German potato salad like my mother-in-law made, with bacon, hardboiled egg and a warm dressing made with pickle juice.
I never met my mother-in-law, but from everything I’ve heard I missed out. My sister-in-law Paula has called her a saint more than once. My husband remembers her as joyful, with a warm sense of humor. Those qualities—patience and good humor—must have helped raising seven boys.
Can you imagine a household with seven boys? The family gatherings in Ohio are always full of people—uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Whether it’s a holiday, a graduation or a memorial, Mary’s German potato salad is almost always on the table. Paula learned the recipe from Mary and shared it with me. My notes were just ingredients, so I called Paula to walk me through the method. This is the only German potato salad I’ve ever made, and it’s the real thing—Mary learned it from her mother.
After I finished making the salad I called my husband to taste it. His first comment was that his mother cut the potatoes smaller. After a few bites he asked for more salt and then declared it perfect—better than his mom’s. Funny thing: he hated this salad as a child and never ate it. People change. He likes it now, and I’m happy because I’ll definitely be making it again.
Here is Mary’s German potato salad recipe—simple, comforting, and a family favorite. I’m also planning to learn her cabbage rolls next; my husband always loved those.
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Mary’s German Potato Salad
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Ingredients
- 8 medium red potatoes
- 2 ribs of celery, diced
- 4 – 5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 5 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup sweet pickle juice (from a jar of sweet pickles)
- Optional: chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
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Put whole red potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Add a couple good pinches of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Peel with a paring knife, cut into cubes and place in a large bowl.
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While the potatoes cool, cook the bacon in a skillet until the fat renders and the bacon starts to brown. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is translucent and the bacon is crisp.
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Pour the bacon and onion, including the drippings, over the potatoes.
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Add the chopped celery and hard-boiled eggs. Mix gently to combine.
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In a small saucepan whisk together the sugar, egg, salt and cornstarch over medium heat until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.
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Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the pickle juice, stirring constantly.
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Return the pan to the stove and bring the dressing to a boil, stirring frequently. Let it boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat.
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Add the hot dressing to the potatoes a little at a time, mixing gently. Don’t add it all at once—use a few spoonfuls until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
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Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any leftover salad and dressing; bring to room temperature before serving again and add more dressing if needed.