German Baked Farmhouse Potatoes with Bacon (Bauernkartoffeln) Recipe
Bauernkartoffeln are a rustic way of preparing potatoes that in Germany often land on the table as a hearty lunch or dinner after a day of work in the fields – or nowadays, at the computer. It’s something between roasted potatoes and a casserole: potato slices, onion and bacon bake together until everything is golden and slightly crisp. The dish is a bit like Polish pan-roasted potatoes, but conveniently made in the oven.
Bauernkartoffeln come from traditional German country cooking, where potatoes, bacon and onions were the base of hearty meals after work in the fields. In this oven-baked version, they’re a home classic now also served in inns and at family gatherings.
This dish captures the essence of rustic German comfort food: simple ingredients, big flavor and minimal fuss. Baking everything together lets the potatoes soak up the smoky bacon and onion aromas, creating a deeply satisfying meal from just a few pantry staples.
Why this version works
- Thinly sliced potatoes bake evenly without any precooking.
- Diced bacon renders more evenly than slices and creates a flavorful “sauce” for the potatoes.
- Layering gives you a soft, tender middle and a slightly crispy, nicely browned top.
Chef's tips
Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes so the slices hold their shape while baking. Spread the ingredients in a relatively thin layer so the edges can crisp up nicely. If your bacon is very fatty, you can slightly reduce the amount of oil.
How to serve
Serve as a main dish with a fresh salad or pickles on the side. It also works well as a hearty side for roast meats or grilled sausages. Leftovers make a great base for a fried egg on top the next day.
Watch out for
- Don’t over-salt at the start – bacon is salty; it’s better to add more salt after baking if needed.
- If onion sticks out above the potatoes, it burns easily – tuck it between the slices or cover loosely with foil.
Substitutions
- You can replace the bacon with smoked pork jowl or Black Forest ham, and then reduce the amount of added salt.
- You can swap rosemary for thyme or marjoram for a milder aroma.
- Instead of oil, use clarified butter if you want a richer, more buttery flavor.
Ingredients
- potatoes peeled - 800 g
- bacon smoked, in thin slices or diced - 150 g
- onion sliced into feathers - 2 medium pieces
- vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- sweet paprika ground - 1 teaspoon
- rosemary dried needles or fresh, finely chopped - 1 teaspoon
- garlic sliced into thin slices - 2 cloves
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground
- chives for sprinkling, finely chopped - 10 g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices 3–4 mm thick, trying to keep them as even as possible – once sliced they should bend slightly but not be translucent.
- Put the potato slices into a large bowl, add the oil, paprika, rosemary, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Mix with your hands until every slice is thinly coated in fat and spices, with no dry spots or clumps of seasoning.
- Cut the onion in half and slice into thin feathers. Cut the bacon into cubes or strips with a visible fat layer, and slice the garlic into thin slices – on the board it should smell distinctly of smoke and garlic.
- Spread half of the potatoes onto a large baking tray or into a wide baking dish in a fairly even, flat layer. Scatter half of the onion, bacon and garlic on top so that most of the surface is covered.
- Cover with the remaining potatoes and again sprinkle with onion, bacon and garlic. Gently press down with your hand so the layers even out and no sharp little “hills” stick out that could burn before the center softens.
- Place the tray on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 40–45 minutes. After 25–30 minutes, take a look: the edges of the potatoes should already be lightly golden and a gentle sizzling of fat should appear in the corners of the tray.
- If the top is browning too quickly, cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, without pressing it down onto the potatoes. If you want a more strongly browned top, bake uncovered, making sure the onion doesn’t blacken.
- Towards the end of baking, insert a fork into the center of the bake – it should slide in without resistance, and the slices must not look glassy in the middle. The top should be golden with slightly browned tips.
- Take the bake out of the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes, until the fat stops bubbling vigorously and everything sets slightly. Sprinkle with chopped chives just before serving.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat in the oven or in a frying pan so the potatoes regain some crispness. Best eaten within 2 days.
Bauernkartoffeln are the kind of dish that fills the whole kitchen with a cozy smell and practically invites everyone to the table. It’s an easy, reliable recipe for days when you crave something really comforting and filling.
