Authentic German Potato Salad

Name: Authentic German Potato Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Ingredients: 3 pounds medium red potatoes; 5 bacon strips, diced; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons salt; 1/4 teaspoon celery seed; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1-1/4 cups sugar; 1 cup cider vinegar; 3/4 cup water; 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

This authentic German potato salad recipe came from Speck’s Restaurant, which was a famous eating establishment in St. Louis from the 1920s through the ‘50s. I ate lunch there almost every day and always ordered the potato salad. When the owner learned I was getting married, he gave me the recipe as a wedding gift! —Violette Klevorn, Washington, Missouri

Ingredients

3 pounds medium red potatoes
5 bacon strips, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup water
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels. Drain, reserving 4 tablespoons drippings. In the drippings, saute onion until tender.
Stir in the flour, salt, celery seed and pepper until blended. Gradually add the sugar, vinegar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Cut potatoes into 1/4-in. slices. Add potatoes and bacon to the skillet; cook and stir gently over low heat until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm.

Test Kitchen Tips

I buy several pounds of bacon when it’s on sale. I put the strips in a single layer on jelly roll pans and pop them in the oven to bake at 350° until crisp. I then place the strips on paper towels to drain before storing them in single layers in a freezer container. It’s easy to remove only the number of strips I need for a quick breakfast, sandwich or salad. A short time in the microwave reheats the bacon. —Dale H. Holland, MI

Celery seed is a classic addition to seafood dishes, slaws and pickles. The seeds are herbaceous, crunchy and slightly bitter. They come from a type of flavorful Asian celery.

Check out our 10 best potato salad recipes.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 349 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated fat), 9mg cholesterol, 706mg sodium, 65g carbohydrate (35g sugars, 3g fiber), 5g protein.

Originally published as German Potato Salad in Country December/January 2006

Reviews

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Average Rating:

scotland1

Feb 5, 2019

My mom use to make German Potato Salad. YUMMY! I just might make them for this weekend. Suppose to be rather cold this Thursday through Sunday. I give this this 5 stars. If it had 1,000 stars, you betcha I would click on all of them.
Eric

Jan 16, 2019

I was also wary when I saw the amount of sugar, so I read the reviews and used half of the amount of sugar called for. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. I made the mistake of simmering the potatoes for the full 25 minutes and they were over cooked and crumbling. My error for not checking doneness. I tried to salvage the dish as a “smashed potato”, but I found it to be WAY to sweet. Disappointed.
Daisy3333

Dec 30, 2018

This is the real recipe that my German grandmother used to make. One of my favs.
WonkyGirl

Sep 25, 2018

Must be a regional thing the way others want to change many ingredients, they should submit their own recipe. I was not fed this dish as a child and think this recipe is just right. Used russets and it turned out tasty. Wish my mom was still around to taste it with my meatloaf and green beans.
ccdalstoll

May 24, 2018

This is almost exactly the recipe my great-grandmother (from Germany) handed down to my Grandmother, my Mother and then me. The only difference is I don't use celery seed and we like to add a few hot pepper flakes. We've also always used apple cider vinegar, not white vinegar and usually use russet potatoes. My family LOVES it!
mona

Apr 17, 2018

Not quite rightI grew up in Mannheim in the 70's. My mother and Oma made it with russet potatoes, bacon, onion, salt, pepper and vegetable (not olive, doesn't taste right) oil, white (apple cider doesn't taste right) vinegar. Might add a little water if it is too vinegary. Never saw my mom or Oma add any sugar, but a tiny bit might balance out the vinegar.Boil potatoes, peel and slice. Fry diced bacon and diced onion together. put oil and vinegar, salt and pepper in bowl, then add the bacon & onion mixture (don't drain) to still warm potatoes in bowl and toss. the warmer the potatoes, the better. they will have a better chance to soak up flavors. The amounts of everything just depends on how many potatoes and how soft they are once cooked. everything is basically to taste. also, don't skimp on the bacon and onion mixture!!! leave at room temp for best flavor.
katandalan

Jan 29, 2018

Haven't made it yet but reading all the reviews made me wonder if maybe, just maybe, the "cider" vinegar is what made it taste different. My mom always used white vinegar. Just a thought and I would love to know what you think .
Darlene

Aug 27, 2017

. My grandmother was from Germany and when I lived in Germany my German landlady told me that the recipe I use is exactly German potato salad.Potatoes cooked but not sliced, dicedRaw diced celeryRaw diced onionIn a small skillet cook about 6 strips of bacon choppedDo not drainAdd 1 can of evaporated milk to the bacon and drippingsThen add the juice of one large lemon or equivelant amount of white vinegar.Mixture will curdle slightly then pour into hot potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste mix well it will seem soupy but as you mix the starch from the potatoes will thicken it. Enjoy. Maybe your style was from a different part of Germany.
TNbluffbaker

Apr 20, 2017

This is one of the best versions of German Potato Salad I've ever had. It's a nice alternative to my traditional American recipe that uses mayonnaise and is served cold. One person in my family can't eat celery seeds so I left them out, but it was still good.
Walter

Jan 4, 2017

I have eaten German potato salad quite a few times over the years, and this was as good as any I've had. I substituted side pork for the bacon, as my wife doesn't like bacon, and it was still good. I think ham would have been a better substitute. I liked the sweet/sour ratio exactly as written... at first it did seem like a lot of sugar, but I went with it as written as it was emphatically stated that the amount is correct. We have been eating this for the past few days and I am very pleased with the salad.