GERMAN POTATO SALAD with a warm bacon vinegar Dijon dressing

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. 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 post, and if you did, make sure to hit that like  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.