be careful about is not to overcook the potatoes. Mine were slightly overcooked and about 30% of them turned into mush. This mush though was still extremely delicious. Unlike some other reviewers, I found that the amount of sugar called for in this recipe was perfect, and not too sweet, and this is coming from someone who does not have a sweet tooth. Enjoy this recipe and make sure you don't overboil the potatoes!

It was a little sweet for my tastes at first but it quickly grew on me.

I happened to finish this dish before the rest of the meal was complete. I was not able to keep my families fingers out of it! I will make a larger portion next time.

sorry but this didn't turn out for me at all, way too sweet

Neither me or my husband liked this at all...way too sweet.

this potato salad tasted amazing. I used a suggestion from another reviewer and used just a little olive oil and some Jarred real bacon pieces, but it still turned out fantastic. My husband didnt like that it was warm, but he ate every bit of it for leftovers straight from the fridge. I am Very impressed with this simple recipe.

I'm giving it three stars because that is too much sugar. I will try it again without the sugar.BettieG

My husband and I don't like mayonnaise-based potato salads so I tried this and it's delicious and easy to make. Will definitely make again.

This is excellent - our entire family enjoyed it! I've made it twice in the last week, and my daughter asked me to make it again to take along camping this weekend. A HUGE timesaver I found is using two 15 oz. cans of potatoes. I drain them, then slice them in my food processor and follow the rest of the recipe as written. I bet it easily cuts the prep time in half! Great recipe!

I've always used red potatoes and red onion in my German Potato Salad; however, I followed this recipe and it was great!

OMG Im not that great of a cook, it was easy and tasted like it could be served at a restaurant. I LOVE THIS RECIPE!! You are right about there being no leftovers and I made almost double the amount called for. This is staying on the menu for good!

This is one of the few recipes I follow exactly as written - no improvisations. It's that good. Delicious warm or cold.

Very tasty! I use 1/3 cup of vinegar instead of 1/4 since we like it a little more vinegar-ier. Also, if you want it softer/slight mushier, use white potatoes. If you like the potatoes to be a little less mushy, use red potatoes.

I cut back on the amount of sugar. I was doubling the recipe, but stopped at 5 T sugar (instead of 6). It is still too sweet. I would not make this recipe again.

Way too sweet. Missing substance. Needs too many alterations to use this recipe.

I too am German and this is VERY similar to the recipe we have used in my family FOREVER. Anyone that tries it loves it - always a hit at our condo get-togethers. I'm sure people who try this will be very glad they did!

This was excellent! My family loved it and I definately will make it again!

I am german and made this at our summer bbq...People loved it and it took me right back home!!! Thank you so much.

I made this for Christmas dinner and it was to dry for our liking. Will not make again

We served this at our church's annual holiday fair to rave reviews and then again in our kitchen this evening...again, rave reviews. We don't change a thing, why would we, this recipe is perfect as is.Update: Jan 14: Served again for dinner, and it's still incredible!

This was great! Very easy to prepare. Family insist that it be a repeat.

I used organic red potatoes and didn't peel them first - just scrubbed them down and boiled them. For the bacon I used vegan fakin bacon and cooked the onions in olive oil. It actually came together quite nicely as a vegan German potato salad!

This was good, but I had to fuss with it a bit to get the flavor where I wanted it--added course mustard and green onion and some beef soup base to the dressing. I don't know what's authentic, but the end result was very tasty.

Taste was wonderful but I used a waxy, red potato (skin on) that just didn't soak up the sauce. Next time I will use a russet cooked in the skin then pealed. I think the texture will be better.

This is a good German potato salad. I added 2 hard boiled eggs as well. It's tradition to serve this warm but it is also good cold.

I made this recipe just cause my wife picked it out for a family reunion, which had a German theme and several 'real' German relatives in attendance. Out of the Germ. pot. salads present, this one was by far the attendees favorite (as opposed to seeing me in liederhosen, which was apparently disturbing). I was puzzled by the dicing of potatoes, rather than having slices as I remembered as a kid, but everyone liked it in that form fine.

I'm not sure how authentic this was. German potato salad cubed? This recipe was too sweet. The true version has more balanced tart/sweet taste as well as a creamier texture....this was way to dry. Not much flavor either. I have a rule of never deviating from the original recipe, but this one needs a lot of changes. Will look elsewhere for an authentic version.

I'm normally not a big fan of potato salad, but this is my favorite one.

I have made this recipe many times now and taken it to family gatherings. Each and every time it has gotten rave reviews! Yummy!

Outstanding! Even my picky eater who doesn't like the canned stuff ate this and asked for seconds. Definitely being added to our family's arsenal of side dishes... now if we could just find a way to get the pocky one to eat saurkraut!

Maybe it's my German blood, but I just loved this salad. I've made it a couple of times now and it has been a hit every time! It is a little liquidy, so I've let it reduce a little in the skillet. I've also used a combination of apple cider vinegar/white vinegar for a little more flavor. And you can never go wrong with more bacon! If you make it, increase the servings and make it for a crowd. Also good reheated.

Oh, my. . .this was delicious. I had only tried German Potato Salad once and it was from a can. The taste was okay, but I didn't care for the canned potatoes. Making this from scratch was super easy and the taste was wonderful. Thank you so much for this great recipe. I will be making it often.

My husband and son love potatoes, but hate traditional potato salad with mayo. This was a huge hit for them. Luckily I made a double batch! Note: Red potatoes are a great short cut since you don't need to peel them, plus they add nice color to the dish!

I have made this recipe several times for potlucks and group dinner events... Sometimes I add in other sautéed veggies - mushrooms, celery, carrots, etc. It's all good! I don't eat meat, so I leave the bacon out. This dish is seriously easy to make and very seriously delicious. I love that it doesn't use the heavy mayo in other potato recipes. I sub dried parsley, and it tastes just fine.

Yummy yummy yummy in my tummy!!! This was superb. I didn't even notice that sugar was part of the recipe until after I started. I was skeptical at first but the sweetness was my fave part. Superb. Didn't change a thing. (Except I didn't have white vinegar, only Cider vinegar. Came out wonderful nonetheless.)

Good recipe. Glad I read others reviews, though. Good tips!

Good, be careful not to overcook your potatoes. My mom always sliced them thin, rather than cubing or dicing them. And don't accidently dump out the bacon grease before reading the rest of the recipe.

The salad was very good. I gave it four stars because I didn't feel there was enough sauce and it was a tad too sweet. I will definitely make it again, but I will double the sauce and use less sugar.

So easy and delicious, thank you! The only thing I did differently was cut back the sugar to 1/2 tbsp. and used the microwaveable bacon...sauteed the onions in olive oil. Thanks again for sharing your delicious recipe!

This is so delicious! A sweet and sour type hot potato salad. Leftovers disappear quickly too. This is my stepson's favorite. (Well, mine too) I've made this several times, always to rave reviews. Very easy to do, usually all ingredients on hand, definitely a keeper.

My husband challenged me to make a German potato salad that could compare to his grandmother's. I made this, and he said it definitely compares, and that if she were still living, she'd have enjoyed it as much as he did.

This was sorta of tough to make since I prefer quick salads. I thought of it more as a picnic type food but didn't realize until after I made it that it was intended to be served warm. It was a bit dry and tasted a lot better reheated and eaten as a leftover. I won't make this salad again.

we thought this recipe was pretty tasty with just the right amount of tang. i omitted adding the teaspoon of salt since the bacon & grease are loaded with it. i also used dried parsley flakes instead of the fresh variety (what i had on hand). try making this a day ahead of time so the flavors come together then warm it in the microwave. thanks schoolbee!

Would like to give this four and a half stars but no half star available. The only thing that kept this from being perfect in my opinion is that it is too sweet. I ended up making another half batch of the dressing without sugar and blended that in. Delicious, we all enjoyed this and I will certainly make this again!