A Tasty Bavarian Potato Salad: Traditional German Recipe

Bavarian potato salad is a tangy vinegar-based warm potato salad, lighter than its mayonnaise-based counterpart. It is made with onion, apple cider vinegar, bacon, and cooked potatoes. The potatoes are boiled, sliced, and then mixed with a dressing made from hot chicken or beef stock and vinegar. The salad is best served warm or at room temperature.

How to cook the potatoes

To cook the potatoes for a Bavarian potato salad, start by selecting the right type of potatoes. Waxy potatoes with less starch are best, as they will hold their shape after being cooked. Yukon Gold, Yellow Potatoes, Charlotte, or New Red potatoes are good options. Avoid starchy potatoes like Russet.

Next, you'll want to boil the potatoes in their skins. Fill a large pot with cold water to cover the potatoes by about 1-2 inches, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, which should take around 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Be careful not to overcook them, as you don't want them to be mushy. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool.

If you prefer to peel your potatoes before cooking, make sure they are cut into bite-size chunks or slices before boiling. For whole potatoes, it's important to start them in cold water, as this allows them to cook evenly and helps prevent them from breaking apart.

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, you can peel them. If you boiled them in their skins, they should be peeled while they are still warm so that they can better absorb the dressing. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices or cubes and place them in a large bowl.

Now your potatoes are ready to be combined with the dressing and other ingredients to create your Bavarian potato salad!

How to make the dressing

To make the dressing for a Bavarian potato salad, you'll need to fry up some bacon, and then make use of the bacon grease. Fry your chopped onion in the bacon grease, and then add in your choice of vinegar, and perhaps some sugar, salt, pepper, beef or chicken broth, and mustard. You can also add some oil, but if you've used homemade beef broth, this might not be necessary.

Once you've mixed your dressing, pour it over your potatoes, and let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving, so that the potatoes can absorb the flavour of the dressing.

How to assemble the salad

To assemble a Bavarian potato salad, start by preparing the potatoes. Boil the potatoes in their skins in a large pot of lightly salted water until tender. You can also cook the potatoes in an Instant Pot by adding them to a steamer basket with 1 cup of water and pressure cooking for 15 minutes.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and let them cool down slightly so you can handle them. Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices or cubes. Place the potatoes in a large bowl.

Next, prepare the dressing. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add chopped onions to the bacon fat and cook until translucent.

To the onions, add beef or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add vinegar, mustard, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper to the mixture.

Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes in the bowl. Gently mix the salad, then fold in the bacon pieces. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before serving, so the potatoes can absorb the flavours of the dressing.

You can serve Bavarian potato salad warm, at room temperature, or cold. It is best to let the salad sit for at least 3 hours or even overnight in the fridge before serving to allow the flavours to combine. The salad can be made up to 2 days in advance and should be taken out of the fridge a few hours before serving.

How to store the salad

Bavarian potato salad is a delicious, traditional German dish that can be served warm or cold. It is a perfect side dish for any occasion, from holiday dinners to BBQs. But how do you store it?

Firstly, it's important to note that potato salad is a perishable food, so it should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours for food safety reasons. To store it, place the salad in an airtight, moisture-proof container that blocks out light. Tinted glass or plastic containers work well for this. If the container doesn't have a tight-fitting lid, cover it with aluminium foil or plastic wrap.

Bavarian potato salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It's best to make it a day in advance and let it sit in the fridge until it's ready to be served. This allows the flavours to combine and enhances the taste. Before serving, let the salad come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

If you have a large amount of leftover potato salad, you can freeze it. However, this is not recommended as the texture and taste may change. To freeze, place the salad in an airtight, freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion. Alternatively, you can use a freezer-safe bag. Label the container or bag with the date, and place it in the freezer. Frozen potato salad will last for up to 3 months.

To thaw frozen potato salad, place it in the refrigerator overnight or until fully thawed. Do not thaw it at room temperature, as this can lead to rapid bacterial growth. Unfortunately, potato salad has a tendency to become soggy and mushy after freezing and thawing, so it may be better to enjoy it fresh!

What to serve the salad with

Bavarian potato salad is a tangy, vinegar-based dish that is perfect to serve alongside German food. It is a warm potato salad that is lighter than the mayonnaise version. It is a great side dish for a BBQ or potluck.

In Germany, potato salad is often served as a side dish with schnitzel, sausages, pork chops, or breaded fish. It is also commonly served with pretzel dumplings, braised red cabbage with apples and bacon, and roasted goose legs with sour cherry glaze and gravy for a traditional Bavarian Christmas feast.

Bavarian potato salad can also be served with:

• Air Fryer Breaded Pork Chops
• German Pork Hock (Schweinshaxe Recipe)
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Veal Schnitzel
• Any kind of Bratwurst
• Salmon
• Pork
• Beef or chicken

It can also be served with vegetable sides, such as roasted Brussels sprouts and asparagus, or garlicky sautéed cruciferous crunch.

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