This potato salad with bacon is a flavorful twist on a classic side dish—made with baby potatoes, crispy bacon, and a zesty dressing. Serve it warm or cold for the perfect addition to summer BBQs, holiday meals, or everyday dinners.
I have to confess: while I am a huge fan of the kind of salads that are full of greens and beautiful rainbows of yummy fruits and veggies and nuts, I have a soft spot in my heart for the salads that my mind says "pish posh, this isn't really a boring salad! This is a delicious bowl of bad-for-you goodness! Eat, EAT!"
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Why You’ll Love This Potato Salad with Bacon
- Easy to make ahead for picnics, potlucks, and weeknight meals
- Two ways to serve: enjoy it warm or chilled
- Packed with flavor: crispy bacon, fresh herbs, and tangy dressing
Ingredients
To make this potato salad with bacon, you'll need:
- Potatoes - Use mini gold potatoes.
- Bacon - Cut up 5 slices of bacon into small pieces and cook until crispy.
- Garlic - I use 3 garlic cloves, minced, but if you don't love garlic as much as I do, you can cut down to 2 cloves or even one large garlic clove.
- Olive oil - Use the best extra virgin olive oil you've got.
- Shallots - I love the more subtle flavors that shallots lend to dishes like this compared to onions. But if you don't have shallots, you can substitute white onions.
- Apple cider vinegar - Apple cider vinegar adds a nice tanginess to the sauce that coats the potatoes.
- Lemon - You'll need both lemon juice and lemon zest, which add bright, refreshing acidity to the potato salad.
- Chives - Sliced chives add a freshness and brightness, balancing the whole dish.
How to make potato salad with bacon
The printable recipe card is near the bottom of the post. Here are some helpful instructions to read before you start making this recipe.
- Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, then drain and cool slightly. This should take about 20 minutes.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy.
- Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute, just until the garlic is softened and fragrant.
- Remove from heat, drain the bacon fat, and let the cooked bacon and garlic rest in the pan on top of the stove.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and shallots.
- Add potatoes to the bacon and garlic in the skillet or Dutch oven. Pour the lemony shallot oil mixture over the top, and toss together until the potatoes are well coated.
- Sprinkle the chives over the top.
Tips for Perfect Potato Salad with Bacon
- Use baby potatoes for the best texture - Baby yellow potatoes hold their shape well and have a naturally creamy texture. Leave the skins on for added color and nutrients.
- Salt the water when boiling potatoes - Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water, like you would for pasta. It infuses the potatoes with flavor from the inside out.
- Don’t overcook the potatoes - Boil just until fork-tender. Overcooked potatoes will fall apart when mixing and make the salad mushy.
- Let the potatoes cool slightly before mixing - Tossing warm potatoes with the dressing helps them absorb more flavor, but don’t add the bacon too early, wait until the potatoes cool slightly so it stays crisp.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe is NOT a creamy, mayonnaise-based potato salad. This is a lighter, vinaigrette-based potato salad.
If you want a creamy potato salad, you could add a mix of mayonnaise for creamy texture, smashed hard-boiled eggs, and a bit of mustard for some tang. Of course, then you're making a totally different potato recipe ;)
Store this baby potato salad with bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
This potato salad does not freeze very well, so I would not recommend trying to freeze this dish.
What to serve with this potato salad
This salad is delicious when served as a side with any of these main course recipes:
- Cast Iron Ribeye Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
- How to Build the Best Burger Bar
- Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut
Best wine pairing for potato salad
Since this is a lighter, vinaigrette-based potato salad, it pairs well with a really crisp white wine. Pair this potato dish with a light Pinot Grigio or a dry Riesling.
More delicious side dishes
Baby Potato Salad with Bacon
Equipment
- 1 stockpot
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds of yellow or Yukon Gold baby potatoes
- 5 pieces of bacon cooked (save 1 Tablespoon of bacon drippings!)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons of cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallot
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
Instructions
- Bring potatoes to a boil in a large pot. Be sure to cover the potatoes by at least an inch or two with water, and to season the water generously with salt. They should take about 20 minutes to cook, and should be tender but not mushy when done.
- While the potatoes are boiling, cook the bacon pieces in a large skillet or a Dutch oven over medium heat until they're good & crispy. Then add the garlic and cook for one more minute, just until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Remove from heat, drain the bacon fat, and let rest in the pan on top of the stove.
- In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, cider vinegar, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and shallots.
- When the potatoes are done, drain them over a colander and slice them either into halves or quarters, depending on how large your baby potatoes are and what your preference is.
- Add potatoes to skillet or Dutch oven with the bacon and garlic. Pour over the lemony shallot oil mixture and combine until all of the potatoes are well coated. Sprinkle the chives on top.
- You can serve immediately or let the salad sit for 20-30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Tavo says
Loved how easy-to-make and delicious this recipe is!
Mirlene says
Potatoes and bacon are a great combo! This is great for a side dish for my family parties cause they love anything with bacon!
Nathan says
This is a fantastic potato salad, definitely the one I'll be making for any barbecues or picnics this summer!
Beth says
This is a delicious summer salad. Perfect for picnics since it's not mayonnaise based.
Sisley White says
Yes please! I love this recipe for baby potatoes with bacon. They work so well together as a side dish but I've also had them for lunch on its own.