Go Back

Old-Fashioned German Potato Salad

Old-Fashioned German potato salad with bacon and a tangy vinegar dressing, served warm over tender sliced potatoes. Cook bacon for crispy bits, sauté onions in the drippings, then simmer a thickened broth-vinegar dressing and pour it hot so it clings to every bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes Peeled and sliced for even tenderness.
Bacon base
  • 8 bacon Cook until crispy and reserve drippings for the onion.
Onion & thickener
  • 1 onion Diced; sauté in reserved bacon drippings.
  • 1 tbsp flour Helps thicken the dressing once simmered.
Vinegar dressing
  • 0.75 cup beef broth Added to the drippings/onions to build the sauce.
  • 0.33 cup white vinegar Provides the classic tangy flavor.
  • 2 tbsp sugar Balances vinegar for a traditional taste.
  • 1 tsp salt Seasoning for both potatoes and dressing.
  • 0.5 tsp pepper Black pepper for gentle heat and depth.
Finish
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped; garnish for a fresh, warm finish.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil the potatoes
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil and add the sliced russet potatoes. Boil until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, then drain and set aside visibly steamed potatoes.
Cook bacon and sauté onions
  1. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Transfer bacon to a plate and reserve the drippings in the skillet.
  2. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the bacon drippings and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally so the onion turns translucent.
Make the tangy vinegar dressing
  1. Sprinkle the flour over the onions in the skillet and stir well to coat. Cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
  2. Add the beef broth, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes, so the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
Combine and serve warm
  1. Crumble the crispy bacon and add it to the drained potatoes. Toss to distribute the bacon through the potatoes.
  2. Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes and bacon. Toss until everything looks glossy and the potatoes are well-coated.
  3. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm. The salad should be steaming when plated for best texture.

Notes

For the classic texture, keep the potatoes warm and pour the dressing while hot so it thickens and clings instead of turning watery. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water. Freezing isn’t recommended because the vinegar dressing can break and the potatoes may become grainy. If you want a lighter option, use turkey bacon and swap beef broth for low-sodium chicken broth while keeping the same vinegar and sugar ratio.