Aunt Di’s Almost German Potato Salad is the best potato salad you will ever eat. Daring statement, right? But right. I have never eaten another potato salad that compares to this one!
This recipe comes from my aunt Di’s mother, Alma Dorothea Franz. Grandma Franz was born in Hamburg and emigrated to America, where she later married. My Aunt Di told me this salad was similar to German potato salad because it was served warm, but her mother added mayonnaise, making it more similar to American potato salads. I think the combination is heavenly!
I lived with my aunt and uncle and their family in Murray, Utah on and off while I was a sophomore in college. I have vivid memories of Grandma Franz’s cooking. The two dishes that stick in my mind (45 years after I first tried them) are her stuffed green peppers and her potato salad. My Aunt Di taught me how to make her mother’s potato salad when I was 18 years old. I have never found another potato salad recipe that I love as much as this one!
I also have fond memories of when my uncle Mike, aunt Di, their children, and grandparents Franz visited my family in Washington. I was around 14 years old. The Franz’s were amazed at how many blackberries grew right at the end of our driveway. And- that they were FREE! Hi. In Washington state, we consider blackberries a weed.
Grandma and Grandpa Franz got up early every morning to pick. And choose. And choose. They picked so many berries that my Uncle Mike complained that he couldn’t use the RV toilet all the way back to Utah because it was filled with coolers and buckets full of berries! We’re still laughing at the berries and the bathroom story to this day!
What makes this potato salad different from all the others?
This Potato Salad is one of my most requested recipes. You may be wondering what makes this potato salad different from all the others? The differences are: the potatoes are cooked very soft; the potatoes are not peeled, the potatoes are hot when the dressing is added, and the finished salad is served warm. It can also be served at room temperature or cold, but we think it’s best served warm!
Secret ingredient and method of potato salad
Our almost German potato salad has a secret ingredient and method. It’s a simple ingredient that most of us have in the fridge…pickle juice. Many potato salads are prepared with a little vinegar or mustard, but this salad gets its tart component from ordinary dill pickle juice. I’m looking for whole dill pickles that don’t have garlic in the brine or juice. I think garlic flavored dill pickles are a little overpowering in this recipe. The pickle juice MUST be added while the potatoes are hot to allow the juice to soak into the potatoes and create the best tasting potato salad in the world.
This recipe for my Aunt Di’s almost German potato salad is sooo easy. And so delicious. It’s the last potato salad recipe you’ll ever need! We like to eat this salad with our favorite grilled meat, Apple Coleslaw, Dutch Oven Molasses Baked Beans, No Fail French Bread and the Frozen strawberry dessert!
Oh, I almost forgot, if you have an Instant Pot, I have one IP version of this recipe here.
Tante Di’s Almost German Potato Salad was first released in 2008. Updated with new photos and content in July 2022.
Almost German potato salad
ingredients
-
4-5
lb
small white or red potatoes, scrubbed clean -
8-12
Big Eggs -
dill pickles
Cut into 3 large or 6 small pieces -
3/4 to 1
Cup
dill pickle juice -
1 1/2
cups
Best Foods Mayo – NO LIGHT
more if necessary - Sea salt or kosher salt
- White pepper (optional)
instructions
-
Wash the potatoes, no peeling or cutting necessary. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender and the skins begin to crack and fall away, about 45-50 minutes.
-
Hard boil, peel and quarter the eggs.
-
Drain the water from the potatoes, cut in halves or quarters if they are larger. Place the potatoes in a large bowl.
-
While the potatoes are still hot, pour the cucumber juice evenly over the potatoes and salt generously. I use about ½ to ¾ cup of juice. Start with ½ and see how much is absorbed. Adding too much will make the salad soupy instead of creamy.
-
Add the eggs and pickles. While still warm, add the mayo, about a cup at a time, mixing gently, adding more mayo until desired consistency is reached.
-
salt and pepper to taste. This salad is best served warm or at room temperature.
recipe notes
- I like small potatoes, about half the size of your fist. Not the tiny ones in the little mesh bags, but the next size up. If the larger size doesn’t work!
- I cook the potatoes until they are very soft. When the potatoes and other ingredients are folded together, the soft potatoes mixed with the mayonnaise result in an almost mashed potato consistency. There should still be pieces of potato, but when combined with cucumber juice and mayonnaise, they will become extra soft.
- This salad can also be made ahead of time and served chilled. If you make it ahead of time, check to see if the salad needs extra mayo before serving, as the potatoes will absorb the mayo.