Traditional Bavarian Potato Salad - Step-by-Step Recipe
 If you click on my affiliates/advertisers’ links, I will receive a tiny commission. I only advertise products that I believe in. Marta June 9, 2020 Last updated on July 22, 2025 3 Comments Marta June 9, 2020 Last updated on July 22, 2025 3 Comments Regarding side dishes that bring a burst of flavour and a touch of German tradition to any meal, Bavarian potato salad stands out as a delightful option. Very similar to Swabian variation, this salad combines potatoes with tangy dill pickles and savoury bacon. Bavarian Potato Salad can (an should!) be made ahead of time, making it an ideal side to prepare for larger groups. Let’s explore the key ingredients, preparation method, and some tips to make this side dish a standout! Oil and Vinegar, or Mayonnaise Dressing? There are countless German potato recipes, but the key thing to remember is that they generally fall into two main categories: those made with mayonnaise and those made with oil and vinegar. Bavarian potato salad is part of the latter group. If you’ve never had a mayo-free potato salad before, you’re in for a pleasant surprise! In the Southern part of Germany, we tent to make our potato salads without mayo, just with oil and vinegar dressing. In Northern Germany, they love adding mayo to it. I find both variations good and I prepare them, depending on the dish I am cooking. The Right Potatoes for Bavarian Potato Salad To prepare any potato salad with oil and vinegar dressing I choose medium waxy potatoes. They don’t fall apart when sliced but still have enough starch to bind the salad, creating the perfect consistency. The salad is then “schlotzig”, it has similar cosistancy to risotto and thats what you want! Warm! Warm! Warm! When making German Potato Salad with oil and vinegar dressing make sure you use warm dressing, and that the potatoes are still warm when they come in contact with the dressing. So chop, chop, you don’t have this much time! However, don’t juggle hot potatoes! Pellkartoffelgabel is a prefect tool that makes a big difference. Specially designed to hold hot potatoes steady without slipping, so you can peel safely and easily – no more burns, no more dirty fingers! Get my Potato Salad 3-day video course 3 videos and 6 traditional recipes that will show you how to make the perfect German Potato Salad. By submitting your email you agree that Cooking the World may send you new recipes, ultimate guides, video courses, promotional email messages with offers. updates and other marketingmessages. You understand and agree that Cooking the World may use yourinformation in accordance with its Privacy Policy. Add unexpected flavours Want to add more ingredients? Think outside the box, go for apple cubes or hard-boiled egg – both will go perfectly with tangy pickles and savoury bacon cubes! Rest, Then Top with Oil and Garnish To make sure that the flavours marry, you need to let the salad rest before serving. The rule of thumb is that the potato salad with mayonnaise needs one hour to rest and the potato salad with oil and vinegar at least four hours, better overnight. After this time the potatoes had enough time to absorb the flavours of the dressing. Then top with oil and fresh herbs like parsley or chives. Adding the oil and herbs should be your last step for few reasons. Oil creates a barrier on the potato surface that prevants absprbation of the warm dressing. The oil also helps binding all salad ingredients together giving the dish glossy look and silky texture. What to serve with Bavarian Potato Salad? Bavarian Potato Salad goeas prefectly with many meat and fish dishes. Here some examples: German Pork Schnitzel Bratwurst Leberkäse (Bavarian Meatloaf) Schweinshaxe (Roasted pork knuckle) Fried Cod German Pork Schnitzel Bratwurst Leberkäse (Bavarian Meatloaf) Schweinshaxe (Roasted pork knuckle) Fried Cod Bavarian Potato Salad with Oil & Vinegar Marta Traditional Bavarian Potato Salad with Oil, Vinegar & Borth Dressing can be served warm or cold and goes well with any meat or fish dishes! 5 from 1 vote Prep Time 50 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Keep the salad in the fridge before serving. 3 hours Course Side Dish Cuisine German Servings 2 people Calories 400 kcal EQUIPMENT INGREDIENTS 500 g potatoes medium waxy1/2 onion medium150 ml beef broth1 tbsp white wine vinegar1 tsp sugar1 tbsp mustardsalt & pepper2 tbsp sunflower oilnutmeg70 g pickles75 g bacon smoked 500 g potatoes medium waxy 1/2 onion medium 150 ml beef broth 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp mustard salt & pepper 2 tbsp sunflower oil nutmeg 70 g pickles 75 g bacon smoked INSTRUCTIONS Cook jacket potatoes for 20-25 minutes (depending on size). Make sure the potatoes are tender, but not too soft, so they keep their shape when slicing. Cook jacket potatoes for 20-25 minutes (depending on size). Make sure the potatoes are tender, but not too soft, so they keep their shape when slicing. Cook jacket potatoes for 20-25 minutes (depending on size). Make sure the potatoes are tender, but not too soft, so they keep their shape when slicing. Prepare the rest of the ingredients Chop onions for the dressing. Chop or slice the pickles. Drain the cooked potatoes and let them cool down a bit, for 15 minutes. Peel the skin off. Slice them into half cm wide slices. Fry the bacon over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Chop onions for the dressing. Chop onions for the dressing. Chop or slice the pickles. Chop or slice the pickles. Drain the cooked potatoes and let them cool down a bit, for 15 minutes. Drain the cooked potatoes and let them cool down a bit, for 15 minutes. Peel the skin off. Peel the skin off. Slice them into half cm wide slices. Slice them into half cm wide slices. Fry the bacon over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Fry the bacon over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Prepare the dressing Heat up your broth in a small pot. When it starts to boil, turn the heat off, and add the onions, as well as white wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat up your broth in a small pot. When it starts to boil, turn the heat off, and add the onions, as well as white wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat up your broth in a small pot. When it starts to boil, turn the heat off, and add the onions, as well as white wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside. Make the salad Pour the dressing over the potatoes. Add sliced pickles and bacon. Mix well, cover and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Before serving add the oil and mix the salad well again.Correct the seasoning. Add nutmeg if you like! Pour the dressing over the potatoes. Pour the dressing over the potatoes. Add sliced pickles and bacon. Mix well, cover and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Add sliced pickles and bacon. Mix well, cover and let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Before serving add the oil and mix the salad well again. Before serving add the oil and mix the salad well again. Correct the seasoning. Add nutmeg if you like! Correct the seasoning. Add nutmeg if you like! NOTES You can refrigerate the Bavarian Potato Salad up to 3 days. NUTRITION Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 11gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 914mgPotassium: 1262mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 89IUVitamin C: 52mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3mg 3 thoughts on “Traditional Bavarian Potato Salad” Made this last night – turned out great! Reminded us of all our trips to Bavaria. Reply What kind of pickle are you using? Is it a sweet or sour pickle? Dill pickle? I am looking forward to making it soon. Reply Hi Michael, I would describe them as dill pickles, pickled with vinegar. Reply Made this last night – turned out great! Reminded us of all our trips to Bavaria. Reply Made this last night – turned out great! Reminded us of all our trips to Bavaria. Reply What kind of pickle are you using? Is it a sweet or sour pickle? Dill pickle? I am looking forward to making it soon. Reply Hi Michael, I would describe them as dill pickles, pickled with vinegar. Reply What kind of pickle are you using? Is it a sweet or sour pickle? Dill pickle? I am looking forward to making it soon. Reply Hi Michael, I would describe them as dill pickles, pickled with vinegar. Reply Hi Michael, I would describe them as dill pickles, pickled with vinegar. Reply Hi Michael, I would describe them as dill pickles, pickled with vinegar. Reply 5 from 1 vote Get Potato Salad Video Guide! Signup to my newsletter and get my Potato Salad Video Guide that includes: 3 emails with 3 videos with my potato salad tips and tricksPotato Salad Cookbook PDF with 6 regional potato salad recipes from Germany 3 emails with 3 videos with my potato salad tips and tricks Potato Salad Cookbook PDF with 6 regional potato salad recipes from Germany LATEST BLOG POSTS ABOUT ME Marta Kieser is a food guide and blogger who lives in Frankfurt with her husband and 1-year-old son. Apart from food guiding, she loves cooking, having guests over, swimming, hiking, and running.