German Potato Salad – a Perfect Cookout Side Dish

Hello! Welcome to Djalali Cooks. Today’s recipe first appeared on Kelly’s Kitchen and I wanted to make it again today as part of this week’s round up of great recipes and ideas for your Memorial Day cookout and summer gatherings. This potato salad is great warm or at room temperature, which makes it perfect for bringing to a potluck or a picnic and it’s just easy – because you can make it well ahead of time. Let’s get to the recipe; it’s German Potato Salad!

Start with the Bacon

I prefer to bake bacon rather than fry it; the bacon cooks more evenly, it’s so much easier to clean up and it doesn’t make your whole house smell like bacon grease. Lay the strips on a wire rack placed in a rimmed sheet pan. This method helps the bacon cook on all sides and makes collecting the bacon fat easy. Bake it at 350 degrees. Timing will vary on the thickness of the bacon. But once you can smell it cooking (about 15 minutes), turn the tray in the oven and then just watch it from that point on (checking it every couple minutes).  

When the bacon is done, let the bacon cool slightly then roughly chop it into bite-size pieces. Set the bacon aside and collect the fat in a glass jar or bowl to use for the German Potato Salad dressing. 

Potatoes

I like to cut my potatoes before they’re cooked for a number of reasons: it cuts down on boiling time, they hold up better when you mix all the ingredients together (because we’re not making mashed potatoes!) and I don’t have to worry about them being too hot to handle once they’re cooked. We are starting with 2 pounds of small red potatoes.

Start your potatoes off in cold water, rather than adding them to the pot once the water is boiling; they will cook more evenly and retain the creaminess that makes red potatoes so good. Fill your pot to cover the potatoes and add a couple pinches of Kosher salt. Potatoes are done when they are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. 

German Potato Salad Dressing

Once the potatoes are done and drained, take the bacon grease you collected and add it the now empty dutch oven or large pot used to boil the potatoes. Add the cider vinegar to the fat, then whisk in the sugar, salt and the mustard.

Whisk together and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, add the minced garlic and bacon and cook for one minute.

Turn off the heat and add the cooked potatoes to the mixture. Gently stir to coat the potatoes in the dressing. Add a few cranks of fresh cracked black pepper to tastes and stir to combine.

Toss in the chopped parsley and give it another gentle stir to incorporate the parsley.

Transfer the German Potato Salad to a serving bowl and that’s it!

Enjoy this salad warm or at room temperature. If making it ahead of time, once it cools to room temperature, cover and transfer to the fridge. Let it come up to room temperature before serving.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope you give this potato salad a go for your next cookout, it’s so satisfying and flavorful. It’s a perfect side to any barbecue main, and it will be a big hit with your family and friends. Looking for another great salad side for any cookout, check out my Antipasto Salad recipe. Give me a follow on Instagram and facebook, and stop by to say hello! I will see you again Wednesday for another great Memorial Day/summer cookout recipe! Take care and be well, xo Kelly

Print Recipe

German Potato Salad

(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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Side Dish – German

By Kelly Djalali – Serves: 4-6

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes – Cooking Time: 30 Minutes – Total Time: 45 Minutes

This potato salad is perfect for a potluck or a picnic; serve it warm or at room temperature – it's bacon-y, mustard-y deliciousness.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Small Red Potatoes, quartered
• 2 pinches Kosher Salt
• 1 Package Bacon
• 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 tbsp. Sugar
• 1 tbsp. Whole Grain Mustard If you don't have a whole grain mustard, you can just use more dijon.
• 1/2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 1 tbsp. Garlic, minced
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2

Place a single layer of bacon on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.

3

Bake bacon for about 15 minutes, until cooked through but not too crispy.

4

Remove from oven and let bacon cool for about 5 minutes, then chop bacon strips into 1-inch pieces and set aside.

5

Pour bacon fat from sheet tray into a jar or bowl and set aside.

6

Add quartered potatoes to a dutch oven filled with cold water. Add a couple pinches of kosher salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

7

When potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes, drain potatoes and return empty Dutch oven to stovetop.

8

Add the collected bacon fat to the empty Dutch oven. Over medium heat, add the vinegar, sugar, mustard and 1 teaspoon Kosher salt. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer.

9

Add chopped bacon and minced garlic, stir to combine and cook for one minute. Turn off the heat.

10

Add the cooked potatoes and gently stir to coat the potatoes in the dressing and bacon. Add fresh cracked black pepper to taste and stir to combine.

11

Add the chopped fresh parsley and stir gently to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm, at room temp, or cover and refrigerate for later service.

12

If serving after refrigeration, let it the salad come up to room temperature before serving.