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German Potato Salad with Bacon and Vinegar Dressing (Kartoffelsalat)

German potato salad with bacon dressing delivers classic warm vinegar potato flavor with tender Yukon gold slices and a tangy mustard-broth sauce. Bacon drippings sauté onion, then hot dressing is tossed through for a glossy, just-warm finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes Slice for even cooking.
Bacon
  • 8 bacon Cook until crisp; reserve drippings.
Aromatics
  • 1 onion Dice small for quick softening.
Dressing base
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth Use hot or room temperature; it will warm while simmering.
  • 0.33 cup white vinegar Provides the classic tang.
  • 2 tbsp sugar Balances vinegar acidity.
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard For body and tangy mustard flavor.
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp salt Season the simmering dressing.
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper Freshly ground if possible.
Garnish
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped for a bright finish.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Boil the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the Yukon gold potatoes and boil until tender, about 15–20 minutes, stirring once if needed, and they should yield when pierced with a fork.
  2. Drain the potatoes well and set aside so excess moisture doesn’t thin the dressing.
Make the bacon dressing
  1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy, 8–12 minutes, and reserve the bacon drippings in the skillet.
  2. Sauté the onion in the bacon drippings over medium heat until soft, 4–6 minutes, and it should look translucent.
  3. Add the chicken broth, white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper, then bring to a simmer and simmer for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
Assemble and serve warm
  1. Crumble the crispy bacon into the drained potatoes so the bacon distributes throughout.
  2. Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes and bacon, then toss gently so every slice is coated and glistening.
  3. Add the chopped fresh parsley and serve warm, with parsley scattered on top as a bright finishing cue.

Notes

Pro tip: Slice potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate, and keep the dressing hot when tossing to prevent the potatoes from cooling and turning dry. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3–4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in a skillet with a splash of broth. Freezing not recommended due to potato texture. For a lower-fat swap, use center-cut bacon and drain excess fat before sautéing the onion.