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Potato salad is one of those dishes that makes you think of summer, of BBQs and picnics, church potlucks and family get togethers. The way many of us grew up making this dish was to add mayonnaise and maybe a bit of mustard. But, in Germany -where the dish hails from- there are several styles of potato salad, each popular in different regions.
The Spanish introduced potatoes to Europe from the New World, but it was German immigrants who brought their recipes to the U.S. during the 19th century. Many of those early recipes contained mustard, but this Bavarian style potato salad contains no mayo or mustard at all. However, it does have the one ingredient that makes anything taste better: bacon. This recipe also gets a wonderful punch of flavor from bite sized pieces of crispy bacon. This really adds to the flavor and brings this dish to a new level.
The dressing for this European staple is made from white wine vinegar, chicken broth, onion, dill, celery seed, sugar, and a bit of oil. This flavorful sauce adds the flavors of the garden to this dish without making it too gloopy. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering if there is a way to make potato salad without mayo this is it.
For this recipe we used Yukon gold potatoes, but you can use any other type of “waxy” (or semi-waxy) potato you enjoy or have on hand. Some varieties that would be good for this recipe are fingerling, Red Bliss, or new potatoes. As with other potato salad recipes, you’ll want to steer clear of the starchier potato varieties because they tend to fall apart when cooked. These potatoes have to stand up not only to cooking, but then also the dressing and stirring.
This Old World potato salad recipe offers a nice change of pace from the American styles and is a really good choice to please those people at your table who may not be so fond of mayonnaise. And, since this recipe contains no dairy or egg, it is a more versatile recipe for those with food allergies.
It’s a wonderful addition to your international menu options and would be perfect with some bratwurst and a side salad for yummy summer meal.
Bavarian Potato Salad
Yield(s): Serves 4-6
35m prep time
25m cook time
Diet: Low-Lactose
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes or small wedges
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
- Place chopped potatoes in just enough water to cover them. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender, but not falling apart. Drain and rinse in cool water.
- In a large bowl place warm potatoes and mix gently with salt, pepper, and vinegar.
- In a large skillet cook the bacon until crispy. Remove from heat and add to skillet onion, broth, sugar, oil, celery seeds, and dill. Stir well.
- Pour bacon dressing over potatoes and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the top. Serve warm or cold.
Recipe adapted from Midwest Living.