This authentic German potato salad recipe comes from the Swabia region of southern Germany where it remains one of the most popular and most delicious of all potato salads!
I’m a huge potato salad fan and I enjoy it in all its varieties. But my all-time favorite is Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat from the Southern Germany region of Swabia where I grew up (Stuttgart).
I’m also the ultimate critic when it comes to potato salads.  I’ve probably eaten Swabian potato salad a couple of hundred different times throughout my life in Germany and I will tell you, not all potato salads are created equal, that’s for sure. Hands down the best versions I’ve had were served in southern German restaurants. For any of you who have lived in or visited that area of Germany, you know exactly what I’m talking about: You just can’t beat that restaurant-style Swabian potato salad.
There is one exception to this: My mom’s Swabian potato salad comes closer to the restaurant versions than any others I’ve had. (She also makes the best mayonnaise-based potato salad and it’s her recipe that inspired my Classic Potato Salad.) And so I’ve taken my mom’s German potato salad recipe and have made just a few tweaks replicate that perfect German restaurant quality flavor and texture. And I’m confident you’re going to love the results as much as we do!
The ingredients in a traditional Swabian potato salad recipe are few and simple, but there are a few tricks that are absolute musts for getting it right – like the restaurants do. Â Here they are:
Keys to Making the BEST German Potato Salad
1) Â The right potatoes. Â This is the biggest challenge here in the U.S. Â In Germany you can find potatoes that you simply cannot find here. Â Unlike Russet potatoes, for example, which are flaky, mealy, and generally flavorless, the kind used in potato salads in Germany are firm, deep yellow in color, buttery and flavorful. Â And they keep their shape well. Â The closest you can get to those here are Yukon Gold potatoes and those are the ones I recommend for this recipe. Â Also, be sure to boil the potatoes in their skins – don’t peel them first.
2) Â Beef broth. Â There is no substitute, it must be beef broth. Â And it must be very strong beef broth. Â And it must be hot when you pour it over the potatoes so they soak it up. Â Make sure you let the potatoes sit for at least a full hour after you pour the broth over.
3)  German mustard.  I know the recipe doesn’t call for much, but it must be German mustard (mild) if you want it to taste the way it’s supposed to.  The kind I use in most of my German recipes is the Alstertor Düsseldorf Style Mustard (click link for convenient access on Amazon).
4) Â Vinegar. Â No apple cider or balsamic vinegar. Â It needs to be the strong white vinegar. Â A vinegar very commonly used in Germany for this salad and salad dressings is called Essig Essenz (can also be found in some Asian grocery stores – Koreans like to use it for kimchi). Â It’s super concentrated vinegar and you only need a very little of it. Â If you have access to this vinegar, you would add just a teaspoon or two in addition to the white vinegar, and reduce the amount of white vinegar accordingly. Â Of course you’ll always want to do a “taste test” before pouring the final mixture over the potato salad.
5) Â Onions. Â You want them crunchy but not overly so, and you want them saturated with flavor. Â So add them to the beef broth/vinegar mixture when you heat it up.
6)  Oil.  Lots of it.  In olden days homemade beef broth would be used which contained plenty of fat.  Nowadays we mostly use store-bought broth in cans or beef bouillon cubes/granules which are all void of fat.  So adding oil is absolutely essential to achieving the right texture.  As my German mom says, Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat needs to be “schmalzig”.
7) Â The longer the potato salad sits, the better it will taste. Â I recommend making it the day before and letting it sit in the fridge until the next day. Â Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Follow these seven tips and you’ll be in German Potato Salad heaven!
German Potato Salad Recipe
Let’s get started!
Select small Yukon Gold potatoes that are uniform in size. Â Scrub the peels and boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender when pierced with a fork. Â Do not overcook – you don’t want them mushy. Â Let them cool down until you’re able to handle them and peel them while they’re still warm.
Slice the potatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices.
Put the potatoes in a large glass mixing bowl and set aside. (Don’t use metal or it will react with the vinegar.)
Add the beef broth, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and white pepper to a medium saucepan and stir to combine.
Add the chopped onions to the broth mixture and quickly bring it to a boil. Â As soon as it starts boiling remove it from the heat.
Pour the onion/broth mixture over the potatoes, cover with plastic wrap or a large plate and let sit at room temperature for at least one hour. Â Then pour the oil over the potatoes and carefully stir to combine. Â Add salt and pepper to taste.
The flavor of this Swabian-Style German potato salad only gets better over time and this tastes best the next day.
It’s also best served at room temperature.
Enjoy!
For more delicious German dishes be sure to try our:Â Â
- Rouladen
- Sauerbraten
- Spätzle
- Käsespätzle
- Semmelknödel
- German Potato Dumplings
- Senfbraten
- Schnitzel
- JägerschnitzelÂ
- Maultaschen
- German Potato Soup
- Frikadellen
Authentic German Potato Salad (Swabian Style)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds small firm, yellow-fleshed waxy potatoes (e.g. Yukon Gold) of similar size, skins scrubbed and peels left on
- 1 medium yellow onion , chopped
- 1 1/2 cups water mixed with 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (Vegans: use vegetable bouillon)
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- a few splashes of Essig Ezzenz , (highly recommended for the best, authentic flavor)
- 3/4 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons mild German mustard (If you can't get it, use regular yellow mustard)
- 1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil
- Fresh chopped chives for garnish
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes in their skins in lightly salted water until tender. Allow the potatoes to cool until you can handle them. Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1/4 inch slices. Put the sliced potatoes in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add onions, beef broth, vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove from heat and pour the mixture over the potatoes. Cover the bowl of potatoes and let sit for at least one hour.
- After at least one hour, gently stir in the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. If too much liquid remains, use a slotted spoon to serve. Serve garnished with fresh chopped chives. Serve at room temperature. Note: This potato salad is best the next day (remove from fridge at least 30 minutes before serving).
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet May 9, 2014
Marilyn H says
I am so, so excited to have found your site! My family is from the Kaiserstuhl just north of Freiburg and they tend to cook in the Swabian way. I have been looking for a traditional Schwabian potato salad recipe for ages and just made yours this morning. We’re having a houseful of our German American friends and relatives over tomorrow and can’t wait to serve this with bratwurst, weisswiurst and our “good luck” herring salad for the new year. My grandmother always used beef broth in her potato salad and most “German” potato salad recipes male no mention of it. I’m really looking forward to trying your other recipes as well. My grandmother also made maultaschen with fried bread cubes inside. I guess it was because they didn’t always have the money for meat. Thanks so much!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Marilyn, I’m so happy you found our site as well – welcome! :) What a wonderful gathering of friends and family – have a fabulous time. I look forward to “seeing” you around here at The Daring Gourmet! :)
Khutulan says
Thank you, ma’am, for all your help! By the way, I mentioned Territorial Seed. They’re online, of course, so all you need do is Google it. They are the nicest people and their catalog makes you hungry just looking at the incredible variety of seeds and plants they sell. Also, I noticed that you are in Seattle? Territorial Seed sells vegetables, fruits etc that have been bred for our short, cold summers.
As for Buck’s Fifth Avenue, her shop is in downtown Olympia on 5th Avenue, just around the corner from Capitol. She encourages one to come in and ‘take a sniff’. She really knows her spices and gets them from all over the world…and ships them all over the world. I remember one time she was packaging a box of spices for a Lebonese teacher who was teaching English in Nepal. Can’t get much more remote than that!!
Thanks again for the recipe and the tips. I thought olive oil may be a bit too flavorful, so I’ll go the vegetable oil route.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds great, Khutulan, thanks again for all the info!
Khutulan says
You are welcome!! I am glad you told me where to find the Essig Essenz, it was NOT in my local supermarket but I DID find it in my local Korean food store (that’s another cuisine that I am absolutely crazy about. I lived in Korea for two years and honestly believe I could live on Korean for the rest of my life…but I’d miss German…and Italian..and Chinese…;-)
I am not looking at the recipe but I believe you said to add vegetable oil? Can I use olive oil? and how much? I make my own beef stock out of high quality beef and usually I remove the rendered fat. Usually I throw out the rendered fat but should I reserve some in order to add it to the broth/potatoes?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Khutulan, I agree, there’s way too much good out there – I’d go crazy living on the same cuisine the rest of my life :) Any kind of neutral-tasting oil is recommended. I love olive oil and our family goes through it every month by the gallon, but I wouldn’t recommend it for this potato salad because of its strong flavor. I would leave in a little rendered fat, it will help bind the potato salad together, give it a great flavor and “mouth feel.” Happy cooking!
Khutulan says
I lived in Schwabisch Gmuend for 3.5 years, then another 3 in Kaiserslautern. I truly enjoyed the potato salad that one could get at “Jobby’s’, a gasthaus owned by a US Army soldier and his German wife. I never could find the potato salad here in the US, so I will try this recipe.
I agree that the PS was never ‘hot’, but warm.
If you want real German potatoes, you have to grow them. Territorial Seed company in Cottage Grove, OR, sells “German Butterball” potatoes by the tuber. They aren’t very prolific nor do they grow huge, but they are DEFINITELY worth the effort of growing.
Also, if you want an herb or a spice that isn’t found on the supermarket shelves, try “Buck’s Fifth Avenue” 360-352-9301.
Anne Buck is the Wizard of Spice. In her tiny shop she has hundreds of spices from around the world. She does a LOT of mail order so give her a call/contact and she’ll set you up with savory.
No, I have no connection with her other than I am a Very Happy Customer.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Khutulan, wonderful, this potato salad will bring back some great memories for you. We grew potatoes in our garden for the first time this past Summer, mostly fingerling varieties. Thanks for the tip about German Butterballs, I’ll have to give them a try. Thanks also for sharing Buck’s Fifth Avenue with us.
Marina says
This year (for first time) we could’t go to Germany for Holidays because work. My husband was a little sad. I prepared this salad as a side dish for the New year meal (dinner for two) and he was so happy. Taking on count that I’m not German he was quite surprised that I nailed it. Thank you so much for the recipe. My husband is from Ludwigsburg and he told me that among the Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat that he has had this one was a very good one, that a lot of native German will ashamed to know that a not German make it such a good potatoe salad. Happy new year.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful, Marina, I’m so glad this was a hit and appreciate the feedback! I lived in Ludwigsburg for a couple of years myself and continued to go shopping there on a regular basis when we moved to a nearby town. Happy New Year!
Heide Broell says
OMG. Way, way too much liquid. I had to strain it off even before marinating because a cup and a half to 3 lbs potatoes had the poor things swimming! I will cut back to 3/4 cup next go round. Flavor, however, is very good. I prefer a little nutmeg in my broth weil mein Grossmutti sagt, sie macht alles geschmackhafter! :) Thanks for the recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Heide, no way! If you had let the potatoes sit in the liquid for a while you would have seen that the potatoes absorb most of it – they’re like insatiable sponges. Trust me, give it a try next time :)
Jen says
I ended up with too much liquid the first time, but that was likely because I had initial cooked the potatoes too long. The second time, I paid more attention to the potatoes and took them out as soon as a fork could go through. The second time the potatoes absorbed much more of the liquid and came out as I expected :)
Mariana says
I recently went to a short trip in South Germany, and I ate lots of potato salad while I was there. But this recipe is way better than any I have tried. Thanks a lot for sharing it Cheryl;)
Btw, I could not wait till mine was completely cold, but I really liked it warm.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m thrilled to hear that, Mariana, thank you! I prefer it on the warm side myself, or at least room temperature.
Cheryl Pescinski says
I am so glad to have found you. I am very homesick for my 5 years in Neuenhaus in the 1970’s.My friend came to visit for 4 days from Germany and I had not seen her for 19 years. She made us our potato salad and schnitzel.Her love made everything taste wonderful. Now that I have found you I have found the missing pieces. She has sent me recipes all in German and I need some help. Could you please tell me what a kastenbachform to cook my Apfelbrot. Danke. Cheryl
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cheryl, I’m glad you found us, too – welcome! :) A Kastenbackform is simply a loaf pan and just like here in the U.S. there are different sizes.
Cheryl Pescinski says
Thank you for replying about the loaf pan/kastenbachform.
I appreciate that you take the time. My email has not been working. I was just made aware that it is up. Thank you again.
Cheryl Pescinski
Joel (Jody) P Dietz Jr. says
The best kartoffelsalat recipe to be found anywhere… hands down! The taste is spot on and just like what I used to eat in the Stuttgart, Sindelfingen/Boblingen area and definitely beats hands down, the kartoffelsalat in the Frankfurt/Main area… LOL. Thank-you Kimberly.
For the “purist’s” out there, do make sure that you use Dusseldorfer senf and the Essig Essenz. Those 2 ingredients are “key” to this and any other german salat recipe.
I use the Essig Essenz in my rotkohl mit apfeln (made last Sunday) and of course in my gurkensalat mit rote zwiebeln. 2 english cukes and 1 red onion sliced thin on the mandoline, 1/2 c. white vinegar and a few dashes of Essig Essenz, 1-2 Tbs. white sugar and salt and pepper to taste, let it macerate for awhile… simple and so lecker.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Yahooo! I’m so glad you agree, Joel, and really appreciate the feedback, thank you! Thanks for sharing your Gurkensalat and of course I agree, using the right Senf and the Essig Essenz makes all the difference.
Steve says
Great recipe. Is there any chance that you have a “restaurant” style recipe for a green bean salad? It is the only other one that I can’t quite get right. It is always missing a certain something that I relish from those served in German restaurants and made by my Oma who has since passed and never wrote any of her recipes down. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks, Steve! The classic German green bean salad (Bohnensalat) is really straightforward – finally minced onions, vinegar, oil, sometimes a touch of mustard, salt and pepper AND the addition of an herb that Germans use all the time in green bean dishes: Savory. That’s probably the ingredient you’ve been missing and is what gives Bohnensalat its characteristic flavor. Known as Bohnenkraut in German, Savory is one of those herbs that is widely used in many parts of Europe but virtually unheard of here. I have some growing in my herb garden right now that I planted from seed because it’s near impossible to find over here. It may be too late to plant some this season, but I’d recommend growing some of your own in a small pot (the seeds you can find most places) and then you’ll have it on hand for your green bean salads and your creamy green bean soups that Germans also flavor with Savory. It’s great stuff!
Cheryl says
Both, actually. Like you, I enjoyed the salads with the different types of salad next to each other, like a great tasting mini salad bar on one plate. And the dressing brought in together in the most wonderful way. I haven’t been able to replicate the dressing or the right mix of the various, distinct salads on the plate.
Cheryl says
I lived in Karlsruhe in the late 70s/ early 80s and crave the Gemischter Salat that came with meals there. I plan to make the potato salad recipe you have here – it sounds delicious and authentic.I have looked for, but not found a recipe that comes close to the Gemischter Salat I had while there. They all seem to be missing the specific flavors I enjoyed. Any chance of you posting one?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cheryl, the salads were always one of the things I looked most forward to when going to German restaurants. The ones that were my favorite were the kinds that had an arrangement of different types of salads next to each other on the same plate (eg, potato salad, carrot salad, radish salad, greens, etc). For the Gemischter (“tossed”) salads you’re referring to it’s the dressing that’s the distinguishing flavor and there are vinegar-oil and creamy dressings that are very popular over there. Is that the part you’ve found challenging to replicate?
Steve says
Very very good recipe! This definitely takes me back to Swabia and particular reminded me of Kartoffelsalat we had at the Stuttgarter Hofbrau tent at Fruhlingsfest.
I found this to be a little different than typical potato salads. So, for those reading, I’ll let you know that the dressing is not overly strong. You definitely taste the potatoes rather than just using them as a blank canvas for the dressing. Personally, I like that, but it might be less flavorful than others you’ve had in the past.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Steve, I’m glad it brought back those memories, I share the same ones :) Agreed, the potatoes really are the shining stars here.
Sieglinde says
I had an acquaintance that I’ve since lost touch with. He was from Stuttgart. He made a fabulous potato salad that he always served room temperature. It was yellow potatoes, sliced cucumber, oil, vinegar and Maggi, plus lots of salt. Do you have a recipe for something like that? I would love to get the details. Thank you in advance!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Sieglinde, cucumber is a common addition in potato salads throughout Germany. I’ve never personally seen Maggi added to potato salads but I have heard of people who like to add it. My hunch is that if you make this recipe and simply add some thinly sliced cucumber with the onions along with a few shots of Maggi it will taste very much like the potato salad your friend made. Let us know what you think!
Sieglinde says
Thank you Kimberly. I did exactly what you suggested and it was delicious!
Clare says
By some miracle, I came across this website while looking for an authentic Kartoffelsalat Rezept. I used to live in Germany and am pretty picky about my potato salad too. Thank you so much for the tips. I made this yesterday and let it sit overnight. It is delicious! Just how I remember it.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Clare, thank you so much! I hope to “see” you around regularly :)