This German Potato Salad is the best potato salad recipe! Tender potatoes are tossed in a warm sweet, tangy dressing with crisp bacon and fresh herbs. Eat it warm or cold for the ultimate side dish!
1/2cupwatermay substitute with chicken or vegetable broth
1/3cupwhite vinegar
2tablespoonspure maple syrupmay substitute with your favorite sweetener
1.5tablespoonsgrainy mustardmay substitute with 2-3 teaspoons dijon
1/2teaspoonkosher saltadd more to taste
1/4teaspoonfreshly ground black pepperadd more to taste
2tablespoonsfreshly chopped parsley
2tablespoonsfreshly chopped dill
Instructions
Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water until it is 1" over the top of the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are tender but still firm. Drain well in a colander.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place in a large bowl.
While the potatoes cook, cook the bacon in a large skillet according to package instructions. Place the cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate to blot excess grease.
Crumble or chop the bacon when cool enough to handle.
Reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon drippings, and add the red onion. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer.
Add the water, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper to the pan and whisk well.
Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half and thickened, about 5 minutes.
Add the warm bacon dressing, fresh parsley and dill to the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Enjoy warm or cold!
Notes
Pro tip: If you want hot or warm German potato salad, cook and assemble just before serving, or prepare it in advance and heat it slightly. If you prefer cold German potato salad, you can make it several hours or up to one day in advance!
I prefer to use red baby or new potatoes for this recipe as they're the perfect size and I love the color and flavor. If you can only find larger red potatoes, be sure to cut them into about 1 1/2" chunks.
Grainy mustard has a more subtle flavor than dijon mustard, so if you're substituting with dijon be sure to use less.
If you don't have white vinegar on hand, it may be substituted with apple cider vinegar.