Recipes, Photography, Musings

German Potato Salad

german potato salad 3I have been wanting to share this recipe for quite some time.  I love this classic potato salad, and a couple of friends and relatives have asked me for this recipe, since they have enjoyed it at picnics.  So here it is!  It is a recipe I found years ago in my Better Homes and Gardens: New Cook Book, 10th Edition (June 1, 1989) Ring-bound, and reminds me of the potato salad my German/Swiss grandmother used to make when I was a child.  My husband, not a fan of the mayonnaise and egg type of potato salad, loves it too.  Since I lean toward the vegetarian end of things, I have tried making this salad without the bacon, and cooking the onions in olive oil.  But it just doesn’t taste the same.  So I find the highest quality of bacon I can find.  It’s not imperative to crumble the bacon and add it to the salad, but it seems important (at least to me) to cook the onions in the bacon drippings.  I have also tried making it without celery seed, since one time I didn’t have celery seed, and that also didn’t taste as good.  So I would not leave those two ingredients out unless you really need to.  As with everything involving vegetables, the better the potatoes, the better this salad will taste as well.  I am excited that new potatoes will be appearing soon at the farm stands around here.

We are just kicking off picnic season with Memorial Day weekend upon us, so I thought this would be a fitting time to share this delicious recipe.  I like this potato salad because it is very portable.  It tastes good warm, cold, or at room temperature.  I am sure we will be taking it with us this weekend to my daughter’s soccer tournament.  I don’t know why, but food often tastes better when eaten outside.  Maybe because it’s novel and exciting after a long winter, or maybe the fresh air whips up our appetite.  We have our screened in porch cleaned up and ready to use, and I am looking forward to eating out there as much as possible, in addition to lots of picnics!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! With it being Friday, I am going to take this recipe over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Cooking with Aunt Juju and The Chunky Chef. german potato salad 2german potato salad in skilletgerman potato salad with fork

German Potato Salad

  • Servings: 4
  • Print
Ingredients:

  • 4 medium potatoes (or six smallish ones, about 1 and 1/4 pounds)
  • 4 slices of bacon
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • fresh chives or parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions: Cook the potatoes in a covered saucepan of boiling, salted water for about 20 minutes, or until fork-tender.  Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool.  (I do not peel my potatoes, because I like the skins.  Peel them if you want to, but it is not necessary).  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into cubes or slices. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the 4 slices of bacon until it is crisp.  Remove the bacon and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate.  Crumble the bacon when it is cool.  Add the chopped onions to the bacon drippings in the skillet.  (There should be about 2 tablespoons-worth.  If there is more than that, drain it out till there’s about 2 tablespoons).  Saute the onions over medium heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in the sugar, flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Then stir in the water and vinegar.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Stir in the potatoes and bacon.  Garnish with chives and/or parsley if desired.  Enjoy with your chosen main course!

This recipe is adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, Tenth Ring Bound Edition.

23 Comments

  1. Anonymous

    Thanks – I’ve been wanting this recipe. A few more weeks and I’ll be able to go back to eating real meals! Keep up the great work!

    • Jenny

      Thank you! Hope you enjoy the recipe!

      • Anonymous

        Hey, why did it make me anonymous? Does this mean you don’t know who I am?

      • Jenny

        I don’t know why it made you anonymous.?? Because of that I am not sure who you are.

      • Jenny

        I will try to figure out how to make it so non-blogger people who comment are not anonymous. Sorry!:)

      • Anonymous

        It’s Mark Lee. Did something happen when you did your big website change?

      • Jenny

        I thought it might be you, Mark. Yes, I’m not sure, but something happened when I switched. It is probably a setting I need to find and change. I will look into it. Why can’t you have regular meals for a few weeks?

      • Anonymous

        Just too busy working this time of year to really cook.

      • Jenny

        Yes, I bet this is your busiest time as far as gardening goes. Good luck with it and hope you have a good Memorial Day!

  2. milkandbun

    Potatoes are one of my fav veggies, so I do like this salad-simple and tasty! Yum! 🙂

    • Jenny

      Thank you. Yes, it is a tasty way to use potatoes. Have a great weekend!

      • milkandbun

        You too! 🙂

  3. cookingwithauntjuju.com

    I never make this salad but always enjoy it at the German restaurants in town. Looks and sounds delicious – perfect for the party goers at Fiesta Friday – thanks for sharing 🙂

    • Jenny

      Thank you! And thank you for co-hosting Fiesta Friday this week.

  4. Lily Lau

    I’ve tried this salad before when I lived in Germany and I thought I’d never tried it again… you made me so nostalgic! 🙂

    • Jenny

      Oh, thank you! I enjoy feeling nostalgic. It reminds me of my childhood, when my grandma used to make it.

  5. Jhuls

    This looks so delish. Happy FF and I hope you have a great week. 🙂

    • Jenny

      Thank you, Jhuls! It is nice to hear from you. I hope you have a great week too and Happy FF to you too. 🙂

  6. petra08

    The idea of bacon in potato salad sounds so yummy! I must try this! thanks for sharing 🙂

    • Jenny

      Thank you! The bacon does taste really good with the potatoes. I don’t usually eat a lot of bacon, but I love it in this salad.

  7. Angie

    YUM!!! We love this in our house! I’ve made it twice this week. Wouldn’t be surprised if the family asks for it again for a 3rd time! 🙂

    • Jenny

      Thank you so much, Angie! Glad your family loves it–mine does too! (With the exception of my daughter–I rarely can please everyone at one meal :)) Thanks so much for facilitating Fiesta Friday!

  8. Natalie Mas

    What kind of potatoes do you use?

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