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Square overhead photo of old-fashioned German potato salad made with shredded potatoes, eggs, and creamy mustard dressing.

Old-Fashioned German Potato Salad with Shredded Potatoes

This old-fashioned German-American family recipe features warm shredded russet potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and a cooked mustard dressing. Unlike traditional vinegar-based German potato salad, this creamy Midwest version is perfect for potlucks, holidays, family reunions, and feeding a crowd.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, German-American, Midwest
Servings 20
Calories 211 kcal

Equipment

  • large stock pot
  • Colander
  • large mixing bowl
  • Box grater, food processor, or shredding attachment
  • whisk
  • Microwave-safe bowl
  • measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients
  

For the Potato Salad

  • 5 pounds russet potatoes
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 onion white or sweet yellow
  • 6 dill pickle spears

For the Cooked Dressing

  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • ⅓ cup yellow mustard
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
  • ⅓ cup dill pickle juice

Instructions
 

  1. Wash the russet potatoes and place them in a large pot of salted boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but still firm enough to hold their shape. Be careful not to overcook them or they will become mushy during shredding. From the time I put the pot of room temperature water and potatoes on the stovetop, it takes 40-45 minutes until they are ready to peel and shred.
    5 pounds russet potatoes
  2. During the last 10-15 minutes of the cooking time, carefully add 4 eggs to the pot with the potatoes and boil until hard cooked. Once finished, drain the potatoes and eggs. I add the eggs 30 minutes after the pot goes on the stovetop.
    4 eggs
  3. While the potatoes are boiling, combine the vinegar, sugar, and water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar dissolves, stirring every 30–40 seconds. It takes about 2 minutes.
    ½ cup white vinegar, ½ cup water, ⅓ cup sugar
  4. Once the sugar has dissolved, whisk in the yellow mustard along with salt and pepper.
    ⅓ cup yellow mustard, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper
  5. While the potatoes and hard-boiled eggs are still hot, peel them carefully. The potatoes should stay hot during shredding for the best texture. Recipe Success Tip: Don't let the potatoes sit in the colander after draining. They continue cooking from their residual heat, which can make them too soft to shred cleanly. Peel and shred them while they're still super hot (use a clean kitchen towel or kitchen gloves if you need to!). The hotter the potatoes are when you shred them, the fluffier the finished potato salad will be.
  6. Using a food processor with a shredding disc, a box grater, or an old-fashioned hand-crank vegetable shredder, shred the warm potatoes and hard boiled eggs into a very large mixing bowl. I'm using the shredding attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer (see picture above).
  7. Mince the dill pickles and shred the onion. Add it to the bowl with the potatoes and eggs.
    1 onion, 6 dill pickle spears
  8. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 4 eggs.
    Slowly add a small amount of the hot mustard mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Continue gradually adding the hot liquid a little at a time until the eggs are warmed. This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from scrambling.
    4 eggs
  9. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the bowl and stir in the mayonnaise and pickle juice.
    Microwave again in short intervals, whisking every 30–40 seconds, until the dressing thickens slightly into a smooth, creamy consistency similar to a thin pudding. This takes about 2 minutes. It's ready when the texture is like a loose pudding.
    1 cup mayonnaise, ⅓ cup dill pickle juice
  10. Pour the warm dressing over the warm shredded potato mixture. The finished texture should be soft, fluffy, creamy, and evenly coated rather than chunky.
    Gently fold everything together until evenly coated, being careful not to mash the potatoes. The salad should be creamy and fully coated with dressing.
  11. This potato salad can be served warm, but my family prefers it chilled for several hours (or overnight) before serving. The flavor becomes even better after resting in the refrigerator, making it a perfect make-ahead side dish for potlucks, holidays, and family gatherings.

Notes

  • Shred the potatoes while they're still hot. This is the secret to the soft, fluffy texture. Warm potatoes absorb the dressing much better than cold potatoes.
  • Don't let the potatoes sit after draining. They continue cooking from their residual heat and can become too soft to shred cleanly.
  • Use russet potatoes. Their starchy texture creates the best creamy potato salad. Waxy potatoes like Yukon Golds or red potatoes will produce a different texture.
  • Temper the eggs slowly. Gradually whisk the hot dressing into the eggs to prevent scrambling.
  • Best made ahead. This potato salad tastes even better after chilling for several hours or overnight.
  • Makes a crowd-sized batch. This recipe serves approximately 16–20 people as a side dish and is perfect for potlucks, holidays, and family gatherings.
  • Miracle Whip or mayonnaise both work. My grandma always used Miracle Whip, while I prefer mayonnaise. Both versions are delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 399mgPotassium: 517mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 111IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
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