Fleischsalat (German Meat Salad)
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This homemade Fleischsalat recipe is just the way you know and love it from Germany! Deliciously creamy with meat and pickles, spread this on your favorite bread for lunch or a light dinner. Guten Appetit!
What is Fleischsalat?
There isn’t a German alive who isn’t familiar with Fleischsalat. In Germany it’s practically as common as peanut butter and jelly is here in the U.S.. It’s a sandwich spread that consists of mayonnaise, pickles and bologna. But the key is those ingredients must all be German because the American equivalent is very, very different.
Fleischsalat takes me back to my childhood, youth and young adulthood in Germany. I ate this stuff pretty frequently! One of my favorite things to do was to pick up some freshly baked Brƶtchen at the local bakery, grab some Fleischsalat from the grocery store like Aldi, Lidl or Real, and then go home and bite into that crusty roll slathered thick with Fleischsalat. I love it!
In Germany Fleischsalat is readily available in every grocery store, but since you can’t find it anywhere here in the U.S. (unless you have a local German deli that makes it), I’m providing a copycat recipe that tastes exactly like the Fleischsalat we know and love in Germany.
Key Ingredients
There are different variations of Fleischsalat, but the standard and traditional version – and the kind you find in most German delis and grocery stores – is this one. Simple with no embellishments and thoroughly yummy.
Please, please, please don’t use American bologna. Not unless you want to gag or make me gag at the thought of you eating it. German bologna is more like a mortadella with a more delicate flavor and texture. Check out your grocery store deli or the pre-sliced meat section for a product like the one in the first picture below.
The other thing, if you have access to German mayonnaise, such as this Thomy Mayonnaise, use it. There’s a significant difference between German and American mayonnaise (the former tastes really good and the latter tastes tolerable). Especially if you’re wanting to get the true taste of German Fleischsalat, use the German mayo. If you don’t have access to it then use the American stuff.
However, using German pickles is a must. A MUST. The difference between German and American pickles is like night and day – no comparison. No substitutions. Not if you want it to taste like it’s supposed to. You can often find German pickles in places like World Market, Lidl or Aldi, and some well-stocked grocery stores.
Ready to make this quick-and-simple yummy German sandwich spread?
Fleischsalat Recipe
Let’s get started!
Thinly slice (like julienne) the pickles and bologna, in pieces about 1-inch in length and about 1/4 inch wide.
(By the way, if you’re looking for a good pairing knife, I LOVE my German Wusthof 3 1/2 inch paring knife)
Combine all the ingredients, including the pickle juice.
If at all possible, for this to taste the way it’s supposed to, use German mayonnaise, for example Thomy Mayonnaise.
German mayonnaise tastes substantially different than American mayonnaise and I strongly recommend using German.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
For best results let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serve this as a sandwich spread on crusty rolls, French bread, baguettes, or artisan bread.
Enjoy!
For more authentic German recipes be sure to try my:Ā Ā
- Rouladen
- Rotkohl
- German Potato Dumplings
- Sauerbraten
- Schnitzel
- Spaetzle
- Maultaschen
- German Goulash
- German Potato Dumplings
- Semmelknƶdel
- Sauerkraut Soup
- German Potato Salad
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Fleischsalat (German Meat Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 cup German-style bologna cut into thin strips about 1/4 inch wide and 1 inch long
- 1 cup German pickles this is a MUST, no American substitutions, cut the same as the bologna
- 1 cup German mayonnaise or American if you can’t access German
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice from the jar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, add salt and pepper to taste. For best results let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving.Serve as a sandwich spread on crusty rolls, French bread, baguettes, or artisan bread.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 16, 2015
Hi, Iām 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!
This was fantastic, every bit as good as I remember it from Germany. I would regularly visit the Metzger in my small village and pick up some of their Hausgemachte Fleischsalat. I’d then pop into the Bakerei to get some fresh Broetchen and then take them to work with me for lunch. I am so happy to have found this recipe. Highly recommend to everyone.
I have many of those very same memories, Brad :) I’m so happy you enjoyed this, thanks so much for the feedback!
For the benefit of Canadians out there… Thomy is available at a lot of Polish, Russian and Eastern European stores… Unfortunately most of Canada is lacking of any German delis that used to be around. However if you’re in Toronto I recommend visiting Brandt or a bit farther west you can find a Denninger’s. Also the BEST meat to use is the Lyoner Sausage from Denninger’s This is exactly the type of bologna type meat that is traditional in Germany.. Thanks for this recipe, it’s so simple and exactly how I remember it!! š
I use LeberkƤse instead of ham and a good quality creamy Caesar salad dressing and some sour cream instead of mayo, agree with the pickles and I also add a touch of sugar, some fresh sprigs of tarragon (dried is OK, too) and I few drops of sesame oil (the latter use sparingly).
Hallo Kimberly,
first, you did a great job with your recipe. Thank you. Thomy’s Mayo is a favorite for many Germans, but not everybody. It is a matter of taste. I like to make my own Mayo, but Trader Joes works fine at times. My mom used all kinds of meats for her Fleischsalat. I like to use Mortadella, Bologna and Ham. However German Pickles are a must, since they have a bit of a sweet nuance to them. In the Detroit area you find them in most stores. We also have some good polish markets.
For our very critical friend, I have to say, maybe your version is the best, but don’t forget every part of Germany has their own recipe. I was raised in Bavaria, when visiting my uncle in Hamburg….totally different and in the Rheinland another version. I believe Kimberly gave us a good basic recipe to build on and develop to please your taste buds.
Thank you Kimberly, stay healthy!!!
German Bierwurst is a good substitute for the German Bologna. It has the same delicacy that this salad needs. My Prussian Mom used to make this all the time when I was a kid. So delicious š¤¤
This is exactly what I grew up eating in East-central Wisconsin! Back home this used to be a deli staple as well. I just made some for my daughter and I and had to google the recipe to convince myself this is really a thing. These days we live near a military installation in the US and can get the German ingredients pretty easily. Iād fully agree that the German pickles make all the difference!
I was pleased to find your recipe on Fleish Salat. I had tried making Fleish Salat using German Bologna but it didn’t turn out and now I know why, I had used American Mayo instead of German.
We are fortunate to have a German Deli and a German Bakery were I live. However the deli uses capers instead of pickles in their Fleish Salat and it is so good. I do love the Fleish Salat on Brƶtchen but it is also very good on Bauer Brot and Marble Brot.
I found that a very good substitute to German ring sausage is the Boars Head ring sausage. I used it for Swiss sausage salad and it was really good.
I clicked on the Amazon link for Thomy mayo and darn, I nearly dropped dead from my chair when I saw the price. I miss the products and prices at Aldi, Lidl, Penny, Netto, Real, Rewe, Edeka etc soooo much :(
Thank you very much for this Fleischsalat recipe. It was super lecker :)
Thank you, Angelika, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I know, the online prices often fluctuate and can go up to insane amounts. I miss being able to buy these ingredients in Germany! I stock up on things like this every time I go back. I came back with a couple of suitcases full last year :)