Christmas Potato Salad a la Klaus

For several years now, every Christmas, I prepare this potato salad with mayonnaise, pickles, and pickled peppers, following the recipe from our German friends' family. I first tried it at their place, and since then, it has become a staple on our holiday table. It's a hearty, tangy salad with a balanced flavor. It's simple to make, but it needs time for the flavors to meld together.

Quick Info

Total Time: 1 hour + 12-24 hours chilling
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1 kg potatoes, preferably waxy varieties
200 g pickles, finely chopped
200 g pickled peppers, diced
50 ml pickle juice (for an extra tangy flavor)
2 raw egg yolks (for the mayonnaise)
1 heaping tablespoon of classic mustard
approx. 200 ml oil (for the mayonnaise)
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper
sweet or hot paprika, to taste

For garnish:
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
slices of tomatoes or rounds of pickles

Instructions

1. Wash the potatoes and boil them in their skins in salted water. Choose potatoes that don’t break apart easily when boiled.
2. Once they are cooked (test with a fork; it should go in easily but without crushing the tuber), drain the water and let them cool enough to peel. Don’t cut them while they are hot, as they will crumble.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half, then slice each half into rounds about 5-7 mm thick. Don’t slice them too thin, so they maintain their texture in the salad.
4. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Add the finely chopped pickles and diced pickled peppers. I chop them quite small so they distribute well throughout the salad.
5. Pour 50 ml of pickle juice over the vegetables. Gently mix, being careful not to crush the potatoes.
6. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika to taste. The pickled peppers and cucumbers add some saltiness, so don’t overdo it with the salt at the beginning.
7. For the mayonnaise: in a bowl, combine the 2 egg yolks, mustard, and a little salt. Start adding the oil in a thin stream while continuously whisking with a whisk or mixer until you achieve a thick mayonnaise. For this salad, I make a thicker mayonnaise to bind the ingredients well.
8. Add the mayonnaise over the potatoes and vegetables. Carefully mix with a large spoon to coat everything without crushing the potatoes.
9. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, ideally 24. This makes a difference – the flavors meld together, and the potatoes absorb the liquid from the pickles and mayonnaise.
10. Before serving, garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg and, if desired, slices of tomatoes or a bit of fresh parsley.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

It’s easy to prepare, filling, and keeps well in the fridge. I can make it a day ahead, saving time on the day of the meal. The taste doesn’t become heavy because the pickles and juice balance the mayonnaise. I use it for holiday meals or picnics. It also works well as a main dish or a side with meat or sausages.

Tips and Variations

Tips

Use firm potatoes, not starchy ones, to prevent them from breaking apart when mixed.
For extra freshness, you can add a bit of chopped green onion before serving.
Let the salad chill for at least 12 hours; otherwise, the flavors won’t meld as well.
If needed, you can adjust the consistency with a bit more mayonnaise or an extra 1-2 tablespoons of pickle juice if it seems too thick.
Check the salt after mixing everything – sometimes the pickles can be saltier.

Substitutions

If you don’t have pickled peppers, you can use roasted bell peppers in a pinch, but the flavor won’t be as tangy.
The pickles can be swapped for assorted pickled vegetables, as long as they aren’t too hard or spicy.
Homemade mayonnaise can be replaced with a good quality store-bought one if you want a quicker option. I recommend tasting it first, as some have strong flavors.

Variations

Add a few capers for a slightly salty and tangy flavor.
You can include a few slices of red onion for those who tolerate raw onion.
Some people also add diced green apple for a sweet-tangy note, but I prefer the classic version.

Serving Ideas

As a cold salad alongside roasted meats, sausages, or schnitzel.
As a main dish, served with bread and tomatoes.
For picnics, it holds up well in a container for a few hours in the cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make mayonnaise only with boiled egg yolks?
Not for this recipe. The raw yolk makes the mayonnaise fluffier and helps bind the ingredients well. Using boiled yolks would make it too dense.

Can I use potatoes boiled a day in advance?
Yes, but let them come to room temperature before cutting them, so they don’t break apart too easily.

Can I use store-bought mayonnaise?
Yes, if it has a neutral flavor and isn’t too sour or sweet. It’s still worth adjusting the seasonings after adding it, as it may already be salty or spicy.

How long should it be kept in the fridge before serving?
At least 12 hours, ideally 24, so it has a more balanced flavor and the potatoes can absorb the flavors from the pickles and mayonnaise.

Nutritional Values

A medium serving (approx. 200 g) has about 240 kcal.
Fat: 17 g (from mayonnaise and oil)
Protein: 3 g (from egg and potato)
Carbohydrates: 20 g (from potato and pickles)
Fiber: 2 g

It’s quite filling, and the fats mainly come from the mayonnaise. You can reduce the amount of oil if you want a lighter version, but the texture will change.

Storage and Reheating

It can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing it, as the mayonnaise and potatoes lose their texture.
It doesn’t make sense to reheat it; it’s best served cold. If any liquid has accumulated on the surface, gently mix it before serving.
You can easily prepare it a day in advance. If you want it to look fresh, garnish with eggs and tomatoes just before serving.

Boil the potatoes with their skins on; when they are cooked, peel them. Cut the potatoes in half, then slice the halves into thicker rounds. Next, chop the pickled cucumbers and bell peppers. Add them to a bowl over the sliced potatoes. Pour in the juice from the pickled cucumbers. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. In a separate bowl, make mayonnaise from 2 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of mustard, and about a cup of oil. Once ready, mix it into the potato salad thoroughly. Let it chill for about 24 hours. Garnish as desired. Enjoy your meal! The juice from the pickled cucumbers adds a better, slightly tangy flavor. Mustard is added to the mayonnaise for taste and to prevent it from curdling. It is served the next day and goes well with roast meat, sausages, etc. It can be decorated with boiled eggs sliced into rounds and tomatoes or other variations.

 Ingredients: 1 kg potatoes 200 g pickled cucumbers 200 g pickled bell peppers 50 ml juice from pickled cucumbers 2 egg yolks for mayonnaise oil salt pepper paprika mustard for mayonnaise

 Tags:  potato salad