free of gluten and top 9 allergens
Summer is here and that means grilling season is upon us. German potato salad is the perfect accompaniment with dinner from the grill.
Sliced red potatoes are tossed in a sweet and tangy dressing. Serve it warm or cold at your next backyard barbecue. It is insanely good…and no mayo!
Just like American potato salad, German potato salad has many variations. Different regions of Germany have their own distinct styles of potato salad. What Americans commonly think of as “German potato salad” is most typically associated with a salad from Southern Germany.
Best Potatoes
Red potatoes are our first pick for this salad. They hold their shape even after being tossed with add-ins and dressings. And we like the color that the skin adds to the finished potato salad. Look for potatoes that are uniformly sized so that they cook evenly when boiled. We go for small red potatoes that are about 2-inches in diameter.
Yukon golds, which generally hold their shape despite having a higher starch content, are another option.
mise en place
Most recipes for German potato salad include bacon and mustard. We made ours without bacon, but we include bacon as an option in the recipe.
As for the mustard, Joel has never included it in his recipe. I’m sure adding a tablespoon of good German or Dijon-style mustard wouldn’t hurt this salad a bit! But I’m not tinkering with Joel’s version…why mess with perfection?
Let’s Get Started
- If making your salad with bacon, cook bacon until crisp; drain and crumble. Reserve bacon and 1/4 cup of the drippings.
- Place whole potatoes in a pot of cold water. Turn heat on high. When water comes to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. The cooking time depends on the size of the potatoes. Drain and set potatoes aside.
- Mix garbanzo bean flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil (if omitting bacon) or the bacon fat in a sauté pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and celery to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the flour mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add apple cider vinegar and water and whisk together. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the dressing is simmering, slice the warm potatoes into 1/4-inch rounds. You can also cut potatoes into chunks (about 3/4-inch cubes), especially if the potatoes are larger.
- Add potatoes and if making yours with bacon, add crumbled bacon. Be gentle when stirring the potatoes into the dressing, to avoid breaking and mashing them up. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. But the flavors are best when allowed to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.
Chef Joel’s Tips
- It’s best to add potatoes to the dressing while the potatoes are still warm. While warm the starch is open and the potatoes better absorb the dressing.
- Always start your potatoes in cold water before bringing to a boil. This allows for more even cooking and heat penetration from outside to inside. If you put potatoes directly into boiling water, the outsides will cook immediately and the insides may take longer, resulting in a potato salad that could have some hard and soft pieces.
- Boil the potatoes gently. Boiling rapidly will cause the potatoes to break apart, making for mushy spuds.
If you’re a fan of potato salad, be sure to check out our Creamy Potato Salad and Potato-Mac Salad.
German Potato Salad
Yield 6 Servings
Free of: gluten and top 9 allergens.
German potato salad with tender red potatoes and tangy dressing makes the ultimate back yard barbecue accompaniment.
Ingredients
2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
3 tbsp garbanzo bean flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil (if not using bacon)
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp minced fresh parsley, garnish
6 slices bacon, optional
Instructions
- If making your salad with bacon, cook the bacon in a large sauté pan or dutch oven until crisp; drain and crumble. Reserve bacon and 1/4 cup of the drippings.
- Place the whole potatoes in a pot of cold water, covering the potatoes with at least 3-inches of water. Place the pot over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooking, periodically check for doneness by piercing the center of a potato with the blade of a paring knife. You might need to remove smaller potatoes from the water a little sooner and let larger potatoes cook a little longer. The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. Drain and set potatoes aside.
- Mix the flour, sugar, salt, celery seed, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (if making without the bacon) or the reserved bacon fat in a sauté pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and celery to the pan and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the flour mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the vinegar and water and mix with a wire whip. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 5 minutes.
- While the dressing is simmering, slice the potatoes into ¼-inch rounds. You can also cut potatoes into 3/4-inch cubes, especially if the potatoes are larger.
- Add potatoes and if making with bacon, the bacon. Be gentle when stirring the potatoes into the dressing, to avoid breaking them up too much. Cook for 1-2 minutes, just until heated through. Remove from heat.
- Serve warm, room temperature, or cold. The flavors are best when allowed to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. This recipe yields 6 cups.
Courses Soups & Salads