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    Home » German Recipes

    German Potato Salad (Authentic Bavarian Kartoffelsalat)

    September 11, 2019 • Updated: May 4, 2022 • by Renée • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    German Potato Salad (Authentic Bavarian Kartoffelsalat)

    Hot, warm, or cold, this traditional German Potato Salad is a scrumptious blend of sweet, tangy, and bacony goodness. A tried-and-true family favorite! 

    Red potatoes, red onions, bacon and other ingredients in a crockery casserole dish.
    Jump to:
    • Makes German Potato Salad So Special?
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make the Best German Potato Salad Ever!
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • German Recipes
    • German Potato Salad (Authentic Bavarian Kartoffelsalat)

    Makes German Potato Salad So Special?

    (Was macht den deutschen Kartoffelsalat so besonders?)

    My high school German teacher loved food, and often brought in German foods into class for us to try. Frau Müeller introduced us to exotic new-to-us delicacies like Butterkase (pronounced “booter-keh-zuh,” which literally means butter cheese), Kartoffelpuffer (German potato pancakes), and a profusion of buttery Bavarian pastries. However, the one dish that stood out most was her traditional Bavarian Kartoffelsalat – commonly known in the United States as German Potato Salad. 

    German potato salad is distinctly different from American potato salad; most notably, it is completely mayonnaise-free. However, it has one very important thing in common its American counterpart: no two potato salad recipes are quite the same! This recipe has been honed and perfected over three decades, and is now a tried-and-true family favorite and a time-honored Oktoberfest tradition.

    Culinary historians speculate that the combination of cooked potatoes, oil, vinegar, and herbs was introduced in the US by 19th-century German immigrants, who had a penchant for rich, sour-sweet combinations. Hot potato salad soon became so closely associated with German immigrants that it was dubbed German Potato Salad. 

    Dressed with bacon, onions, and vinegar, German potato salad as we now know it in the US has its roots in the south of Germany. Known historically as the Bavarian region, it hails from the home of all things Oktoberfest: brightly embroidered lederhosen and dirndl skirts, decorative beirstiens, and festive Oompah bands. 

    Equally scrumptious hot, warm, or cold, German Potato Salad is a deeply satisfying blend of sweet, tangy, bacony goodness. This traditional Bavarian Kartoffelsalat recipe is very easy to put together, and we strongly suggest making it ahead of time. (We always make it at least a day ahead to allow all the flavors to mingle and meld, and then rewarm it to serve for our big Oktoberfest meal.)

    What Goes into this Recipe

    German potato salad ingredients: red potatoes, red onions, sugar, bacon, vinegar, water, salt & pepper.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    ★ Red potatoes - We prefer to use small red potatoes, quartered. You can use any red potato, cut into about ¾- to 1-inch cubes. (Cubed potatoes stand up to the cooking process much better than potato slices.) 

    ★ Bacon - Use a high-quality, thick bacon for best results. We prefer to use an unpeppered, smoky bacon. 

    ★ Red onion - Red onions add more color, and have a sweet undertone that works well in this recipe. You can use yellow or sweet onions, but the flavor will be slightly different. 

    ★ Sugar - We use white sugar for this recipe, and don't recommend using any alternative sweeteners, as they can dramatically change the overall flavor profile. 

    ★ Apple cider vinegar - We have successfully used red wine vinegar with this recipe, but much prefer the flavor added with apple cider vinegar. 

    How to Make the Best German Potato Salad Ever!

    Prep the Potatoes

    Cut potatoes into ½- to ¾-inch cubes and put them into a medium saucepan. (Leave skins on.) Add enough cold water to cover the tops of the potato cubes.

    Salt the water, cover the pot, and bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender but still firm.

    Cut potatoes (½- to ¾-inch cubes) in a medium saucepan.

    While the Potatoes are Cooking

    In a 10-inch Dutch oven or large, heavy saucepan, cook bacon over MEDIUM heat until crisp.

    Remove from heat. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Leave bacon drippings in pan.

    Cooked bacon in a large skillet.

    Return pan to MEDIUM heat, and sauté the onion in the reserved bacon drippings.

    Sauteed the onion in the reserved bacon drippings.

    Reduce heat on the sautéed red onions down to MEDIUM-LOW. Add vinegar, sugar, water and celery seed.

    Overhead shot of sauteed red onions with. vinegar, sugar, water and celery seed in Dutch oven.

    Heat onion-vinegar mixture a low simmer. Remove from heat.

    Put It Together

    Add the hot potatoes to Dutch oven. (Make sure liquid and potatoes and both very hot when mixed together.)

    Liquid and potatoes mixed together.

    Add cooked bacon pieces, and stir everything together gently to combine.

    Added cooked bacon pieces to potatoes in Dutch oven.

    Salt and pepper to taste. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 325°F | 163°C.

    German Potato Salad (Authentic Bavarian Kartoffelsalat) in a large crockery dish, ready to serve.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    We eat the leftovers cold… with our fingers… from the fridge. (Try it - you'll like it!) It makes a great picnic salad, too!

    How long does German potato salad last?

    Sealed in an air-tight container in the fridge, German potato salad will stay good for up to a week.

    What's the difference between German potato salad and American potato salad?

    There are two basic differences between the two:
    ★ Salad Base: American potato salad is mayonnaise -based, while German potato salad is completely mayonnaise-free.
    ★ Temperature: American potato salad is always served cold. German potato salad is traditionally served warm. (However, we think it is delicious at any temperature.)

    German Recipes

    • Traditional German Sauerbraten
    • Easy Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)
    • Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)
    • Rye Sourdough Spaetzle

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    Hot German Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat)
    5 from 14 votes

    German Potato Salad (Authentic Bavarian Kartoffelsalat)

    Hot, warm, or cold, this traditional German Potato Salad is a scrumptious blend of sweet, tangy, and bacony goodness. A tried-and-true family favorite! 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Bavarian, German
    Prep Time:30 minutes
    Cook Time:30 minutes
    Fridge Time (optional):1 day
    Total Time:1 day 1 hour
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 195kcal
    Author: Renee

    Equipment

    • 10-inch Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
    • Colander

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 2 lbs red potatoes any waxy potato will work
    • 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped 12-to ¼-inch
    • 1 medium red onion sliced thinly, from stem to blossom end.
    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ⅓ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon celery seed
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • pepper

    Instructions

    • Cut potatoes into ½- to ¾-inch cubes and put them into a medium saucepan. (Leave skins on.)
      Add enough cold water to cover the tops of the potato cubes.
      Salt the water, cover the pot, and bring the potatoes to a boil.
      Cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender but still firm.

    While potatoes are cooking:

    • In a 10-inch Dutch oven or large, heavy saucepan, cook bacon over MEDIUM heat until crisp.
      Remove from heat.
      Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Leave bacon drippings in pan.
    • Return pan to MEDIUM heat, and sauté the onion in the reserved bacon drippings.
    • Reduce heat on the sautéed red onions to MEDIUM-LOW.
      Add vinegar, sugar, water and celery seed.
    • Heat onion-vinegar mixture a low simmer.
      Remove from heat.
    • Add the hot potatoes to Dutch oven. (Make sure liquid and potatoes and both very hot when mixed together.)
      Add cooked bacon pieces, and stir everything together gently to combine.
    • Salt and pepper to taste.
      Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 325°F [163°C].

    Notes

    German Potato Salad is always better the second day! Prepare it ahead of time and simply reheat (or serve cold) when you're ready to serve it.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.9g | Protein: 7.6g | Fat: 6.1g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 10.1g | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    Originally published October 2, 2014. Updated with new content, images, and directions to improve reader experience. 

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    About Renée

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Suzanne J. Daniels says

      May 03, 2022 at 7:06 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best Kartoffelsalat that I have ever made and now my go to recipe. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Renée says

        May 03, 2022 at 7:42 pm

        Thank you for circling back to let us know how it went, and for the kind words. I'm so glad it works for you!

        Reply
    2. Carol G says

      January 02, 2022 at 5:56 pm

      My grandmother was from Bavaria and she made great German potato salad wherein a raw egg, bacon and some bacon drippings, white vinegar, and raw onion were added.to sliced, cooked red potatoes. No sugar. The potatoes might have been warm. Tasted great but lost texture and taste once refrigerated. I'm curious if any Germans reading this made it before.

      Reply
    3. Earnest says

      January 02, 2021 at 12:13 am

      I beg to differ about Germans putting mayo in potato salad. I lived there for 8 years and I saw plenty of Germans along with my ex-wife who was German put mayonnaise in potato salad

      Reply
      • Renée says

        January 02, 2021 at 3:53 am

        I’m sure that many Germans use mayo in their potato salad. Perhaps I should be more succinct: there is never mayo in the traditional German dish commonly referred to as Hot German Potato Salad, which is what we are presenting here.

        This is the same idea as saying, “American Potato Salad is always mayonnaise-based.” Because, while of course there are Americans who make non-mayo potato salad, traditional American Potato Salad is, by definition, always made with mayonnaise.

        Hope that clarifies things.

        Reply
    4. Marisa says

      September 12, 2019 at 8:13 pm

      Oh I've never heard of this Potato Salad, I love the way it sounds!! Its definitely perfect for Fall!

      Reply
    5. Angela says

      September 12, 2019 at 12:53 pm

      I have not had this since I was a kid! My grandmother used to make it! Can't wait to give this recipe a try!!!

      Reply
    6. Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says

      September 12, 2019 at 11:46 am

      5 stars
      I can only eat homemade potato salad because I just don't like the mayo versions. Your hot potato salad recipe looks so much better than the usual deli version. I love that it includes apple cider vinegar!

      Reply
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