German Potato Salad
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Skip the mayo! Creamy potatoes, pickled red onions, and a zingy vinaigrette make this German potato salad a summer standout.
I am a big fan of German-style potato salads, which are quite different from the American potato salad what we’re used to here in the States. German potato salads swap the usual mayo dressing for a zingy vinaigrette, making them lighter, brighter, yet still super filling. This particular recipe, inspired by David Hagedorn’s version in the Washington Post, is a keeper. Not only does it make a big batch, but it also seems to get tastier as it sitsāa total win for potlucks or picnics.
The salad is made with new potatoes, which keep their shape and have a delightful creaminess to them. Plus, a bonus: no peeling required. The recipe calls for a whole raw red onion, which might seem like a lot. However, once those onions are slightly pickled in the vinaigrette, they lose their bite and turn tangy-sweet. They are honestly the best part of the salad, and that’s coming from a long-time raw onion-phobe.
Table of Contents
“This is crave-worthy! The short ingredient list had me wondering, but itās a home run!”
What You’ll Need To Make German Potato Salad
- Baby Gold or Red Bliss Potatoes: Tender, waxy potatoes that provide a creamy texture and hold their shape well. Feel free to use a mix of red and gold if you’d like the color contrast.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds richness to the vinaigrette, ensuring the salad is flavorful without relying on mayo.
- Rice Vinegar: Provides acidity and tanginess to the vinaigrette, balancing the richness of the potatoes and oil.
- Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness to complement the tangy vinegar and enhance the overall flavor profile.
- Smoked Paprika: Infuses a smoky depth of flavor to the salad.
- Red Onion: Adds a sharp, tangy bite and vibrant color, while the pickling process mellows its flavor.
- Parsley: Adds freshness and brightness to the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, place the potatoes in a large saucepan and fill the pan with enough cold water so that it covers the potatoes by about 1 inch. Add one tablespoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, rice vinegar, sugar, remaining tablespoon salt (I know that sounds like a lot; feel free to add less and season to taste at the end but keep in mind that potatoes require a lot of salt), pepper, smoked paprika, red onion and parsley.
Stir to combine. Set aside, stirring occasionally and allowing the onions to marinate and pickle in the dressing while the potatoes cook.
Drain the potatoes in a colander. While they are still hot, cut them bite-size into halves, thirds, or quarters, depending on the size, and place in the bowl with the dressing.
Using a large rubber spatula, toss the potatoes with the dressing, being careful not to break up the potatoes too much. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally until the potatoes soak up all the vinaigrette.
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Before serving, stir well and taste to adjust seasoning, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with more smoked paprika and parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! It keeps nicely for up to 3 days stored in the fridge. Just be sure to give it a gentle toss before serving to redistribute the dressing.
Sure, Iād recommend 3 to 4 slices, crumbled. See my instructions for how to cook bacon in the oven to make easy work of it!
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German Potato Salad
Skip the mayo! Creamy potatoes, pickled red onions, and a zingy vinaigrette make this German potato salad a summer standout.
Ingredients
- 3½ pounds baby gold or red bliss potatoes
- 2 tablespoons salt, divided
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
- ½ cup chopped parsley, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and fill the pan with enough cold water so that it covers the potatoes by about 1 inch. Add one tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue cooking until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, rice vinegar, sugar, remaining tablespoon salt (I know that sounds like a lot; feel free to add less and season to taste at the end but keep in mind that potatoes require a lot of salt), pepper, smoked paprika, red onion and parsley. Stir to combine. Set aside, stirring occasionally and allowing the onions to marinate and pickle in the dressing while the potatoes cook.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander. While they are still hot (as hot as you can handle), cut them bite-size into halves, thirds, or quarters, depending on the size, and place in the bowl with the dressing. Using a large rubber spatula, toss the potatoes with the dressing, being careful not to break up the potatoes too much. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally until the potatoes soak up all the vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, bring the potato salad to a cool room temperature. Stir well, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or sugar, if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with smoked paprika and parsley.
- Potato salad should be left out for no more than two hours (or one hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees). Leftovers should be promptly refrigerated.
- Make Ahead: This potato salad can be made and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 3 days ahead of time.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cup
- Calories: 355
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Sodium: 591 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
I made this last night and I have tagged the recipe as a “keeper.” The smoked paprika was a great compliment and the onions were addicting! I added turkey bacon to the recipe to give it a little more of a traditional flare. Another keeper. Thanks Jenn!
Happy 4th to you!
I made this salad today and it is delicious. I used a whole onion as recommended by others and they are right. The onions are delicious. Thanks Jenn for another great recipe.
I donāt do cup of, what is equivalent to 2/3 cup?
Hi Margaret, If you look in the top right corner of the recipe, you will find a button that allows you to toggle between metric and cup measures. Hope this helps! š
Served this with grilled Italian sausage…delicious!
I made this as written and it came out very good. The balance of flavor was great. I will say that like some of the other comments, I have never seen a German potato salad without bacon. Next time I will add crumbled bacon to this as well.
I also think this tastes better at room temperature. Let it sit out for an hour before serving.
Is this German potato salad gluten free? Never used smoked paprika
Yes – enjoy!
I had a pound and a half of these cute little red and gold potatoes that I wasn’t sure what to do with when your newsletter arrived. You are right; the onions are the best part. I sliced them very thinly with a mandoline and they were mild and slightly sweet after pickling. Since I only made half a recipe, I only used half an onion but next time I will use the whole thing. The rice vinegar is delicate and I thought the dressing was well balanced. It did need some additional seasoning at the end as you pointed out. The addition of bacon sounds good and I might try that next time as my smoky paprika seems to be losing it oomph.
Did a test run for the 4th…this is a wonderful, mayo-free potato salad. I may crumble some bacon on top next time as suggested by another reviewer but it is excellent as is.
I make it in my restaurant in Bhutan…I got the recipe from my sister’s mother in law in Krems, Austria….I have to invent according to taste but the recipe is same…it’s yum… and loved by my customers.
My husband has been after me to make German Potato Salad forever but it seemed like a weird concept to me. When I saw that you had I recipe I threw caution to the wind and tried it – you were right, it’s addictive. Can’t wait to make it again for the 4th of July. Love all your recipes Jen, thanks!