Crispy bacon, warm potatoes, and a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing, this Instant Pot German Potato Salad is a perfect side dish for any gathering! Serve this salad warm, room temperature, or cold!
Serve this potato salad alongside some Instant Pot ribs this Summer!
Is there anything better than a potato salad? Tender potatoes pair perfectly with crispy bacon and a tangy dressing.
Hot German potato salad is usually made with vinegar, small potatoes, bacon, and onions. There are lots of different versions out there, but this is my favorite made right in my pressure cooker!
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Ingredients to Gather
- Potatoes. We will be using small, red potatoes. Any small waxy potato will work in this recipe!
- Bacon. A few slices of you favorite bacon.
- Chicken broth. Beef broth or vegetable broth will work too. This will flavor the dressing as well as steam the potatoes in the Instant Pot. Homemade chicken broth is great, but store bought is fine too!
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Unlike American potato salad, warm German potato salad has a tangy dressing instead of a mayonnaise based dressing. White vinegar or white wine vinegar with a tablespoon of sugar will work too!
- Mustard. Dijon mustard or a grainy mustard is what you are looking for. Yellow mustard doesn't have the flavor of a grainy mustard.
See printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon or tongs and place it on a plate lined with paper towels. Keep the bacon drippings in the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Add the chopped red onion to the bacon grease and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onions are soft.
Step 3: Add the steamer basket to the Instant Pot. Add the potatoes. Close the lid and set the cooking time to 5 minutes on high pressure.
Step 4: Quick release the pressure and remove the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Add the mustard and vinegar to the sauce. Set the Instant pot to saute mode and cook for 3-4 minutes until the dressing has reduced. Add the dressing to the potatoes in a bowl and serve.
Tips and Tricks
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure.
- If your bacon is lean, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to help release some more of the bacon grease.
- Garnish this potato salad with chopped green onion, the crispy bacon, fresh parsley, or your favorite fresh herbs.
- It will look like there is a lot of dressing, but the warm potatoes will soak up a lot of the warm dressing.
- The best types of potatoes to use are Yukon gold potatoes, red bliss potatoes, new potatoes, or fingerling potatoes. Russet potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they tend to fall apart.
How To Serve this Instant Pot Potato Salad
- With you favorite German recipes!
- As a side to broiled steak or chicken burgers with feta and spinach.
- With Italian Antipasto Pasta Salad, Greek Pasta Salad with Penne, and Cold Linguine Salad.
- As a side dish to Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin and Instant Pot Turkey Tenderloin.
Storage Tips
Store leftover warm potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can serve this potato salad cold or warm!
You can even freeze this potato salad! Make the potato salad completely and then place it in a freezer friendly container. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Defrost the potato salad in the refrigerator until it defrosts.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil. Season it will salt and add the potatoes. While the potatoes cook, heat a pan over medium heat or medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy and then place the crispy bacon on paper towels. Add the chopped onion and chicken broth to the pan. Cook until it reduces and then add the cooked and drained potatoes to the dressing. Serve with fresh chopped parsley.
No, you do not have to. Classic potato salad usually has the potato skins on it so it's not mashed potatoes, but a potato salad.
More Instant Pot Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot German Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Red Potatoes Thick Sliced
- 6 slices Bacon
- 1 medium Red Onion Diced
- ½ cup Chicken Broth
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Grain Mustard
- ¼ cup Parsley Chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to "Saute". Add the bacon to the Instant Pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the bacon is crispy. While the bacon cooks, slice the potatoes into thick pieces. Dice the red onion into pieces.
- After the bacon has gotten crispy, take it out of the Instant Pot and let it drain on paper towel lined plate.
- Add the diced red onion to the bacon grease. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the steamer basket to the Instant Pot. Pour the chicken broth into the Instant Pot. Add the sliced potatoes to the steamer basket. Cancel the saute function and close the lid of the Instant Pot.
- Set the cooking time to 5 minutes on high pressure. After 5 minutes, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid of the Instant Pot and take out the potatoes. Place them in a large bowl.
- Set the Instant Pot to saute mode again and add the grainy mustard and apple cider vinegar. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the dressing has reduced slightly.
- Pour the hot dressing over the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Chop the crispy bacon and add it to the bowl. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- The Instant Pot will take 5-10 minutes to come up to pressure.
- The best types of potatoes to use are Yukon gold potatoes, red bliss potatoes, new potatoes, or fingerling potatoes. Russet potatoes are best for mashed potatoes because they tend to fall apart.
- Garnish this potato salad with chopped green onion, the crispy bacon, fresh parsley, or your favorite fresh herbs.
- It will look like there is a lot of dressing, but the warm potatoes will soak up a lot of the warm dressing.
- White wine vinegar or white vinegar can be used instead of apple cider vinegar.
Robert Newcomer says
It is a great recipe, I made it using small yellow potatoes that I cut in half and grilled on my smoker to get the to get the texture and taste I and my friends like.
Lynn Polito says
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe!