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.