German Potato Salad (no Mayo)

This modern interpretation of a traditional German potato salad (Kartoffelsalat) is made with crispy bacon and pan fried potatoes coated in a sweet and sour dressing. It is a potato salad that is best served warm and is a perfect side for grilled meats and many other main courses.

this to try later

The original traditional version of this German potato salad is made from warm boiled potatoes and a sweet and tangy dressing with onions and crispy fried pork belly fat dice. This pork belly used in Germany for this traditional side dish is not exactly like the bacon popular in North America. It is pure white fat from the belly of the pork, which when fried leaves only small gold brown crispy pieces. The melted fat is an essential part of the dressing and contributes to the smooth consistency of the vinaigrette, but it also prevents the potatoes absorb all the liquid and become soggy.

Since I moved to Canada, I only came across this type of cured pork belly fat at certain Eastern European grocery stores. Therefore, I diverted to the more popular bacon slices. I further gave this recipe my individual twist by frying the potatoes to add the roasted flavor and by adding freshly chopped parsley at the end.

Here's what you need

This is what you will need to make this authentic German potato salad with bacon and a tangy-sweet dressing. Detailed measurements can be found on the bottom of the page in the recipe card 👇.

Potatoes - The potatoes should be boiled and cooled down. Leftover potatoes from the previous day are perfect to use for this salad made from fried potatoes. Choose a potato with a medium starch content, just enough to thicken your sauce without falling apart. My go-to for this side is an all-purpose potato like the Yukon Gold.

Sliced Bacon - Pick whichever is your favorite. As mentioned above, pure cured pork belly fat would be the traditional ingredient but I used a standard sliced bacon to make this salad.

Olive Oil - The Potatoes absorb a lot of oil when being pan fried. I used olive oil in addition to the bacon fat. You can use whichever frying oil you have available.

Onion - I used red onions, as it adds a nice touch of color and I enjoy the sweet flavor. You can use yellow onion, sweet onion, Spanish onion or even green onion. If you use green onions, make sure to add them at the end since they are best consumed fresh.

Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar 🍎, white wine vinegar, raspberry vinegar or white distilled vinegar. Choose what you have available or whichever is your favorite. I used Apple cider vinegar for this salad. I would not recommend Balsamic Vinegar.

Sugar – Since this is a traditional family recipe, I use regular refined sugar. I haven’t tried to use brown sugar or other sweeteners. If you’d like to substitute, I would recommend a sugar or sweetener that does not have a strong unique flavor, like honey.

Water, Salt & Pepper – The water will literally water the dressing down and balances all flavors. The potatoes will absorb most of the liquid. Salt and pepper are self-explanatory 😉

Parsley - The chopped Parsley will add a fresh note to this salad. It is not a must, but I'd definitely recommend to try it. Dill, cilantro or chives could be used instead or just a little bit of all of the above.

How to make a German Fried Potato Salad

1. Prepare the Dressing - Mix the vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar in a bowl large enough to fit in and mix 1 kg of potatoes. Then, add the lukewarm water and stir thoroughly to ensure that salt and sugar are completely dissolved.
2. Fry the Bacon - Cut the bacon slices in small pieces and set them aside. Next, chop the onions into medium-small pieces. Place a large pan on the stove and set to high heat. Add the bacon first.
3. Fry the Potatoes - When the bacon fat starts melting, add the olive oil. Next, give the sliced potatoes into the pan and gently stir. The secret to well fried and crispy potatoes is to let them fry in the pan without moving them around too much.
4. Stir again when the potatoes on the bottom of the pan start to turn golden. Then let them fry again until the potatoes on the bottom become crispy.

5. Now add the onions and keep frying. Reduce the heat if the colour turns too quickly.
6. Remove from the heat - When the majority of the potatoes have become golden and crispy and the onions are translucent, remove the pan from the heat and let everything cool down for 5-10 minutes.
7. Mix with the Dressing - When slightly cooled, give the warm potato, bacon and onion mix into the bowl with the dressing and mix everything well. The dressing will thicken from the starch in combination with the warmth of the potatoes and cooling bacon fat.
8. The Parsley - Lastly, fold in the freshly chopped parsley and serve while warm!

How to serve it

This warm potato salad is a perfect side for grilled meats, Authentic German Schnitzel, German meat patties (Frikadelle) and many other mains.

This salad is best served warm. If you have leftovers, store it in the fridge and gently warm it up on a low setting in the microwave or on low heat on the stovetop. I would not recommend freezing this salad.

Another great side dish is my grandmother's German Cucumber Salad, or if you are looking for a different style of potato side, my Ginger Infused French Potato Gratin.

If you are a fan of German cuisine, check out my other authentic German Recipes or you can find more inspiration for German Food by browsing Feedspot's list of the 35 Top German Food Blogs, Lexa's Recipes included 🤗.

Explore my other German Recipes