German Picnic Salad
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A nutritious and wonderfully flavorful salad packed with cheese, beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, and cucumbers, all tossed with a tasty vinaigrette. Reminiscent of some of the salads I grew up with in Germany, this German Picnic Salad recipe comes together in minutes and is perfect to enjoy outdoors on picnics, for your backyard BBQ, potlucks, or under the umbrella on a back porch on a warm summer evening!
To accompany on you for your picnic bring along some German Plum Cake or German Apple Cake for dessert and then wash everything down with a refreshing Apfelschorle!
Though I do try to exercise self-control, I’m a bit of a cheese addict. Growing up in Europe with regular access to the world’s best cheeses rendered me into something of a cheese snob. I can’t help it. The ability to appreciate fine cheeses was cultivated within me from childhood. From my geographical vantage point in southern Germany, I could jump in the car and, within just a few hours in any direction, could be tasting cheese in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Hungary, Switzerland, etc. Then, when I moved to England, I fell in love with English cheddar (what cheddar is supposed to taste like) and a whole variety of cheeses from the British Isles.
Several years ago when we lived in Washington State it was summer and I wanted to put together a picnic to take to a scenic overlook we love at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. I decided to make a German Picnic Salad featuring, of course, cheese.
Todd and I had a special little spot there that we loved visiting. It’s hidden away and offers the perfect view of the Puget Sound. Elevated up on a ledge that juts out over the water, this secluded spot is the perfect place for a sunset picnic. So for our date night we decided to take our German picnic salad up to that spot while the kids got to have “grandparent fix.”
Gorgeous views from our picnic spot.
And so, with the mood and the setting complete, we pulled out our German Picnic Salad along with some authentic German pretzels from a nearby German bakery. It was perfect.
German Picnic Salad Recipe
Let’s get started!
Place all the cut up veggies, beans, corn, and the cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Chop up some fresh chives, parsley and marjoram.
Note: Fresh herbs are a must for this dish.
Whisk the oil, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard in a bowl until emulsified and then add the fresh herbs.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad.
Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (the longer the better), stirring occasionally.
Remove the salad from the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy it as a side dish or as a main course served with some crusty bread.
Enjoy!
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German Picnic Salad
Ingredients
- 6 ounces flavorful semi-firm cheese of choice (Gouda, Swiss, Edam, Provolone, Havarti, etc), cut into 1/2 inch cubes,
- 1 large onion , chopped
- 1/2 cucumber , diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper , diced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper , diced
- 3 Roma tomatoes , diced
- 2 cups finely chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 can drained kidney beans
- 1/2 can drained corn
- For the dressing:
- 5 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons German or yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram
Instructions
- To make the dressing, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, sugar, pepper and mustard until emulsified. Stir in the fresh herbs.Combine the vegetables, kidney beans, corn, and cheese in a large mixing bowl.Pour the dressing over the salad, cover, and refrigerate at least 3 hours (the longer the better) before serving. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy with some crusty bread.
Video
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 17, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Like Michelle your talk about your childhood brought back many, many happy memories of my own. My husband, Wolfgang, was born and grew up in a small village called Neu Hausen near the Stuttgart airport. Along with our two girls we visited there many times to see his family. I grew up in Australia and insisted our girls learn German so that they could speak with their Grandparents. My mother-in-law taught me to cook many of my husband’s favourite recipes. Some I still make to this day….38 years later! Since my parents-in-law have died we have not been back. I long to see Germany again. I love everything about that beautiful country. Love making your recipes. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Suzanne, and I hope you’re able to make it back to Germany again soon!
This looks great. I love German-inspired recipes. I am having a BBQ on the weekend and will definitely serve this. Thanks!
Terrific, thank you and I hope you enjoy it!
Hi!
This is your African/Austrian friend again…
Living in Kenya and not having access to this terrific cheese, will any good imported softish cheese do?
Keep it up, I do so love getting your e-mails.
Hello Hildegard, thank you so much and warm greetings to Kenya :) You can use any cheese for this as long as it’s firm enough to dice into cubes and hold shape in the salad. I prefer a medium to strong-flavored cheese in this salad but you can use any strength of cheese you like. Liebe Grüße, Kimberly
Beautiful photos! I’m hoping to visit Germany one day and I’ll have to peruse the rest of your blog for more stories and tips!
Clearly I’m biased, Anita, but Germany is without question one of the most beautiful countries in the world :) I hope you get to visit someday!