Potato Salad With Bacon
The secret to better Potato Salad With Bacon? Dress it twice. This easy recipe has crispy bacon, perfectly seasoned potatoes and a creamy texture that stays delicious even after chilling.
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“I made it and it turned out amazing!!”
—Jami
Potato Salad With Bacon That Stays Creamy, Not Dry
If there’s one thing worse than bland potato salad, it’s potato salad that starts out creamy, then mysteriously turns dry after a few hours in the fridge. Luckily, we can tell you exactly what’s happening here: warm potatoes are soaking up all that dressing.
That’s why this potato salad with bacon recipe uses a technique we’ve been relying on for years – a simple two-step dressing technique. Half of the dressing gets tossed with the warm potatoes, allowing them to absorb tons of flavor as they chill. Then, just before serving, the rest of the dressing gets folded in along with crispy bacon and green onions. The result is a potato salad that’s seasoned all the way through, but still creamy when it hits the table.
Made with red potatoes, bacon, mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar, this bacon potato salad recipe is a great side dish for burgers, Buttermilk Grilled Chicken, Root Beer Ribs, or anything else coming off the grill.
Why You Will Love This Bacon Potato Salad Recipe
- The two-step dressing method keeps the potatoes flavorful on the inside while ensuring the finished salad is still creamy when you serve it.
- Crispy bacon adds smoky, salty flavor that balances the tangy dressing without overwhelming the potatoes.
- Red potatoes hold their shape really well, so you get tender chunks instead of mashed-up potato salad.
Potato Salad Recipe With Bacon Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- red potatoes – we tested this recipe with many different kinds of potatoes, including Yukon Golds and russet potatoes, and we like red potatoes the best, because they hold their shape well after boiling and chilling. Their thin skins also mean there’s no peeling required, which saves time and helps keep the potatoes intact.
- bacon – crispy bacon adds the salty, smoky flavor that makes this potato and bacon salad feel a little more special than a classic deli version. Cook it until crisp using our directions for Bacon In The Oven or Air Fryer Bacon so it keeps its crunch when mixed into the salad. Or, cook it in a skillet if you prefer.
- green onions – these add freshness and mild onion flavor without overpowering the dressing in the way that red onions or even a yellow sweet onion might.
- mayonnaise – the foundation of the creamy dressing. It provides creaminess and helps coat every piece of potato evenly.
- sour cream – adds a bit of tang and lightens the richness of the mayonnaise.
- Dijon mustard – brings acidity and subtle sharpness that keeps the dressing from tasting flat.
- red wine vinegar – this might be the secret ingredient. It balances the richness of the bacon and dressing.
- sugar – just enough to round out the vinegar and mustard without making the dressing sweet.
- paprika – adds color and a subtle savory depth of flavor. We used regular paprika, but smoked paprika works nicely if you’d like a stronger smoky flavor.
- kosher salt and black pepper – properly seasoned potatoes are the difference between memorable potato salad and bland potato salad. Don’t skip salting the cooking water.
How To Make Red Potato Salad With Bacon
- BOIL. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, season the water generously with salt and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender but still holding their shape. Drain, but do not rinse.
- MIX. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, sugar, paprika, pepper and remaining salt until smooth. Transfer half of the dressing to a separate container and refrigerate.
- DRESS. In a large mixing bowl, stir the warm potatoes with the remaining half of the dressing. This allows the potatoes to absorb flavor while they cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- FINISH. Just before serving, add the reserved dressing, bacon and green onions. Toss everything together until evenly coated and serve chilled.
Potato And Bacon Salad Home Chef Tips
- Two tablespoons of salt seems like a lot when you are boiling potatoes, but you want the water to be as salty as the ocean so that the seasoning gets inside the potatoes.
- Dress the potatoes while they’re still warm. Warm potatoes absorb flavor far more effectively than cold potatoes.
- Save the bacon for the end. Adding it right before serving helps preserve its crisp texture.
- If the potatoes begin falling apart during cooking, they’re overcooked. Start checking them a few minutes early. They should be tender when pierced with a knife, but you want them to still have some bite to them.
- Feel free to add any mix-ins or garnishes you would like. Hard-boiled eggs, parsley, celery, cheddar cheese and dill relish are all nice variations on this classic.
Make Ahead And Storage
- Make Ahead: Prepare the recipe through the first dressing step and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Just before serving, add the reserved dressing, bacon and green onions.
- Refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freezing is not recommended. The mayonnaise-based dressing can separate and the potatoes can become grainy once thawed.
Red Potato And Bacon Salad FAQ
Potatoes naturally absorb dressing as they cool. That’s why this recipe reserves half of the dressing to add just before serving.
Yes. In fact, this recipe was designed for that. Prepare the salad with the first half of the dressing, then add the reserved dressing, bacon and onions before serving.
Red potatoes are ideal because they hold their shape well after boiling and chilling while still becoming tender and creamy.
No. Let the bacon cool and add it just before serving to keep it crisp.
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Potato Salad With Bacon
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds small redskin potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 8 slices Oven Bacon crumbled
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat to boiling over high heat, add 2 tablespoons kosher salt, then reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes or until fork-tender but not falling apart, stirring occasionally-
- Drain potatoes (do not rinse), then transfer to large bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, sugar, pepper, paprika and remaining 1 teaspoon salt until smooth. Place half of dressing in small covered bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve salad.
- Add remaining half of dressing to bowl with potatoes and toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- If desired, reserve a small amount of the bacon for garnish. Just before serving, add the remaining bacon, green onions and reserved dressing to the potatoes and toss until well combined. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and serve.
