By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 6
171 cal · 115 min
Sous Vide German Potato Salad
Recipe GLPRe140a3b5539060
Tender red potatoes cooked sous vide with fresh thyme, then tossed with crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and a warm vinegar dressing infused with whole-grain mustard. This classic German-style salad is served warm and makes an excellent side dish for any meal.
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Ingredients
2 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled and halved
1/2 cup chicken broth
8 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Set up your sous vide circulator in a 7-quart water bath container and bring the water temperature to 194°F (90°C).
Add the halved potatoes, chicken broth, thyme sprigs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a 1-gallon ziplock freezer bag. Seal it carefully, pressing out as much air as possible. Place this bag inside a second 1-gallon ziplock freezer bag as a precaution and seal the outer bag.
Gently lower the double-bagged potatoes into the prepared water bath. Use a weight to ensure the bag stays fully submerged. Clip the top corner of the outer bag to the side of the container to allow air bubbles to rise. Open one corner of the zipper slightly to release any remaining air bubbles, then reseal.
Cover the water bath container and cook the potatoes for 60 to 75 minutes, until they are tender but still hold their shape.
Remove the bags from the water bath and carefully drain the potatoes through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving exactly 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the remaining liquid and the thyme sprigs.
In a large 12-inch skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
Pour off all but about 1/4 cup of the bacon fat from the skillet. Add the chopped onion to the remaining fat and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the sugar and cook for about 30 seconds until dissolved.
Pour in the white wine vinegar and the reserved 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, approximately 3 minutes.
Remove the skillet from heat. Whisk in the whole-grain mustard and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until well combined.
Add the drained potatoes, cooked bacon, and fresh parsley to the skillet. Toss gently to coat everything evenly with the warm dressing.
Taste the salad and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve while still warm.
Comments
This recipe hits all the right notes for Charlotte weeknight cooking: every ingredient is stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, or ALDI, so no special trips needed. Red potatoes run $0.99–$1.29 per pound at most chains, bacon and vinegar are shelf staples, and the final cost per serving lands under $2.50 even with good-quality broth and mustard. The real catch is that 115 minutes severely underestimates the actual time—vacuum-sealing, water-bath setup, cooling, and dressing adds another 25–30 minutes of active or waiting time to hit proper potato texture. German potato salad is best served warm the same night; it can be reheated gently but loses its vinegary snap and silky potato texture by the next day, making this a commit-to-dinner-now dish rather than a weekend prep option.
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