Recipe: Bacon-Lovers’ Potato Salad
Serves6 to 8
As many variations of potato salad as there are out there, it’s hard to beat the classic combination of smoky bacon and tender potatoes. In this tangy German-inspired potato salad, there’s bacon-y goodness infused into every single bite. For all you bacon-lovers out there, this recipe should be at the top of your list the next time a side of potato salad is needed to go next to some fried chicken, burgers, hot dogs, or barbecued ribs.
This potato salad gets all its flavor from bacon. The smoky fat is rendered out of the bacon as it browns, and it’s the perfect base to use in a vinaigrette instead of oil. Whisk in some apple cider vinegar, a dollop of Dijon mustard, and some fresh scallions, and you’ve got a tasty dressing that the sliced red potatoes greedily soak up after they’re boiled until tender.
All the salad needs is a little time for the flavors to meld, some chopped fresh parsley, and all that crispy bacon that you’ve probably been snacking on the whole time you were making this salad.
Bacon-Lovers' Potato Salad
Serves6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds
red potatoes
- 6 ounces
thick-cut bacon slices (6 to 7 slices), diced
- 3 tablespoons
apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon
Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup
thinly sliced scallions
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup
coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
Halve the potatoes (quarter if large), then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place in a large saucepan of heavily salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are knife-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the bacon and make the dressing.
Place the bacon in a medium frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Measure out 1/4 cup of the bacon fat and place in a large heatproof bowl.
Add the vinegar, mustard, scallions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the bacon fat, season with pepper, and whisk to combine; set aside until the potatoes are ready.
Drain the potatoes well, immediately add to the bowl of dressing, and gently toss with a rubber spatula to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed (the potatoes will probably need a lot of salt). Set aside to cool slightly and for the flavors to meld, about 20 minutes. Add the parsley and reserved bacon and toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.