This Instant Pot German Potato Salad is an excellent lunch or side dish with red potatoes, bacon, and a tangy vinegar-based dressing.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Apple cider vinegar – you can also try using white wine vinegar.
- Whole grain Dijon mustard – the best substitute here would be stone-ground mustard or you can try making your own Dijon from scratch.
- Maple syrup – feel free to swap out for another sweetener like honey or agave.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Red potatoes – swap out for another kind of potato like Yukon gold or russet, just make sure to chop them up into 1-inch pieces.
- Bacon – you can use turkey bacon for a healthier alternative.
- Red onion – white or yellow onion would also work but will have a much milder flavour.
- Garlic – I prefer freshly minced garlic, but jarred minced garlic or garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
- Parsley – chervil will provide the most similar flavour or you can try using dill instead.
How to make German potato salad
- Make the dressing.
- Cook the potatoes on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Sauté the bacon.
- Cook the onion and garlic.
- Add everything back to the Instant Pot.
- Toss well to combine and serve.
What to serve with German potato salad
German potato salad tastes delicious on its own for lunch, but it also makes a delicious side for your main course. Here are some of my favourite things to serve this recipe with:
- Sausages or hamburgers
- Baked chicken
- Schnitzel
- BBQ ribs or steak
- Fish
- Pork chops
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference between German potato salad and regular American potato salad is that German potato salad is made with a vinegar base whereas regular potato salad is made with a mayonnaise base. They’re both just as delicious but have different flavours!
German potato salad is traditionally served hot (or at least warm) but you can also serve it cold if you’re eating the leftovers.
Like the name suggests, German potato salad came from Germany, more specifically southern Germany. You can find different variations of the dish throughout the country – for example, parts of Northern Germany do incorporate mayonnaise into their potato salad recipes.
Storing and reheating
This salad is best eaten the day-of, but you can store any leftovers in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container for best results. When you’re ready to enjoy your potato salad, I suggest eating it cold or at room temperature. You can try microwaving it to warm it up a bit, but the results may vary.
Freezing this recipe
Technically, you can freeze German potato salad because it has a vinegar base instead of a mayonnaise base – but since potatoes don’t do to well thawing, I don’t recommend it. You’ll likely just end up with soggy and mushy potatoes, which nobody wants.
More Instant Pot potato recipes
- Instant Pot Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes
- The Ultimate Instant Pot Potato Salad
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- The Instant Pot DUO Plus 60 is the version I use in this recipe.
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this pasta into your weekly lunches.
Instant Pot German Potato Salad {No Mayo!}
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 lbs red potatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups water
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- chopped flat Italian parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing. Whisk together the apple cider vinegar, whole grain mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Place the potatoes in the Instant Pot and pour in the water. Close the lid and pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Once the time is up, open the valve to quickly release the pressure.
- Drain the potatoes into a colander and rinse with cold water. The potatoes should be fork-tender and soft.
- Wipe out any excess water in the Instant Pot and set it to saute mode. Once heated, add the bacon and cook until browned and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Discard excess bacon grease, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the Instant Pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the Instant Pot. Pour in the potatoes, bacon, and dressing. Gently fold the ingredients together until combined and the dressing completely coats the potatoes.Allow the salad to rest for 10 minutes, garnish with parsley, and serve.
