- This German potato salad
may just dethrone the classic American potato salad
as the summertime favorite, and here are three reasons why.
First, it's a no mayo potato salad.
Instead it's got a tangy and vibrant vinegar-based dressing.
Second, it has bacon. Need I say more?
Actually, I will say more,
because the bacon Dijon dressing is unbelievably good,
like so good.
And lastly, the salad can be served warm or cold,
which makes it the perfect year round recipe.
Traditionally, it is served warm,
but I've also enjoyed leftovers cold
straight from the fridge, and they are delicious.
Needless to say,
this German potato salad is a must make recipe
for summertime picnics, potlucks, barbecues, and more.
So let me show you how to make it.
To get started, you'll need to dice one small yellow onion.
And I have to say that I was pretty excited
to actually find somewhat of a small onion at the market,
because as you guys have seen on previous videos,
my onions are usually fairly gigantic.
So if you too run into that problem
of only finding a large onion, feel free to use half of it.
And once it's diced up, add it to a small bowl.
The great thing about this recipe
is that there's not a lot of chopping or prep.
It's just a few items, and next on our list
is chopping up about 1/4 cup of fresh parsley.
This will add a lovely pop of green to the salad at the end.
And to be honest,
I don't usually measure herbs when I chop them.
I just sorta eyeball it,
and I'd say that looks like about 1/4 of a cup,
so I'll set that aside for now.
And lastly, remove the peel of three garlic cloves.
These will get minced into the bacon Dijon dressing
over on the stove here in a second.
So once you've peeled them, you can set them aside.
Now, speaking of bacon, you'll need eight slices of bacon.
I prefer thick cut bacon for chunkier pieces,
and then slice those about half an inch wide.
It's also easier to slice the bacon
if it's chilled and cold straight from the fridge.
Mine has been sitting out for a bit
while I was getting the filming gear ready,
which isn't a biggie,
but it's definitely easier to slice cold.
When it comes to the main ingredient
for this German potato salad,
you'll need two pounds of baby red potatoes.
Once you've washed and scrubbed them,
add them to a large pot and then cover them with cold water.
Season the water with a generous amount of kosher salt,
then bring it to a boil.
And while I'm waiting for the water to boil,
I'll add the bacon to a medium skillet over medium heat.
You can just break up the bacon pieces with your fingers
as you add them to the pan.
If you notice your bacon spattering or browning too quickly,
feel free to reduce the heat a little bit.
It should be more of a foamy sizzle,
so that the bacon can brown evenly in the grease.
At this point, my potatoes are now boiling,
so I'll reduce the heat, partially cover the pot with a lid,
and simmer the potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes
or until fork tender, but not overly soft.
And I'll show you the texture you're aiming for
when they're done here in a second.
So while the potatoes cook,
the bacon can continue to get nice and golden and crispy.
And once it's cooked to your liking,
just use a slotted spoon to remove it
to a paper towel-lined plate.
Now, don't go draining any of that bacon grease.
You wanna keep it all for the dressing,
because instead of an oil-based dressing,
we're whipping up a bacon grease-based dressing,
and essentially just swapping one fat for another.
Add the diced onion to the pan
and saute it for three to four minutes
until it's softened and slightly translucent.
Then mince the garlic cloves straight into the pan
and stir those around for another minute or so.
And try to get the garlic actually in the pan
rather than squirting it outside of it.
To add a little sweetness to the dressing,
you'll add two tablespoons of honey,
and for a kick of spice and flavor,
you'll add two tablespoons of Dijon mustard.
Dijon mustard may have a more muted color
than regular yellow mustard,
but it's actually the opposite in terms of flavor,
which is more intense and complex
and perfect for this very simple recipe.
Then add one teaspoon of kosher salt
and 1/2 a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
and whisk that together.
And while you're whisking everything together in the pan,
you can pour in 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar.
Continue whisking that until it's fully combined
and the dressing has emulsified,
and let it reduce slightly on the stove for a minute or two.
Then turn off the heat.
And it's perfect timing, as the potatoes are now done.
See? Multitasking at its finest.
So go ahead and drain the water from the potatoes
and always be careful to drain slowly, as the steam is hot
and it can burn your face if you're not careful.
But leave the potatoes in the pot for a few minutes
to steam dry and cool to the touch
just enough so you can handle them.
This is always tricky as it's sort of like playing a game
of literal hot potato,
because you wanna slice the potatoes into quarters
while they're still warm,
but you don't wanna burn any of your little fingers.
So please use your best judgment here.
(gentle music)
Earlier, I mentioned the texture of the potatoes,
and you can see if I press on a potato slice,
that it's on the firmer side,
but will smush with a bit of pressure.
That's what you want. Firm, yet soft potatoes.
If you overcook the potatoes,
they're more likely to disintegrate
the minute you stir the salad.
So try to avoid that if possible.
I'll go ahead and finish slicing up all of the potatoes
and add them back to the pot as it's still warm,
and will help to keep the entire potato salad warm
before serving.
But you could also add everything to a mixing bowl
and stir in that.
Whichever method you prefer,
add the crispy bacon bits on top of the potatoes,
and there might be a few that went missing
during this cooking process.
And then pour the dressing on top.
Gently stir that together
along with about half of the chopped parsley,
so the herb flavoring can get mixed throughout.
Then transfer it to a serving bowl
and sprinkle the remaining parsley on top as garnish.
(gentle music)
And there you have it, the best German potato salad recipe
that'll rival any American potato salad
with a bacon Dijon dressing that is seriously addictive.
I always have to remind myself
to stop at one serving on this recipe,
because left to my own devices,
I could certainly polish off two or three.
I hope you guys enjoyed today's new video,
and if you did,
make sure to hit that like and subscribe button,
because there's lots of tasty recipes
coming your way over the coming months.
And let me know in the comments below
if I've made you a convert
to this German potato salad recipe
or if you still prefer the classic American version.
(gentle music)