Austrian Potato Salad (Erdäpfelsalat)
Austrian Potato Salad is a delicious warm potato salad featuring sliced Yukon Gold potatoes, nestled in a tangy vinaigrette of warm beef broth, Dijon mustard and red onion. This side dish is typically served as a side to Wiener Schnitzel and Cucumber Salad.
Most of us are familiar with the other warm potato salad, German Potato Salad, right? The Austrian version is a bit lighter because it does not contain any mayonnaise.
What’s the difference between German and Austrian Potato Salad?
Potato salad recipes vary from region to region in both Germany and Austria.
- The Southern German/Bavarian and Austria versions do not contain mayonnaise and often use similar ingredients: oil, vinegar, mustard, beef broth. The Bavarian potato salad often contains bacon or cucumbers and uses bacon drippings as the oil of choice.
- Austria potato salad is served as sliced rounds; German potato salad is served as cubed potatoes.
- Northern German potato salad is creamier and contains mayonnaise and often bits of sausage, gherkins, cucumbers or hard-boiled eggs.
Another popular side dish in these regions is Swiss Alpine Macaroni! Short pasta tubes, nesting in a rich cream sauce, topped with caramilzed onion, Gruyere cheese and served with a side of applesauce! You might also like German Braised Beef with Spaetzle and Austrian Cucumber Salad! And don’t forget dessert…Fried Apple Rings!
Ingredients
I always say, “sometimes, simple is best” and in this case, it quite true. You only need a few pantry ingredients to get this European-flared side dish on your dinner table!
- Potatoes- Yukon Gold
- Beef broth
- Apple cider vinegar
- Neutral oil
- Red onion – minced
- Dijon mustard
- Sugar
- Chives – as garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
Tips for making Austrian Potato Salad
- Boil the Yukon Gold potatoes whole and unpeeled; Austrian grandmother’s swear this technique heightens the flavor of the potato.
- Let the potatoes rest until they’re cool enough to handle.
- Use a sharp knife to slice the potatoes into 1/4″ inch rounds
- Pour the warm broth over the potatoes and stir gently. You don’t want to break the potato rounds.
Make ahead and storage
This salad is best served immediately while its still warm; however, if you want to make it in advance, boil, peel and slice the potatoes and store them in a flat, airtight container in the refrigerator.
Combine the vinaigrette and pour it into an airtight jar and refrigerate. When ready to reheat or serve, warm the potato rounds in the microwave for 30 -45 seconds; heat the beef broth vinaigrette on the stovetop. Plate the potatoes, pour the dressing on and serve immediately.
Austrian Potato Salad (Erdapfelsalat)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 cup beef broth, warmed
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- ⅓ cup minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- chives (garnish)
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts of generously salted water to boil; add potatoes and cook 20 minutes or until fork tender; drain and allow to rest a few minutes until they're cool enough to touch; remove skins and slice into ¼" inch rounds; transfer to serving bowl2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- Heat beef broth in microwave; combine remaining ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl; add warm broth to the dressing, combine well, taste for salt and pepper, then drizzle over warm potatoes; garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately1 cup beef broth, warmed, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup neutral oil, ⅓ cup minced red onion, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1½ teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper to taste, chives
