Looking for a new salad recipe? Then try this Austrian Erdäpfel Vogerlsalat, a potato field salad that combines a tangy dressing poured over potatoes and the freshness of field salad, with the smoky richness of speck, and a generous drizzle of exquisite Styrian pumpkin seed oil.
I tasted this salad a few years ago during a trip to Austria and totally fell head over heals with the taste. I took this long to post it because I wanted to grow one of the main ingredients myself. Read on to find out what came out of my garden and to find out all the wonderful special flavors found in this delicious Potato Field Salad … called Erdäpfel Vogerlsalat.
My Austrian ‘DUH’ moment
Oh, how I wish I was in Austria again this summer. I have so many fond memories of that trip. And I ate so well. Since my trips, I have posted several Austrian recipes but I had to wait for this one. On my last trip, my cousins picked me up in Vienna and we stopped for lunch in a Gasthaus on our way to their place in Styria.
One of my cousins got excited because he saw the Styrian Potato Field Salad on the menu. Too curious I had to order one myself. I could not get enough of it. Not only do I love that kind of potato salad, I devoured this odd green lettuce, and discovered pumpkin seed oil. I will tell you more about each part of the salad below.
But I was fascinated by this Vogerlsalat and my cousin offered to go to a garden store and buy a packet of seeds for me on our way to their place. He said this salad hates the heat so it was too late to plant it so far into the summer and I had to wait till the following spring.
When I got back home I did google the word on the seed packet and that is when I realized I totally knew what Vogerlsalat was: field salad, or in Quebec we know it s mâche. A real ‘DUH’ moment!
Deconstructing the Styrian Potato Field Salad
Now I don’t want to create a stir with my next comment, but I might. As much as I like a mayonnaise-based potato salad, it does not hold a candle to an Austrian potato salad. The main difference is the warm vinegar and Dijon-based dressing. And the potatoes!
Stay away from high-starched spuds for this one, like the Russet potato. You need a potato that will hold its shape. Try white, yellow, or red-skinned potatoes. Once the potatoes are just tender you let them bathed in the dressing for at least 30 minutes. The potatoes suck in a bit of the dressing and the dressing thickens a little bit from the starch. YUMMY!
Next up for this particular recipe is the field salad, or Vogerlsalat. Have you heard of it? It also goes by the name of corn salad, lamb’s lettuce, mâche, and nut lettuce. I planted my seeds in spring in a small box on my balcony and I was finally able to harvest the salad for my recipe.
The special bacon, called speck, is optional but gives a lot of flavors. Speck is a ham, cut to look like bacon, salt-cured, and smoked. It’s to die for.
Styrian Gold: Kürbiskernöl, or Pumpkin Seed Oil
And the crowning jewel is nicknamed Styrian Gold: Styrian pumpkin seed oil or Kürbiskernöl. This amazing lustrous dark green oil actually tastes like pumpkin seeds.
This nutty and smooth oil must be made from pumpkins seed from the Styrian pumpkin that grew in Styria which is in the south of Austria. And to be truly certified it must have a PGI seal (Protected Geographical Indication – think Champagne, Porto, or Stilton cheese).
It just so happens that some cousins live there and got me a bottle. You can find it imported now in specialty stores or online.
By the way, do you know what is another Gold moment here? The Styrian Alps are part of the Alps mountain range. Great place for winter sports like skiing. But the best places to ski in Austria are nearby, a mere 3 hours toward Salzburg.
Kürbiskernöl TIPS
- Store the oil out of direct sunlight, that is why it is in a dark bottle.
- If you are serving the salad outdoors, do not leave it in the sun or it will go bitter.
- If you get a stain – and you will – on clothes or your tablecloth, do not wash it. Just place the item in the sun for a few hours and the stain will disappear. You can then launder the item as usual.
Styrian Potato Field Salad | Erdäpfel Vogerlsalat
Ingredients
- 2 pds waxy potatoes
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 5 ounces/150 gr bacon or speck optional
- 3.5 ounces/100 gr field salad
- 1 very liberal shot of Styrian pumpkin seed oil Kürbiskernöl
Instructions
- Peel and dice the potatoes in 3/4 inch cubes. Place in a pan and cover with cold water and a dash of salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer until the potatoes are just tender but still hold their shape. Strain.
- In the mean time, mix the vinegar, oil, mustard, stock, sugar, salt and pepper well in a big bowl. Put the cooked potatoes in the bowl and stir gently but evenly. Set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Chop the speck into pieces.
- Pour the potatoes and liquid into a serving dish, top with the field salad and sprinkle with the bacon. Drizzle the salad with the pumpkin seed oil before serving.
Check out all the wonderful Austrian dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Find out how to join Eat the World here and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!
Sugarlovespices: Mini Sacher Torte, Viennese classic chocolate cake
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Kasespatzle
Palatable Pastime: Frankfurter Würstchen (Austrian Hot Dog)
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Viennese Kaiser Rolls
Sneha’s Recipe: Keto Wiener Beef Schnitzel
Pandemonium Noshery: Kaiserschmarrn – Austrian Torn Pancake
Cultureatz: Styrian Potato Field Salad
I know and love that type of lettuce. In Italy, it is called valerianella or songino and is very common. Speck, as well, very common and loved 😉 . Yummy potato salad.
I am so glad you know this great lettuce. isn’t speckthe best?
This sounds amazing!
Thanks, it’s totally delicious
I’ve never had a potato salad like this before, but anything that has bacon has my vote!
Thanks MJ bacon does make everything amazing 🙂
This sounds like a great potato salad – on it’s own for lunch or as a side at a BBQ!
Yes its great for a side or a main…maybe more bacon for a main 🙂
Beautiful salad Evelyne!Perfect for a light summer meal!
Thank you Katerina!
I’m not much of a salad person, but your pure excitement has got me really curious. And I love that you can add bacon to it! Thanks for the heads up on this salad. I’ll be in Germany soon so I’ll look to see if they have something similar.
Oh nice enjoy your trip! For sure you will at least come across the potato salad part there. Where in Germany are you going?
That salad is hiding the GOOD STUFF!!!!! It’s like “EAT ME” or else you don’t get my goodies, under my garden!
Under the garden lol, makes it sound dirty.
Have you “met” me?! lol
Yes…and not yet 🙂 but FOR SURE one day
What a marvelous potato salad! As a kid, I always preferred a mayo base, but now salads like yours are my favorite! And of course, you threw in an exotic twist with the Styrian pumpkin seed oil!
Thank you Liz! Have you tried the pumpkin seed oil before?
You are dedicated to grow your own salad! I don’t have that much patience 🙂 I think a potato salad with a vinegar and mustard based dressing sounds amazing. I mean, the mayonnaise kind is fine, but the vinegar just adds so much more flavor IMO. And bacon…I mean bacon is always a plus 🙂
Ha ha ha thansk Danielle and I only did because the seeds were a trip souvenir. Oh yeah mayonnaise is good but this tops it in flavor … and bacon lol.
That is such a good tip about oil stains. Thank you for sharing.
Only works with the pumpkin seed oil 🙂
Oh I’ve had that pumpkin seed oil. They’re really proud of it there and it is really nice. I do love mayo but I have tried and enjoyed oil and vinegar dressed German potato salads and they’re really good.
Awesome someone knows the oil, of course you would Lorraine 🙂
Looks so delish!
Thank you Jean!
That looks like such a good potato salad – a real fusion of flavours. Delicious
Thanks Fiona,yes a massive Austrian fusion 🙂
Haven’t heard of Vogerlsalat or the pumpkin seed oil before. I thought these greens were arugula !!!. Nice recipe and it is the first time for me to see stock in a salad dressing as well. This post is full of new stuff for me Eve. But I was truly amazed by your last tip!! Leave it in the sun!!! seriously. Is this tip for any oil stain or just for the pumpkin seed one?
Arugula is long in shape but has jagged edges…I think lol. So glad this was an intro to so many things, I was surprised by the stock too. The sun trick only works for this oil because the dark green color gets affected by the rays of the sun that bleach it.
I make a German potato salad with hot bacon dressing, but never thought to top it with greens. Love the idea of this! Really looks pretty and I’ll bet it’s awfully tasty. And thankfully, no need to grow mâche and lose most of the crop to the rabbits — I can always get it at the grocery store. 🙂 Good stuff — thanks.
Hto bacon dressing….wow sounds amazing. No bunnies on my 18th floor balcony ha ha ha.
I can have potatoes in any form and this salad with its amazing dressing sounds very appetizing.
Thank you I hope you give it a try, the pumpkin seed oil is amazing
I don’t eat many potatoes these days, but I do every once in a while and this sounds like a great way to enjoy them. I love that you grew the Vogerlsalat yourself. 🙂
Thanks Lara it was fun to grow an ingredient. This potato salad doe snot disappoint.
We lived in Bamberg, Germany many years ago, and I also brought home seeds, many packs of them for my father’s garden. And I do remember the potato salads there, excellent and not like we have. And the gasthaus’. Germans at that time seldom entertained in their homes, they all met at the Gasthaus. This brings back a lot of great memories, thanks! And your salad sounds deliciouw!
What an amazing comment Pam and so glad it brought back so many memories. I had no idea you lived in Germany for a bit. Yeah the potato salads there are real winners.
warm vinegar and Dijon mustard dressing! I didn’t know letting the dressing stay for jsut 30 minutes for a trick!
Yes it is a delicious dressing and nicely soaked up a bit with the 30 min rest 🙂
I love field salad! This is a simple but very delicious salad and bacon is definitely a must here :-))
Thanks Angie and yes the bacon is a must. Do you know that pumpkin seed oil?
I haven’t had breakfast yet and your post certainly has my mouth watering! Thx for the great Austrian recipes.
My pleasure Doreen. I hope breakfast was good.