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Old-Fashioned German Potato Salad

Traditional German potato salad with bacon and a tangy vinegar dressing. Warm boiled russet potatoes are tossed with a thickened onion-broth dressing and finished with crispy bacon and parsley for an authentic side-dish texture.
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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: 415
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb russet potatoes
Bacon and aromatics
  • 8 slices bacon Cook until crisp and reserve the drippings for sautéing.
  • 1 large onion Dice for sautéing and flavoring the dressing.
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped for garnish and freshness.
Vinegar dressing
  • 0.75 cup beef broth
  • 0.33 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp flour Used to thicken the dressing.
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp pepper

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the sliced russet potatoes, and boil until tender, 10-15 minutes. The potatoes should easily pierce with a fork.
  2. Drain the potatoes well and set aside so excess moisture doesn’t thin the dressing.
Make bacon-onion vinegar dressing
  1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve the bacon drippings in the pan.
  2. Sauté the diced onion in the reserved drippings over medium heat until softened and translucent, 5-7 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1-2 minutes, letting it lose the raw flavor. The mixture should look glossy and slightly thickened.
  4. Add the beef broth, white vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, then simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes. The dressing should coat the back of a spoon.
Toss and serve
  1. Crumble the crispy bacon and add it to the drained potatoes. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
  2. Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes and bacon, and toss until everything is well coated. Serve immediately while steaming.
  3. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley right before serving. The salad should look glossy and warm.

Notes

For best texture, keep the potatoes hot and toss with the dressing right away so they absorb it instead of cooling off. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over low heat until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended as the potatoes can become grainy. Dietary swap: use turkey bacon for a lighter option while keeping the vinegar dressing the same.