Germany is divided about potato salad, seriously! There is the “South German Potato Salad” (or Munich Potato Salad) with a vinaigrette and the “Berlin Potato Salad” with mayo – and most people like only one of both. Not so me. I love both versions. But if you live in the South of the US, you might want to do the “South” version in the hot season, since it has no mayo and therefore won’t get bad so fast.
This Potato Salad is pretty easy to prepare and there are several things to add to the original recipe, like apple pieces or sunflower seeds, boiled eggs, etc.
Warm or cold potato salad?
To make it authentic German, you would heat the oven and warm up the salad before serving. I think that’s not necessary but an option. I like it cold just as much.
The most common combination with this salad is eating some Wieners or Brats with it. Frikadellen also often come with a potato salad as a side dish. I got lucky to find some original German Wieners at Aldi recently and of cause bought them in bulk. If you don’t get them: American Wieners are pretty good, too! Try to find some German mustard, though, it tastes different from yours.
When do we eat this Salad?
During the summer on a “hot” day, a German potato salad is a good option for lunch. We eat it with Wieners or Frikadelle. You can find it on almost any menu of a German restaurant and in fast food areas. It is also a classic meal on Christmas eve for many families. You will almost always find this salad on the buffet of a party, especially if it’s a grill party (BBQ) or on New Year’s Eve.
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Munich Potato Salad with Wieners
Ingredients
- 1 kg red potatoes
- 2 medium large onions
- 50 g bacon (more if you like)
- 100 ml oil (i.e. vegetable oil)
- 4-5 tablespoons vinegar (i.e. herb vinegar or wine vinegar)
- 125 ml hot vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoon chives, cut
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a pot with water and salt boil the potatoes with the skin until soft. Use medium heat to avoid that the potatoes fall apart and get too soft.
- Let potatoes cool and then remove the skin.
- Cut the potatoes in thick slices.
- Cut the bacon into cubes.
- Cut the onions into cubes.
- In a sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the bacon and after a while also add the onions.
- At the same time heat the 250 ml vegetable broth.
- Add the broth and the vinegar to the saucepan, stir and let cook for a minute.
- In a large bowl mix the potato slices and the bacon-onion-broth mix.
- Now slowly add the oil, continue to stir carefully.
- Add salt and pepper. I personally also add a dash of sugar.
- If you want to add some apple slices, this would be the time to do it.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, better: overnight.
- Heat the oven to 300 F.
- Put the potato salad into an oven safe bowl and heat it in the oven (stirring in between) until the salad is warm.
- In the meantime heat the wieners in hot water (don't boil).
- Sprinkle the chives over the salad and mix in a little bit.
- Serve with mustard and enjoy.
In some of my pictures, you will not see the chives that are supposed to be added at the end. I didn’t have them and had no desire to leave the house to get some. Just imagine the chives, ok?
The best. Having spent most of my life in Milwaukee, and having spent 3 years in Nürnberg, Germany in the early ’60’s, and having visited the country many times since, I love your recipes. Here in East Tennessee, we have very few “real” German products except for the twice each year “German Week” at Aldi. One of the many things that I miss from Germany is all the different varieties of real “wurst” or what we call “wieners.” American varieties are so filled with fillers and chemicals that I find most of them virtually inedible. Deutsche Küche wieners from Aldi are only available twice per year as well as pre-cooked Nürnberger Bratwurst. Fortunately, Publix sells a wiener called “German Brand Wieners” made by Hoffman Inc. in New York. They are the best that I have found in this country and are available in Florida at Aldi. I don’t know about Texas. Thanks for your wonderful “German” site!
I don’t know why, but sadly our Aldi in Texas never has German Wieners. I’m so jealous!
I, too, got confused with the Berlin version, as you said it had mayo, but you had been talking about the southern german salad… the title of the recipe immediately following, with vinegar, not mayo, DOES SAY it’s the recipe for Berlin salad. It sounds like that was a typo.
You are right, I made a mistake in the headline of the recipe section. I corrected it. Thank you for letting me know!
Should it not be about 120 ml vegetable broth? Just wondering, since you said about 1/2 cup?
Thanks
Looks yummy.
Hi Renate,
I checked with my recipe and you are right. I corrected it. Thank you for letting me know.
Best, Barbara
I have more of a question. When to you add the vinegar?
Hi Mike, you are right, I forgot to mention that step in the instructions, sorry for that. I have fixed it and it goes into the pan with the broth. I hope in the meantime you were able to figure it out with the video.
Best,
Barbara
In the Berlin version you mentioned mayonese. The recipe does not have it. What gives?
Hi Horst,
the Berlin version is a different recipe that I haven’t posted, yet. I will do that sometime later. Please subscribe to my newsletter so you get the information when I post it.
Best,
Barbara