gluten-free | dairy-free
This gluten-free German potato salad is warm, tangy, and naturally dairy-free—no mayo in sight. Tender potatoes in a sauce of bacon fat, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and a touch of sugar, finished with crispy bacon and green onion. The mayo-less potato salad you’ll keep coming back to.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that I LOVE potato salad. I think I could eat a version of potato salad every single day of my life. German potato salad is a recipe I don’t make too often, and after making it, I had to ask myself why. It’s so delicious, tangy, and satisfying!
If you prefer a mayo-less potato salad, you will love this recipe. Its saucy base combines bacon fat, apple cider vinegar, beef stock, sugar, and mustard to create a tangy, sweet sauce that pairs well with the potatoes, onion, and bacon.
Recipe Notes
- You can peel the potatoes before you boil, but make sure you do not cook them too long. The potatoes should not be mushy, but instead slightly firm when cooked.
- If you don’t have beef stock on hand, you can use chicken or vegetable stock.
- You can replace the apple cider vinegar with white vinegar or white wine vinegar. Each will alter the flavor a bit, but not too significantly.
- For the mustard, you can use all Dijon, a combo of Dijon and whole grain, or any mustard you love. I added a bit of German garlic mustard in place of the whole grain mustard.
- If you would like the sweet notes stronger, use a bit more sugar. If you love mustard, use a bit more.
- Another great addition would be a teaspoon of horseradish.
Now, go eat something amazing!
Gluten-Free German Potato Salad
Suggested Tools
The Ingredients
- 2 lb red potatoes, baby or large
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
- 1/2 lb bacon, cut into lardons
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup parsley, fine chopped
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 3 green onions, sliced for garnish
- Kosher salt and pepper
The Process
Mise en Place
- Wash and rinse the potatoes well. Leave the peels on for the cooking process.
- Dice the yellow onion, mince the garlic, and chop the parsley, cut the bacon into lardons, slice the green onions, and place in prep bowls.
- Measure out the beef stock, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and mustards into prep bowls.
Boil the Potatoes
- Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover by 2 inches or so with cold water. Add enough Kosher salt to make the water taste slightly salty. Cook on high until you achieve a roaring boil. Reduce the heat slightly and let boil until a fork pierces the potatoes easily. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain. Let cool until they are cool enough to touch and peel.
Make the Sauce
- While the potatoes are cooking, add the bacon to a cold skillet and set to medium-high. Cook the bacon until crispy, and then remove with a slotted spoon or spider strainer onto paper towels. Set the bacon aside.
- Leaving the bacon fat in the skillet, add the yellow onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so. Add the beef stock, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and mustards. Bring to a boil, add the bacon back to the skillet, and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer until you finish peeling and cutting the potatoes.
Peel and Slice the Potatoes
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and then chop into bite-sized pieces. Or, you can slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices and add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
The Sauce Meets the Potatoes
- Remove the sauce from the heat and add slowly to the potatoes. Mix gently to combine. Add the parsley and mix again to combine. Check for seasoning and add Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish and Enjoy!
- Sprinkle the green onions over the potato salad and serve warm. This salad is delicious cold, too! Enjoy!