Vegan German Potato Salad, just like my mom used to make—such a delicious upgrade from classic mashed potatoes!
This recipe was originally posted in March 2014.
Comfort Food Favorites
There are certain foods, tastes, and smells that instantly transport you back to a certain time and place. Apple Pie takes me back to my Aunt Betty’s kitchen in Boston. Sugar and Spice Cookies take me back to my college dorm room in Indiana. Pastelitos de Guayaba bring me back to a park bench with Irving in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. And my mom’s German Potato Salad brings me back to the dining room of my childhood home in Pennsylvania. It was one of my favorite dishes growing up, always served with kielbasa and sauerkraut. I’m not sure if it’s normal for a kid to like sauerkraut, but I really did…and still do! It’s a perfect cold weather meal—a total stick to your ribs dinner. And it’s a family favorite!
What is German Potato Salad?
German Potato Salad is a popular dish with its roots in southern German cuisine. It’s quite different from the common American style of potato salad, that’s made with a mayonnaise based sauce and served cold. In a German Potato Salad, potatoes are mixed with bacon, onions, and a vinegar sauce, and the dish is served warm. This potato salad is more along the lines of a mashed potato dish. The vinegar adds an unexpected tang—I can’t say enough how good this is!
Vegan German Potato Salad
By swapping in vegan bacon—my favorite is Upton’s Naturals—I’ve been able to recreate my mom’s dish and still keep it completely vegan. It tastes EXACTLY like I remembered it! So good. Don’t you love when you can do that? This vegan German Potato Salad is rich and filling—total “meat and potatoes” food. Not at all the stereotypical “vegans only eat salad” kind of salad.
Family Favorite
The first time I made this vegan German Potato Salad Irving requested that I make it again right away. The boys love it too, and we fight over the few leftovers that there are—it should make 8+ servings, but we usually eek out just 5 or 6! Seriously, it’s that good. I mean—what’s not to love? Potatoes? Good. Onions? Good. Vegan bacon? Good.
I hope you love this vegan German potato salad as much as we all do! It would make a fantastic meal with my Corned Jackfruit for St. Patrick’s Day! Or pair it with your favorite veggie sausage (Field Roast Apple Sage sausages are in the pictures), and some sauerkraut for a true meat and potatoes dinner! Either way, I think you’re going to be very happy!
German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs red or Yukon gold potatoes cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 package vegan bacon diced (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour (use corn starch if you need a gluten free option)
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Add chopped potatoes to a large pot of cold water. Heat over high heat until boiling. Allow potatoes to boil until fork tender, but not mushy, about 25 minutes.
- While potatoes are boiling, cut bacon into a small dice.
- Heat oil in a deep cast iron skillet or a heavy bottom pot (like a Le Creuset) and add bacon. Allow bacon to crisp up a bit and cook all the way through. Remove bacon from pan.
- Add onion (and a little more oil if needed) and cook until translucent.
- Add flour, sugar and salt to the pan and stir.
- Add water and vinegar, and stir until bubbling and slightly thickened.
- Add all of the potatoes and bacon back into the pot.
- Stir well, breaking up the potatoes a bit, and allow to heat through for a few minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Blog Memories
While my blog has moved a bit away from the “dear diary” style of early blogging, I still love looking back on what I was up to. This came from my original March 2014 post, just weeks before baby Jonny was born!
My mom asked me last night if I was still doing my blog. I’ll take that as a real subtle hint that it’s been too long since my last post! And I’ve been promising you the recipe for my German Potato Salad for about 2 weeks now, so its long overdue! While I’ve been not-posting I’ve been sewing up a storm and am almost done with my quilt for baby boy, who should make his appearance in just 8 more weeks—yikes!
Oh, I love German potato salad and never thought to veganize it. I am all over this recipe! I also love how you cut the sausages on an angle in your photos – so much more crunchy goodness that way!
Wow, this sounds like EVERYTHING I love. Warm potatoes with vegan bacon & onions, sauerkraut, and seitan sausage? SIGN ME UP.
German potato salad is so good! I’d be fighting for the leftovers, too! This is a must for spring picnics!