German Potato Salad (without Mayo)
This traditional German potato salad without mayo soaks warm sliced potatoes in a tangy bacon, onion, and broth dressing. Serve it warm or at room temperature with sausages, schnitzel, or anything off the grill.
Servings: 4 servings, makes about 5 cups
Equipment
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes waxy red or all-purpose Yukon Gold, unpeeled
- 1 tbsp clarified butter or neutral oil
- 5 oz bacon diced
- ¾ cup onion finely diced
- 1 cup beef broth or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar plus more to taste
- 1 tsp mustard plus more to taste
- ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp celery seed optional
- ¼ tsp sugar or to taste
- 2 tbsp chives fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
- Put the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until a knife slides easily into the center, 20 to 40 minutes, depending on their size.
- While the potatoes cook, melt the clarified butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and onion, and cook, stirring now and then, until the bacon fat has rendered and the onion is soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the broth and bring it to a simmer. Take the pan off the heat, then stir in the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
- Drain the potatoes and rinse them briefly under cold water, just until you can handle them. Peel them while they're still warm, slice them 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick, and put the slices in a large bowl.
- If the dressing has cooled, bring it back to a simmer. Pour the hot dressing over the warm potatoes, fold it in gently to coat, and let the salad rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Fold the salad gently again and taste it. Add the sugar a pinch at a time, and more salt, pepper, vinegar, or mustard if needed. Sprinkle with the chives just before serving.
Notes
Yield: 2 lbs of potatoes is about 6 medium potatoes, enough for about 4 side servings. Double everything for a family gathering.
Potatoes: Waxy red potatoes stay firm, and all-purpose Yukon Golds are a little creamier but still slice cleanly. Russets fall apart more easily, so slice them closer to 1/4 inch or thicker.
Without bacon: Cook the onion in oil instead, use vegetable broth, and add a little extra oil to the dressing.
Make ahead: Boil and peel the potatoes up to a day ahead and refrigerate them. Slice them cold and pour the hot dressing over the slices.
Storage: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and don't leave the salad out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Chill it before packing it in a cooler for a picnic. It doesn't freeze well.
Source: Adapted with permission from German Meals at Oma's by Gerhild Fulson (Page Street Publishing Co., 2018).
Nutrition
Serving: 1.25 cups | Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 806mg | Potassium: 1192mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 2mg