This Bacon Potato Salad is a classic potato salad that will make your heart happy. The stars in this salad are bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and mayo. This humble salad is perfect for any occasion, from barbecues to potlucks and everything else in between.
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Potato Salad With Bacon is the best
I love potato salad, and many of you are with me on this one. This recipe comes from the Midwest, where comforting food is a must. Winters are cold and long, and summers are short, so cooking heart and belly-warming food is a must.
The potato salad recipes I saw in Minnesota are easy to make and require ingredients most people have in their pantries.
There are not too many spices, not too many crazy ingredients, and everything is kept simple and delicious. There is no potluck, church gathering, or summer barbecue without the humble potato salad.
Ingredients
Potatoes
There is no potato salad without potatoes, right? However, the main question is what kind of potatoes are suitable for this salad?
There are different types of potatoes out there, but I like only two kinds for this recipe: red potatoes or Yukon potatoes. These potatoes keep their shape, providing texture to the salad. I used Yukon.
Eggs
I use large hard-boiled eggs that I usually boil in water for a maximum of 7 minutes to achieve a perfect result.
Bacon stripes
The best bacon for this salad is the bacon you like the most and have in the refrigerator. If I had to choose what kind of bacon I like the best, it would be the thick-cut hickory-smoked bacon. However, I like turkey bacon too, and I would not hesitate to use it in a potato salad.
Green celery
Celery is always used to bring crunchiness and texture to the salad.
Green onions
Green onions or scallions are my first choice for the salad. They are milder than the regular onion and provide freshness and texture to the dish.
Mayonnaise or salad dressing?
There are many brands and flavors out there, and people like different things. If you know a brand that you like more than the other, use it.
I like Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise because it is an all-purpose mayo that is perfect for all kinds of jobs. It is thick enough but also spreadable and tangy without being overpowering.
However, you will probably use Duke’s mayo if you are in the south. I was visiting my daughter in D.C. when I made this recipe, and Duke’s mayo is what was popular in the grocery stores, so I tried it.
I have to say that I quite like it and I know that many people would agree with me. It is a delicious mayo. I'm not too fond of salad dressings because most of them have added sugar, which I try to avoid. My recommendation is real mayo.
Mustard
Regular yellow mustard is classic for this recipe. However, Dijon is a good replacement. I would not use spicy mustard if I served the salad at a potluck, for example.
Also, whole-grain mustard is not suitable for this recipe.
Vinegar
White vinegar is my secret to a fantastic potato salad. It brings acidity and the “umami” that binds all ingredients together. You can also use red wine vinegar, Champagne Vinegar, or even apple cider vinegar.
How to make
Step 1. Clean and cook the potatoes.
Clean the potatoes in cold water and place them unpeeled in a pot of salted water. The salty water is crucial, as it flavors the potatoes. Bring everything to a boil.
Cook for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. A fork should go through them easily. Drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool.
Peel the cooked potatoes and chop them into bite-size pieces. Place them into a salad bowl.
Step 2. Boil the eggs.
Place the eggs in a pot with cold water and bring them to a boil. Set the timer for seven minutes from the moment the water starts boiling. When the time is up, place the eggs under cold water to stop the cooking.
We do not want to overcook the eggs and end up with that green ring around the egg yolk. This is why we boil them for seven minutes and stop the cooking right away under cold water.
Step 3. Cook the bacon.
In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain and set aside to cool.
Step 4. Chop the rest of the ingredients.
Chop the celery stalks, green onions, and eggs into bite-size. Place them over the potatoes. Add chopped bacon, but reserve some for sprinkling the salad when ready to serve.
Step 4. Make the dressing.
Combine mayonnaise and mustard, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the dressing to the salad bowl and mix lightly until all the ingredients are well coated.
Step 5. Place the salad in the refrigerator.
When ready to serve, give the salad a good toss to help redistribute the dressing and add the crumbled bacon and some chopped green onions on top of the salad for decoration.
Should I boil potatoes whole or cut them for potato salad?
I like to boil the potatoes whole, but you can also cut them into chunks. If you use organic potatoes or new potatoes, you can leave the skin on as the skin also has nutrients that are good for us. If you do not use organic potatoes, peel them after they are boiled.
Can I make this Salad in advance?
Yes, for better results, I recommend making the salad in advance. This way, the ingredients have time to get acquainted with each other and create a symphony of flavors on the plate.
How long can I keep it in the refrigerator?
You can keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. Keep the salad in a covered container or a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
Difference between Bacon Potato Salad And German Potato Salad
Potato salad is a versatile recipe, and you will find a multitude of versions out there. From my experience, as one side of my family is German, some of the German potato salad recipes don't have any mayo.
They could have bacon, but the binding for the salad is a vinegar and oil dressing. German salad can be served either warm or cold, while an American potato salad is usually served cold and is made with mayonnaise.
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German Potato Salad- Rhineland Style
📖 Recipe
Bacon Potato Salad
Equipment
- Stainless Steel Sauce Pan with Lid
- German Stainless Steel Kitchen Knife Block Sets with Built-in Sharpener
- Titanium Nonstick Thermo-Spot 10/12-Inch Cookware Set
- 3-Piece Wooden Spoon Set
Ingredients
- 8 medium potatoes red, Yukon or all purpose
- 3 eggs large, hard boiled
- 5-6 strips of bacon
- 3 stalks ribs celery
- 3-4 green onions scallions
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ½ tablespoon mustard regular
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean the potatoes in cold water and place them unpeeled in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil. Cook for about 25 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. A fork should go through them easily. Drain the water and allow the potatoes to cool.
- In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Peel the cooked potatoes and chop them into bite-size pieces. Place them into a salad bowl.
- Chop the celery stalks, green onions, and eggs. Place them over the potatoes.
- Combine mayo and mustard and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the dressing to the salad bowl and mix lightly until all the ingredients are well coated. Crumble bacon over the top and refrigerate.
- When ready to serve, give the salad a good toss to help redistribute the dressing.
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