Discover the best Vegan German Potato Salad tossed with a light vinaigrette and dill. Fresh, delicious, mayo-free, and perfect for any occasion!
Whether youโre heading to a BBQ with friends, having a cozy dinner with family, or just need a hearty side dish for any meal, this potato salad with dill is always a hit and very popular! It brings all the good flavors of a light and filling potato salad.
The best part about this vegan German potato salad recipe is that itโs completely mayo-free, making it wonderfully light and fresh. Instead, the hot, cooked potatoes are doused with vegetable broth, allowing them to soak up all the delicious flavors. Then, theyโre mixed with a light vinaigrette.
Why Youโll Love This Potato Salad
Authentic German Potato salad doesn’t contain bacon and is therefore vegan-friendly. It comes with a light vinaigrette, that’s why Germans like to simply call it “potato salad with vinegar & oil”. You can easily prepare this recipe in advance, so you can relax and enjoy your time with your guests.
Ingredients
See recipe card for quantities.
- Potatoes: I love using small potatoes, also known as baby potatoes or new potatoes, for this recipe. Works too with regular potatoes (use waxy potatoes such as Yukon gold, fingerling, or red potatoes).
- Shallot: Adds great bite and flavor. If youโre sensitive to raw onions, finely chop and sautรฉ them in a bit of olive oil. You can also use red onion or green onion.
- Vegetable Broth: A classic trick for an extra juicy potato salad.
- Dill: Pairs wonderfully with potatoes, adding flavor and a garnish.
- Vinegar-Oil Dressing: A mild mix of extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, pepper, salt, and garlic.
Visual Step-by-Step Instructions
This visual step-by-step instruction will help you along the way โ definitely recommended if youโre a cooking beginner!
- Boil Potatoes: Wash the potatoes thoroughly, place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. โ Theyโre done when a sharp knife can pierce them with little resistance.
- Pour Over Broth: Drain the potatoes, let them steam for a few minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces while still hot. Place in a large bowl, pour over the hot vegetable broth, and let sit for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. โ Hot potatoes absorb the broth better than cold ones.
- Prepare Dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Assemble & Serve: As soon as the potatoes have absorbed most of the broth, add shallots, and dressing, then toss to combine. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh dill if desired.
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The crucial step is to cut the potatoes while still hot, and immediately drizzle with hot vegetable broth! This is an age-old trick that my mom always used, and it really works. The hot potatoes soak up the broth beautifully, giving them an irresistible flavor.
Itโs perfectly okay if the potatoes donโt absorb all the broth. The leftover broth will dilute the vinegar-oil dressing, making the salad even lighter.
Variations
- Pre-Cooked Potatoes? I recommend cooking fresh potatoes for this salad. However, if you have pre-cooked potatoes in the fridge, you can use them. Warm them briefly in the microwave, cut them, and pour over hot vegetable broth. Then prepare the salad as directed.
- Mediterranean Style: Mix in Kalamata olives and finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
- Crunchy Add-Ins: Add thinly sliced cucumber, radishes, or celery.
- Herbs Galore: Besides dill, use other fresh herbs like parsley, chives, or mint.
- French Style: Mix in cooked green beans, hard-boiled eggs, and some coarse Dijon mustard.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
Potato salad can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, allowing the flavors to meld beautifully. I like to take it out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stays fresh for up to 2 days.
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๐ Recipe
Vegan German Potato Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 lb baby potatoes or regular waxy potatoes
- ยผ cup hot vegetable broth
- 1 shallot finely chopped
Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ยฝ small clove garlic optional, grated
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ยฝ tsp maple syrup
- ยฝ tsp dill dried or fresh
- ยผ tsp salt
- ยผ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes thoroughly, place them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. โ Theyโre done when a sharp knife can pierce them with little resistance.
- Drain the potatoes, let them steam for a few minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces while still hot. Place in a large bowl, pour over the hot vegetable broth, and let sit for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. โ Hot potatoes absorb the broth better than cold ones.
- Meanwhile, mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- As soon as the potatoes have absorbed most of the broth, add shallots, and dressing, then toss to combine. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, and garnish with fresh dill if desired.
Notes
- Potatoes: I love using small potatoes, also known as baby potatoes or new potatoes, for this recipe. Works too with regular potatoes (use waxy potatoes such as Yukon gold, fingerling, or red potatoes).
- Vegetable Broth: This is an age-old trick that Swiss & Germans use to make the potato salad moist and light. The hot potatoes soak up the broth beautifully, giving them an irresistible flavor. Itโs okay if some broth remains; it will lighten the vinaigrette. I recommend thisย powder from Knorr. ๐
- Make-Ahead: This salad can be made up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge until needed.
- Store leftoversย in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 2 days.
Good salad, but needs way more vinegar. I put 4 Tbs raw ACV because we like it vinegar. I don’t think you need the maple syrup.
Hi Jo, so happy you liked my salad! Of course, feel free to add as much vinegar as you like! I prefer my salad not overly sour, but everybody should adjust the recipe to their own taste! ๐