Skillet German Potato Salad is a scrumptious easy skillet recipe with a cider vinegar dressing, crisp bacon, sweet onion and fresh parsley. We love to serve this with Oven Baked Barbecue Beef Brisket or Dry Rub Sweet Barbecue Pork Tenderloin
You certainly don’t have to be German to enjoy this potato salad. It is darn near the best potato recipe I have ever made. So savory and full of so much flavor. You can boil the potatoes and mix the dressing ahead of time. That leaves more time to concentrate on the rest of the meal or your cocktail. Believe me I have tweens here so cocktails are a necessity not an option!!
The first time I made this my husband said “Oh my goodness what are you doing to the potato salad.” I told him “I am putting it in the skillet to crisp the edges and to make the flavors more intense.” He loved it. He said “Who would have thought that would work out so well.” I said “You don’t know unless you try something new.” So this traditional style German Potato Salad gets a bit of a twist by way of a hot skillet with a little bacon grease. This recipe is best served warm right out of the skillet.
How do you make Skillet German Potato Salad?
First parboil the potatoes, drain well and cut into bite size chunks. Cook the bacon in the oven until it is crispy and then chop coarsely. Reserve the bacon fat from the baking sheet. Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, water, olive oil and Dijon mustard.
Add 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat to a large skillet. Add the chopped onions and cook a couple of minutes. Spoon in the potatoes and cook until crispy on the edges. Drizzle in the vinegar dressing in three parts cooking one to two minutes between each part. Stir in the chopped bacon and parsley. Serve immediately.
What makes German Potato Salad different from American Potato Salad?
German potato salad dressing is usually vinegar based with bacon and served warm. While most American based potato salad dressings are mayonnaise, mustard or sour cream based and served cold. Both are delicious albeit quite different.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Red potatoes are best in this potato salad. They are a little waxy and they keep their shape well.
- To parboil the potatoes place in large pan. Cover with cold water and bring to a light boil. Boil for 7-10 minutes for small potatoes and 12-15 for large potatoes. Plunge the potatoes into cold water to stop the cooking process. This process can be done up to several days in advance
- The dressing can be mixed up to several days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To get your potatoes nice and crispy do not stir too often. Just let them cook undisturbed for several minutes. If necessary set yourself a timer so you don’t stir too much.
- Don’t add the bacon and parsley until after the dressing has been added and you are ready to serve.
More potato recipes you will love
- Traditional Irish Colcannon Potatoes and Cabbage
- Funeral Potatoes
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Easy Fondant Potatoes
This post was originally published August 19, 2016 and was republished March 30, 2019 with new content.
Skillet German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 medium sweet onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In large pot boil potatoes for 15 minutes. Place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Cut into large bite size chunks and set aside.
- Place bacon on cookie sheet Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 7 minutes. Turn bacon and cook for another 7 minutes or until crispy. Remove from cookie sheet and place on paper towel to drain. Do NOT dispose of bacon grease.
- In medium bowl whisk vinegar, sugar, water, olive oil and Dijon mustard.
- Place 2 tablespoon bacon grease in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes. Add chopped potatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes or until starting to brown on the edges. Add additional bacon grease when necessary to keep things from sticking to the pan.. Whisk vinegar mixture and pour in 1/3 at a time cooking 1-2 minutes after each 1/3.
- Stir in chopped bacon and parsley.
Video
Notes
- Red potatoes are best in this potato salad. They are a little waxy and they keep their shape well.
- To parboil the potatoes place in large pan. Cover with cold water and bring to a light boil. Boil for about 7-10 minutes for small potatoes and 12-15 minutes for large potatoes. Plunge the potatoes into cold water to stop the cooking process. This process can be done up to several days in advance
- The dressing can be mixed up to several days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- To get your potatoes nice and crispy do not stir too often. Just let them cook undisturbed for several minutes. If necessary set yourself a timer so you don't stir too much.
- Don't add the bacon and parsley until after the dressing has been added and you are ready to serve.
Nutrition
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Polly
Hello, have you ever made this in advance and re-heated before serving? There will be too much going on in the kitchen to make right before serving.
If so, how did you do it?
Thanks
Beth Pierce
I have not made this more than a few minutes in advance.
Jayne
Why not add salt to red potatoes when you boil them ???
Beth Pierce
You can if you want. Help yourself.
Simon
Wonderful complement to grilled bratwurst from our local German sausage shop. I barely got a tablespoon of fat from the four bacon rashers, so I augmented it with some duck fat I had in the fridge .
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked it and that you were able to improvise.
Peggy
Just made this. Taste the way my mother made. Isn’t it funny how we judge our cooking by our mothers
Will make often
Beth Pierce
Thanks Peggy! Yes we really do judge cooking boy our mothers and grandmothers! I think it is great!
Lisa Burkemper
I made this tonight. It was fantastic!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks Lisa! So glad that you liked it! 😉
Linda Devlin
Thank you so much for your recipe. It got rave reviews at our International Tasting at church.
Beth Pierce
Thank you! Awesome! I am so glad that everyone loved it!
Daisy
How do you get 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease out of four strips of bacon?
Beth Pierce
Hey Daisy! Sorry about the delay. I cooked five pieces of bacon today for a recipe I am getting ready to post. It produced about 2 1/3 tablespoons of bacon fat so I am close. Maybe you are cooking with leaner bacon.
Grace
Just made this and it was fantastic ….next time I’m going to reduce some of the oil.
Beth Pierce
Thanks Grace! I am glad that you enjoyed it!
Trudy
Hi. About to make this recipe and was wondering if I cook the potatoes whole and then cut them later?
Beth Pierce
Yes boil the potatoes whole and cut them before putting in the skillet.
Trudy
Thank you. When I reread the instructions I saw that, sorry.
Melanie Bauer
Omg, looks really yummy! This is one of my favorite side dish, definitely having this on our table!