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German Potato Salad

German potato salad with warm vinegar dressing and crispy bacon. Yukon gold potatoes are boiled until tender, then tossed with a tangy broth-and-vinegar mixture for a classic kartoffelsalat texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: German
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potatoes
  • 3 lb Yukon gold potatoes, sliced
Bacon and aromatics
  • 8 bacon
  • 1 onion, diced
Vinegar dressing
  • 0.75 cup chicken broth
  • 0.33 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Finish
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Boil the potatoes
  1. Boil the Yukon gold potato slices in salted water until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain well and keep them hot so they absorb the dressing.
Make the bacon drippings base
  1. Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve the rendered drippings in the pan.
Soften the onion
  1. Sauté the diced onion in the reserved bacon drippings until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits for extra flavor.
Simmer the tangy dressing
  1. Add the chicken broth, white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper to the pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the dressing tastes well balanced.
Combine and toss
  1. Crumble the crispy bacon into the hot drained potatoes. Pour the hot vinegar dressing over the potatoes and toss gently to coat without breaking them.
Serve warm
  1. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately while warm. If needed, toss once more right before plating so everything looks glossy.

Notes

For best texture, keep the potatoes hot and pour the dressing while it’s warm so the vinegar flavor soaks in. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; rewarm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to loosen the dressing. Freezing is not recommended because the potatoes can turn mealy. If you want a lighter version, use turkey bacon and low-sodium broth while keeping the same vinegar and mustard ratio.