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Warm German Potato Salad

German potato salad with warm, sliced potatoes tossed in a bacon-vinegar dressing. Tangy, no-mayo flavor with crispy bacon and tender onions for a classic warm salad side.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb red potatoes
Bacon and drippings
  • 8 bacon Use about 3 tablespoons of the rendered drippings for the onion sauté.
Onion and aromatics
  • 1 onion
Bacon-vinegar dressing
  • 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Seasoning
  • 1 Salt and pepper Season to taste; keep dressing balanced and not overly salty.
Herbs
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Boil and prep the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the sliced red potatoes; boil until tender, about 15 minutes, then drain.
  2. Let the drained potatoes steam off in the colander for 2 minutes so they stay warm and can absorb the dressing.
Cook bacon and soften the onion
  1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, then drain, crumble, and set aside.
  2. Reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the skillet, then sauté the diced onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
Build the bacon-vinegar dressing
  1. Add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, and chicken broth to the skillet and bring to a simmer.
  2. Simmer the dressing for 2 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns slightly glossy.
Toss and serve warm
  1. Pour the hot dressing over the warm potatoes and stir to coat.
  2. Add the crumbled bacon and chopped fresh parsley, then toss gently to keep the potato slices intact.
  3. Serve immediately while still warm, with any remaining bacon pieces on top.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the potatoes warm and the dressing hot before tossing so the vinegar absorbs instead of pooling. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on the stove with a splash of broth. Freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a no-mayo variation, this recipe already uses a bacon-vinegar dressing—skip any mayonnaise and keep the mustard for tang.