Classic Potato Salad Recipe with Bacon

This Classic Potato Salad Recipe with Bacon is guaranteed to be devoured at all your summer barbeques. You’ll love this recipe because it’s quick and easy and can be made several hours ahead!

Say goodbye to bland potato salad. This recipe is filled with flavor thanks to the Dijon mustard, celery seed, fresh parsley, and red onion. 

The best part is the salty bacon on top! Just reserve it until right before serving. That will keep it nice and crispy!

Ingredients:

• Yukon Gold Potatoes: It’s best to use a waxy potato that will hold its shape after boiling. If you can’t find Yukon Golds, you can also use Red New Potatoes or Dutch Baby Potatoes. 
• Mayonnaise will give the potato salad a rich flavor and silkiness.
• Sour Cream I cut the richness with equal parts sour cream, so the salad is not too heavy. 
• Dijon Mustard will give the dressing a little bit of a bite and additional flavor. Use the Dijon mustard, for the best flavor, stay away from the yellow mustard (that’s better left for hotdogs!) Bland potato salads usually lack this kicky element. An aternative to mustard would be to use the same amount of horseradish or apple cider vinegar. 
• Salt I use Kosher salt for the best flavor or Maldon Sea Salt. 
• Freshly Cracked Black Pepper adds a nice spicy kick to the salad. Feel free to add a bit more for a garnish before serving. 
• Celery Seed is a spice not often used in the kitchen, but it is critical, in my opinion, for that Classic Potato Salad taste! If using celery salt (the next best thing), leave out the Kosher salt; otherwise, your salad will be too salty. Personally, I think the full celery seed without the salt will provide the best flavor. 
• Fresh Parsley gives a wonderful summer freshness to the salad, but no need to stop there! You could also add fresh tarragon, chives or basil too. 
• Red Onion or Shallot, the onion will provide a bigger bite of flavor, whereas the shallot will be more subtle in flavor. Either one will provide a nice crunch to the salad. 
• Scallions Use both the white and green parts of the scallion. They will provide a delicious, crunchy, fresh flavor.
• Applewood Smoked Bacon, the bacon is really the best part! It’s crispy and salty and pairs well with the creamy potato salad. 

No Love for Mayonnaise?

Potato salad is typically made with mayonnaise. But many potato salad lovers have a love-hate relationship with mayo, so if mayo is not your thing, check out my recipe for No-Mayo Potato Salad made with a classic French vinaigrette, shallots and green beans.

What to Serve with This Recipe:

• This salad pairs beautifully with my Sticky Ribs Recipe or my Ultimate Burger
• But you can also serve it alongside a Mixed Grill Dinner or Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches as well.
• My Easy Mexican Corn Salad and my Cucumber Dill Salad are other summer side dishes that pair perfectly with grilled items too!

What Potatoes are Best for Potato Salad?

• I find the “waxy potatoes” are best for potato salad since they hold their shape. Unlike starchy potatoes, such as russet potatoes, which don’t hold their shape well after boiling, However, Russets are great for mashed potatoes; you can try them in my Hachis Parmentier Recipe!
• One of my favorite waxy potatoes is a Yukon Gold potato. I love them for the buttery flavor they add to recipes.
• I do not add hard-boiled eggs to my potato salad (because I feel like that’s what egg salad is for!?) but you could if you prefer. 

Do You Need To Chop Potatoes Before Boiling?

• Personally, I say NO. All you need to do is peel them first.
• If you chop them before boiling, they will become waterlogged and mushy.
• Keeping the potato whole protects the potato from absorbing too much water as it cooks.
• Once drained, run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will keep the potatoes firm and prevent them from becoming too mushy.
• You can chop them after they are fully cooled.

Watch the Video Demo of this Recipe

Step#1: Peel and Boil Potatoes

• After the potatoes are just fork-tender, remove them from the water. This will prevent them from becoming overcooked. An overcooked potato is a mushy potato! They will crumble once mixed with the dressing, so don’t cook them any longer than fork-tender. 
• Run them under cold water to stop the cooking process, then carefully strain them and allow them to cool.
• When they are cool enough to handle, chop them into bite-sized pieces for easy eating. Place the potatoes in a small bowl and set them aside.

Why Does My Potato Salad Get Watery?

• A watery potato salad can be caused by mixing the potatoes while they are too hot or by the ingredients used in your potato salad (for example, too much vinegar or other liquid).
• Drain the potatoes well and allow them to cool to room temperature before mixing.
• If you mix them while hot, the potatoes will continue to sweat, adding moisture to the salad and resulting in a watery potato salad.
• Drain all excess water if you add relish or other chopped vegetables to your salad.
• Some vegetables like pickles, celery, or cucumbers can release moisture after they are handled or chopped which can also make a potato salad watery!

Step #2: Make the Dressing

• I like combining mayonnaise and sour cream to give the dressing a smooth and silky texture.
• They both contribute great flavor, with the richness of the mayonnaise and a nice bite from the sour cream.
• You’ll add a series of other flavorings and textures to that base. I love a bit of mustard for some heat, some celery salt for a classic potato salad spice, and shallot or red onion for the crunch. Add some fresh parsley for a bit of summer freshness!

Can You Make Potato Salad the Day Before?

• Yes! The longer the ingredients in the potato salad sit, the longer the flavors will marry.
• Making the salad the day before also allows the potatoes to absorb the dressing, making it less runny.
• If making ahead, it’s a good idea to reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing and set it aside. That way, you can stir it in right before serving in case the potato salad looks a bit dry after refrigeration. 
• If you make this the night before, hold off on adding the bacon garnish until serving to avoid soggy bacon. It’s much better to have it nice and crisp!

Step #3: Assemble the Potato Salad

• Pour the dressing over the potatoes and gently stir to combine.
• Transfer this to a serving bowl and top it with chopped scallions.
• If you really want to jazz it up, add some chive blossoms for a beautiful finish.

Cooking the Bacon

• For this recipe, I prefer to cook the bacon in the microwave, as it’s the quickest and easiest method.
• Since the bacon gets chopped up, having perfectly formed bacon is less of an issue.
• I also find it’s easier to get it extra crispy in the microwave, and doesn’t require “babysitting” a skillet.
• Place your salad in a pretty serving bowl. I love the combination of a classic salad like this, served in something beautiful like this hand-thrown bowl from House Copper.

Serving and Storage Tips:

• Keep the potato salad chilled until right before serving. 
• If taking to a picnic, it’s best not to place the salad in direct sunlight and leave it sitting out for hours. The mayonnaise in it can easily spoil if left in the sun.
• This salad will be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 

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Classic Potato Salad Recipe with Bacon

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This Classic Potato Salad recipe is an all-American classic guaranteed at many summer cookouts. It's a quick and easy recipe to pair with sticky ribs or burgers!

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs of Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream
• 2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) salt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) celery seed
• 1 tbsp (15ml) parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) red onion or shallot, diced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 5-6 sliced cooked bacon, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes until fork tender. Allow to cool. Cut potatoes into bit-sized chunks and set aside.
2. In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt, celery seed, parsley and red onion. Pour dressing over cut potatoes and toss to combine. Transfer potato salad to a serving bowl.
3. Top with sliced scallions and crumbled cooked bacon.

Notes

If you cannot find Yukon Gold Potatoes look for "Dutch Babies" or Red Potatoes. These are also waxy potato varieties.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 180Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 7g