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Close up overhead view of a bowl of German Potato Salad in a bowl.
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4.74 from 19 votes

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad features thick-sliced potatoes, crispy bacon, onions, and a rich and tangy mayo-free vinaigrette dressing.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Total Cost: $4.75 recipe / $0.79 serving
Servings: 6 (about 3/4c each)
Calories: 205kcal
Author: Beth Moncel

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. small red potatoes $5.10 *
  • 1.5 tsp salt divided, $0.04
  • 4 oz. bacon $1.22
  • 1 yellow onion diced, $0.70
  • 1 Tbsp stone ground mustard $0.07 **
  • 1 Tbsp sugar $0.06
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.04
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar $0.20
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped, $0.21

Instructions

  • Wash the potatoes well, then add them to a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 1 tsp salt to the water to season the potatoes as they cook. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat on to high, and bring the pot to a boil. Continue to boil the potatoes until they can easily be pierced with a fork (12-15 minutes).
  • Meanwhile, add the bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and leave the bacon fat in the skillet to cook the onions and make the dressing.
  • Add the diced onion to the skillet and continue to cook over medium heat in the bacon fat until the onions are soft and translucent.
  • Once the onions are soft, turn the heat down to low and add the mustard, sugar, pepper, ½ tsp salt, and the apple cider vinegar. Whisk the ingredients together until a light sauce forms, then turn the heat off.
  • When the potatoes are finished cooking, drain them in a colander and allow them to cool for a few minutes, or just until they're cool enough to handle. Once slightly cool, slice the potatoes into ¼-inch thick half-rounds.
  • While the potatoes are cooling, roughly chop the cooked bacon and the fresh parsley.
  • Add the sliced potatoes, bacon, and parsley to the skillet with the onions and dressing. Toss everything until evenly combined and coated in dressing. Give the potato salad a taste and adjust the salt or other seasonings to your liking. Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to eat.

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Notes

*Not all potatoes are equal. Russet potatoes, for instance, break down easily and are well-suited for things like mashed potatoes. Red potatoes hold up slightly better than russets, but a waxy potato like Yukon Gold will hold its shape even better. Personally, I love the color contrast of the red skins, so I went with red potatoes.
**This is a prepared mustard, not powdered or mustard seed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 764mg | Fiber: 3g