When I visit my family in Germany each year, our first tradition upon my arrival is a supermarket shopping spree. After dropping off our suitcases, we head straight to the local grocery stores in the small town of Melbeck, picking up pretzels and fresh baguettes from the town bakery, then heading to a major chain, Edeka, for wine, cheese, cold cuts, and meat. But what I look forward to most during our grocery run is picking up my favorite potato salad at our final stop, Lidl.
We never leave this affordable grocery chain — which is based in Germany but has more than 12,600 locations across 30 countries, including the United States — without its creamy kartoffelsalat (German for “potato salad”), and we always go through multiple containers during the trip.
Sometimes this pre-made dish serves as a snack or quick lunch, but it’s most often our go-to barbecue side. With a light mayo and mustard-based dressing, crisp pieces of pickles, and mustard seeds mixed in, it’s easily the best store-bought potato salad I’ve ever tried, but it has also been difficult to find a comparable version in the U.S. — until recently.
About a month ago, I picked up the Original Potato Salad at a Lidl in New York. After the first bite, I knew I’d finally found a store-bought potato salad that comes close to my favorite from Germany, and I’ll be buying it on repeat.
Everything you need to know about Lidl’s potato salad
Lidl’s potato salad has a tangy, creamy dressing with mayo and mustard.
Food & Wine / LIDL
Although potato salads are a staple part of German cuisine, the way that the beloved side dish is prepared varies depending on the region. In Southern Germany, it’s usually mixed with a dressing of broth, vinegar, oil, and mustard and served at room temperature — like a Bavarian Potato Salad. In Northern Germany, mayonnaise-based, cold potato salads are more common.
Similar to the Northern version of this German staple, Lidl’s Original Potato Salad, sold at American locations of the store, is prepared with a creamy, mayo-based dressing. The ingredient list is simple: potatoes, mayonnaise, sugar, onion, red bell pepper, mustard, diced dill pickles, salt, vinegar, cornstarch, citric acid, and black pepper.
The texture of the boiled potatoes in this side dish is what really makes it stand out. The potato chunks are tender yet still firm, holding their shape without turning mushy. Some pieces of potato have already been intentionally mashed, adding a starchy richness and creating a nice textural contrast.
The salad is well-seasoned without being overpowering, with just the right amount of onions, sugar, and mustard. In other words, it has the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. The red bell peppers and chopped dill pickles add a satisfying, fresh crunch that beautifully contrasts with the creamy base.
Lidl’s potato salad comes in a 32-ounce tub and costs $4.69 at my local store. This version is made in the United States and isn’t exactly the same as the recipe that the supermarket chain sells in Germany, but it comes close to the one I get in Melbeck.
If you need even more convincing that this creamy, flavorful side is worth trying, my aunt, who recently visited from Germany, also gave her seal of approval for the potato salad from Lidl’s U.S. stores, finding it comparable to the traditional German varieties she’s used to — and trust me, that’s high praise.
Dining and Cooking