Bavarian Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat)

Munich, Bavaria and Germany in general are among our favourite holiday destinations. Munich is close enough to make it an easy getaway from Italy, and it's a popular destination for Italian travellers, but exploring the city with Elisabetta, my friend and a passionate lover of Germany and Bavaria, made the experience even more special.

I discovered lovely places to eat, spent time wandering around the Viktualienmarkt and carefully explored its food shops and delicatessens. Munich has so much to offer food lovers, and its traditional dishes are a wonderful way to discover Bavarian culture.

Bavarian potato salad, or Kartoffelsalat, is a perfect example. Unlike some other German potato salads, the Bavarian version doesn't contain mayonnaise or pieces of sausage. Instead, the potatoes are dressed with a warm broth, vinegar, oil and onion, creating a wonderfully savoury salad that is both simple and full of flavour.

The secret to getting the right texture is to boil the potatoes the day before and let them cool completely overnight. I learned this the hard way: using freshly boiled potatoes can leave you with a tasty but mushy mixture rather than the classic Bavarian potato salad.

Use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegan, and serve it cold or at room temperature as a side dish for grilled vegetables, sausages or other traditional German dishes.

Bavarian Potato Salad (Kartoffelsalat)

Yield: 3 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Resting time: Overnight, plus cooling
Cooking time: 10–15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 kg waxy potatoes, boiled in their skins the day before

• 125 ml beef broth or vegetable broth for a vegan version

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar

• 1 white onion, finely chopped

• A pinch of sugar

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Fresh chives, finely chopped

Method

1. Place the broth in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the finely chopped onion, olive oil, vinegar and sugar.

2. Simmer until the onion is soft. Meanwhile, peel the cold boiled potatoes and slice them thinly.

3. Place the potato slices in a large bowl and pour the warm broth dressing over them.

4. Mix gently but thoroughly, allowing the potatoes to absorb the dressing. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add the chopped fresh chives.

5. Leave the salad to rest so the flavours can develop. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Notes

• Choose the right potatoes: Use waxy potatoes that hold their shape after boiling. Floury potatoes tend to break apart and become mushy.

• Prepare them ahead: Boil the potatoes in their skins the day before, let them cool and refrigerate overnight. This is essential for achieving the right texture.

• Make it vegan: Simply replace the beef broth with vegetable broth and check that all your other ingredients are suitable.

• Serving suggestion: In Bavaria, this potato salad is often served alongside sausages, including Nürnberger Rostbratwürste. It also makes a delicious side dish for grilled vegetables or other savoury mains.