Vegan Oil-Free German Potato Salad

This vegan oil-free German potato salad is a light and tangy potato salad that is tasty as a side dish or a meal. It’s great to share at potlucks!

I have to start by saying that I have never been much of a fan of potato salad.  Especially not the kind with mayonnaise.

My grandma used to make her potato salad with more of a vinegar type dressing and I could eat that. Didn’t love it…but I could eat it.

Over the years I’ve had some potato salads that people said were made the German way…and I thought they were pretty good. They had a vinegar dressing, but dang! It’s made with bacon AND the grease that cooks out of the bacon. My arteries are slamming shut just thinking about it. So I started messing around and came up with something with a similar taste, but without the fat and bacon. Using smoked paprika gives a hint of that smokey bacon-y flavor. You could also add some of your favorite vegan bacon. I make mine with tempeh or mushrooms. Try it!

And I have to say…I really like this potato salad.

This recipe can be customized (can’t they all?) so feel free to add things you like or omit things you don’t.

To start, you need to cook your potatoes.

I use my Instant Pot with a mesh basket insert. (I got that on Amazon and I highly recommend it). I used a mixed bag of little red and gold potatoes that were about the size of a golf ball. They took about 10 minutes to cook at high pressure and I allowed the pressure to come down naturally for about 5 minutes and then released the rest manually. A fork should slide into the potato easily, but with some resistance.

If you’re cooking the potatoes on the stovetop, add them to a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until a fork inserts with some resistance.

Whichever way you cooked them, remove them from the heat, drain them and allow them to cool a little. I have found that the dressing absorbs better if the potatoes are a little bit warm, but it still works just fine if you want to cool them completely.

Meanwhile, you can chop your celery and onions. Set those aside.

In a small glass bowl or measuring cup, mix together the dressing ingredients. If using sugar, I recommend microwaving this a little until the sugar dissolves.

When your potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters and add them to a serving bowl. Add the celery and onions. Pour the dressing over and gently toss to coat the potatoes and get everything mixed nicely. Sprinkle with smoked paprika before serving.

Eat this at room temperature or refrigerate to chill first. See my recipe notes for variations and suggestions.

5 from 1 vote

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Vegan Oil-free German Potato Salad

This is a light and tangy potato salad that will be a favorite at all your summer gatherings. It's quick and easy to make and travels well. 

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, German

Keyword: German, oil-free, potato, salad, vegan

Author: Trish Hall

Ingredients

• 2 lbs baby potatoes red and gold work well
• 1/2 cup sweet red onion diced
• 1 cup celery diced
• 1 tsp smoked paprika optional

Dressing

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp maple syrup, sugar or other sweetener
• 1 tsp salt optional
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper optional
• 1-2 tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. Cook your potatoes until they are fork tender, but not too soft. There should be some resistance when you slide the fork in. Set aside to cool. 

2. Chop the celery and onion. Set aside. 

3. Mix all dressing ingredients together and whisk until everything is incorporated. If using sugar, you might need to warm this in the microwave for a few seconds until the sugar dissolves. Set aside. 

4. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut in half or quarters. Add them to a serving bowl and add the celery and onions. Toss gently to get the onions and celery distributed. 

5. Whisk the dressing well and pour over the potatoes. Toss gently. 

6. Sprinkle with smoked paprika...a little or a lot!

7. Serve at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator before serving. 

Recipe Notes

• You can substitute slice green onions for the red onions.
• Try different mustards!
• Add your favorite vegan bacon, like tofu bacon, tempeh bacon, mushroom bacon...you get the idea.