German Potato Salad
The famously delicious Potato Salad, or Kartoffelsalat, is an adored dish all across the world. It is believed to have originated in Germany. I love this salad because instead of the traditional mayonnaise base, it uses a vinegar base. This mighty salad is packed full of ingredients and flavor, making it the best side dish for your next BBQ or get together!
Marc, who happens to be straight from Germany, makes this Potato Salad often- so it is totally fitting! He is actually the one that wants me to share this recipe with you all in hopes that you love it as much as we do! It consists of potatoes, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, fresh herbs and my personal favorite, cornichons. In case you are wondering what the heck cornichons are and are about to Google it, they are simply sour baby Gherkins. We will get to more on this later so stay tuned my friends!
What ingredients will I need to make this German Potato Salad?
In order to make the best Potato Salad that I have ever had, you will need just a few of these simple ingredients.
- Potatoes – What’s a potato salad without potatoes, right? The question is actually what kind of potatoes are best for this dish? I prefer to use new potatoes or baby potatoes, which are basically small potatoes that have been dug up before fully maturing. They make for a good choice for potato salad because their skin is very tender and flaky so no need to peel them before using. With that being said, I have also used Russet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes and they both work just fine!
- Chicken broth – Boiling the potatoes in the broth gives them a huge boost of flavor.
- Eggs – Hard boiled eggs are added for extra flavor and protein.
- Bacon – What’s not to love about bacon? It adds a deliciously salty, flavorful bite to this dish.
- Cornichons – The million dollar question: What the heck are cornichons? Simply put, they are sour baby Gherkins and you can find them in your local grocery store. If you are unable to find cornichons, you can always get mini Gherkins but be sure they are not the sweet Gherkins. Using sweet pickles in this dish will totally change the flavor of this salad.
- Red onion – Adds color, flavor and crunch to this salad.
- Fresh herbs – Fresh parsley and chives are used to bring freshness and flavor.
- White wine vinegar and olive oil – The base of this salad.
- Dijon mustard – Goes in the dressing to give it more zing. Life is just better with mustard in it!
What is the process of making this German Potato Salad?
- Begin by placing the eggs in a small pot or saucepan covered in water and begin boiling on high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. Remove the eggs from the heat immediately and place in iced water. Once they are cool, peel the eggs and cut them in half lengthwise.
- In a small bowl, wisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Begin by boiling the chicken stock in a medium pot. Rinse and scrub your potatoes and cut them into bite sized pieces. Cover and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to easily pierce them with a fork.
- While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a frying pan or on a griddle on high heat until nice and crispy. Remove them from the heat and place them on a plate with clean paper towels to absorb any excess oil and fat. Chop the bacon into small bite-sized pieces.
- While the potatoes are still hot, add them to a large mixing bowl. Next add the remaining ingredients- red onion, bacon, cornichons, fresh chopped herbs and the dressing. Gently toss until combined, ensuring everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Add the eggs on top and serve immediately while it is still warm!
Ingredient substitutions and alternatives ideas:
Your dairy-free friends will love you for this recipe! Rather than using mayonnaise like the traditional potato salad recipes, it uses an oil and vinegar based dressing. With that being said, you can try to experiment with different kinds of vinegar. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar might be good ones to give a try.
Want this potato salad to be meatless? You can omit the bacon. It will not have as much flavor as it will with the bacon, but I guarantee it will still be yummy. On the other hand, if you still want the meat but want something other than bacon, try tossing in some diced ham!
Having a hard time finding cornichons? You can use sour baby Gherkins instead! They are very similar. Just be sure they aren’t the sweet Gherkins. Although I have never personally made this salad with them, if you prefer your potato salads with sweet pickles, you can give it a try! Let me know in the comment section below how it turns out. I would love to hear about it!
There are different types of baby potatoes. Feel free to try using baby yellow potatoes, red potatoes or baby golden Yukon potatoes. As I mentioned above, I have also used Russet potatoes before and they also work just fine!
Fresh parsley and chives go amazing in this dish, which is the herbs that the recipe calls for. However, I think fresh dill would also be a great addition! If you love dill and you’re willing to experiment, then I say go for it!
This German Potato Salad will make the best side dish for many foods. Some suggestions that I think it will pair great with are:
- BBQ chicken
- Hamburgers and hot dogs
- Steak
- Sausage & peppers
- Sandwiches and wraps
- Turkey meatloaf
Love this recipe? Try these other recipes from my blog and let me know in the comment section below how you like them. I would love to hear your feedback!
German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs baby potatoes chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3-4 eggs hard-boiled
- 5-6 bacon slices chopped
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- 10 cornichons or baby sour Gherkins sliced lengthwise
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tbsp chives snipped
For the dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt & ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a small pot or saucepan covered in water and bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat to low and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. Remove eggs from heat and place in iced water. Once they are cool, peel and cut them in half lengthwise.
- In a small bowl, wisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, sugar and salt and pepper to taste for the dressing. Set aside.
- In a medium pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add potatoes. Cover and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender enough to easily pierce them with a fork.
- Cook the bacon in a frying pan or on a griddle on high heat until crispy. Remove them from the heat and place them on a plate with clean paper towels to absorb any excess oil and fat. Chop it into desired sized pieces.
- While the potatoes are still hot, add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and the dressing. Gently toss until well combined. Add the eggs on top and serve while still warm.
Notes
- Having a hard time finding cornichons? You can use sour baby Gherkins instead! They are very similar. Just be sure they aren't the sweet Gherkins.
- Feel free to try using different types of potatoes. Baby yellow potatoes, red potatoes or baby golden Yukon potatoes are great. I have also used Russet potatoes before and they also work just fine!
- Want to meatless? Omit the bacon. Or on the other hand, try tossing in some diced ham rather than the bacon.