Best Ever Potato Salad
This BEST EVER Potato Salad (with bacon!) is straight from grandma’s recipe box! It is easy, creamy, and loaded with bacon, and a secret ingredient in the dressing puts it over the top. It converted me to being a potato salad lover! Please don't go through the entire summer without making this at least once!
Why You’ll Love This Potato Salad with Bacon
I long disliked potato salad because of how over-the-top mayonnaise-y it typically is. That is, until this recipe. It was life-changing, and I am so happy to share the recipe with you!
This recipe comes from a friend's grandmother, and on the recipe card she gave me it is titled "Best Ever Potato Salad". A bold statement and one that always gives me pause, but it is absolutely, 100% warranted in this case.
First, I tend to trust old family recipes over others; second, the grandma was confident enough to call it the best; and lastly, it has a secret ingredient that takes it over the top. Well-deserved!
Ingredients
This classic potato salad relies upon these basic ingredients:
- Red Potatoes – You can substitute Yukon gold potatoes; both hold their shape really well in potato salad.
- Bacon – Regular sliced bacon is perfect!
- Hard-Boiled Eggs – A classic potato salad add-in.
- Celery – For crunch and flavor!
- Onion – A small yellow onion; you can substitute a shallot.
- Mayonnaise – This is the base of the dressing. You can substitute all or part with either sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. These will both impart more of a tangy flavor, but will still work well here.
- Dijon Mustard – Adds a little bite to the dressing.
- Sugar – Classic granulated sugar for a little sweetness in the dressing.
Many potato salad recipes call for vinegar of some type in the dressing, but the Dijon mustard here does a great job of adding tang and acid and goes incredibly well with the creaminess of the mayonnaise and the sweetness of the sugar.
The Secret Ingredient that Makes This Potato Salad THE BEST
The bacon drippings!
Along with all of the great ingredients that give this salad a great depth of flavor and lots of texture, the dressing on this potato salad is what makes it insanely special.
After frying up the bacon, you save a couple of tablespoons of the bacon drippings and whisk in a modest amount of mayonnaise, some Dijon mustard, a bit of sugar, and a smidge of salt.
It is ah-mazing. The flavor is robust, not terribly mayonnaise-y (a huge bonus in my book), and a perfect accent to all the flavors and textures in the salad.
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How to Make This Potato Salad
First things first… if you haven’t hard-boiled your eggs yet, do that first so they have time to cool down before being added to the potato salad. Then…
- Boil the potatoes until they are fork-tender, then drain.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain off the bacon drippings, reserving a couple of tablespoons.
- Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the skillet and whisk to combine.
- Toss together the potatoes, eggs, celery, and green pepper. Pour the dressing over and stir to coat, then gently mix in the bacon.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.
Making it Ahead of Time
Potato salad is the perfect candidate for making in advance! You can safely (and easily) make this potato salad up to 1 day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator before serving.
I have served this to people who claim to hate potato salad because of the mayonnaise factor. I have also served it to people who claim that they only like their mom's/grandma's/aunt's recipe and no others.
All of these people? They have tripped over themselves raving about this recipe, declaring it the best ever potato salad they've ever had.
If You Like This Potato Salad Recipe, Try These Summery Salads:
- Chinese Coleslaw
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Thai Peanut Cabbage Slaw
- Seven Layer Salad
- Broccoli Salad
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this potato salad recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Best Ever Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds red potatoes, cut into small cubes (about 4 cups)
- 12 ounce package bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ cup (170 g) mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ medium green pepper, finely diced
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender. (If you're not sure how to boil the potatoes, this is a good resource.) Drain the potatoes and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the skillet and remove the pan from heat.
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar and salt to the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet and whisk to combine.
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, onion and green pepper. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and gently stir to evenly coat. Stir in the bacon.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Leftovers can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Potatoes: You can substitute Yukon gold potatoes; they also hold their shape well in potato salad.
- Onion: You can use one shallot in place of the chopped onion.
- Mayonnaise: You can substitute all or part with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. These will both impart more of a tangy flavor but will still work.
- Storage: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare this potato salad and keep it covered, in the refrigerator, up to 1 day in advance of serving it.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
The bacon’s not for me. I prefer mine tasting really fresh with lemon juice and fresh herbs, and chives and black pepper, with a mix of greek yoghurt, garlic and mayo. Maybe I could take my bacon on the side, just not mixed in with the salad. :o)
Okay, this looks incredible!! I love potato salad so I’m definitely going to try it!
Bacon, Potatoes… Yes Please!!! Looks amazing!
I ageree :)
This recipe is EXACTLY what I was looking for!
Have you ever tried warm German Potato salad? My hubby is like you and dislikes mayo – this is our go-to potato salad at our house! And it has meat so it makes a quick and easy ‘skillet’ dinner too!! :)
Would love to have this recipe…my neighbour used to make it…its to die for…
You have this vegetarian drooling and actually wanting to try this…”best ever potato salad” is a bold claim but this sounds like it could be it! Maybe I’ll try it with veggie bacon. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m intrigued. I swear by my grandmother’s potato salad recipe which is savory and sweet. I’ve never heard of using bacon in potato salad though so I’d like to give this a try and see how it goes. I don’t know if this will be able to beat out my grandma’s recipe though, it lacks our tasty spices and secret ingredient. I don’t keep actual measurements (I do it all by sight and taste) or I would send it over for you to try out.
What is your grandmother’s recipe?
Heavenly! You had me sold at bacon drippings before I even saw the rest of the ingredients! My friend is having a bbq Friday night and was going to use Ina’s potato salad recipe. I think I must forward this along to her :-)
I don’t know if this is weird but what about artichoke in these as well?! Great photos and post.
I LOVE anything with bacon! My mom made pilaf and would brown the rice first in a tablespoon of bacon grease. SO good! I’m looking forward to making this salad for sure. Oh—love the pictures too.
Just yesterday I had a facebook conversation with a friend who let us all know that her daughters favorite FAT is bacon. I’ll be sending this recipe her way. It’s nice to see a recipe that uses the bacon grease…do you have other such recipes? it’s so flavorful that it’s kind of strange that you don’t see more recipes for it.
Hi Gwenevere, I actually have two other recipes…
This maple-bacon popcorn is popped in reserved bacon drippings:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/01/19/maple-bacon-kettle-popcorn/
And these bacon onion cheddar biscuits use some of the leftover bacon grease to fry up the onions:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/09/08/bacon-onion-cheddar-biscuits/
Enjoy! :)
If you aren’t too concerned about the fat content, Bacon is absolutely the best flavoring, for Potato salad and for Collards too. In the interest of health, you could substitute smoked turkey parts( leg or wings) in the collards. Remember to cook them long time befre the frost hits them. Afterwards 30 min to 1 hour will do.
Oh yeah. Bacon drippings. They make just about anything better. With all deference to Benjamin Franklin, it is not beer, but bacon (and butter) that is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy.
Sinful! And I LOVE it!! :)
This recipe looks great and, AS ALWAYS, your pictures are gorgeous!!
Oh the secret is out! Hard to go wrong with bacon drippings! Can’t wait to try this!
This is so similar to my best potato salad recipe and what I love the most? No pickle relish! Mine does mix some sour cream with the mayo so in answer to Sylvia’s question I wouldn’t hesitate to mix it up a bit with yogurt; especially Greek yogurt since it’s got such body.
Makes me want to make some . Now.
Bacon!! I love love love bacon! I am so glad you shared this :)
This is fabulous! I love everything about this recipe. From the bacon to the fact that you left the potato skins on! I make a similar recipe and add cubed chicken yum!
Hey, you had me at bacon drippings.
This sounds amazing. Bacon drippings give everything such a better flavour, I will have to try it for sure.
Of course it’s wonderful! Bacon drippings? Yes, please!
Great potato salad recipe!
I absolutely love potato salad! Yours looks divine!! Bring on the crackers, I am ready!
I am trying this tonight! I have been trying to pry my friend’s grandmother’s recipe for over a year, IT was the best potato salad I have ever and it did contain bacon! Thank you so much…my hubbie will be much appreciative!
I JUST posted on potato salad! Bacon totally does the trick, doesn’t it? I’m with you on mayonnaise-y salads… I love ’em if I make ’em the way I like ’em! This looks awesome, and I love the celery addition. I made mine with BBQ seasoning for a new twist. YUM!
Bacon. Drippings. Oh yeah. This is soooo going on my Easter menu. I’ll put it next to my bacon mac & cheese and then everyone can pass out in a bacon coma.
This sounds so yummy! except for the green pepper. Can’t eat it, so I will try it with out the pepper.
This really does look good. Bacon makes everything better!
I was just wondering, is there no substitute for mayonnaise? Maybe greek yoghurt?
Thanks!
Hi Silvia, I’ve never made potato salad with Greek yogurt or any mayo replacements, but you’ve done it in other recipes you could give it a try here.
thanks :)
Over “mayonnaisey” potato salad has always been a problem for me too – I do half mayonnaise and half sour cream. It retains the consistency pretty well but its not mayonnaise. :) I’ve never tried it with only sour cream but it seems like could work well!
Veganaise is a mayonnaise replacement
sure I use low fat Greek yogurt with Mrs. Dash Original no salt and chopped green onions a lot.
I think it is important to also add some oil (I prefer EVOO) and acid (I prefer a mix of lemon juice and a bit of white (or red) wine vinegar) in addition to Greek yogurt, or even sour cream (or a mix of those). But yes, with the addition of those, a partial or complete substitution of mayo works just fine!
Don’t forget to add some salt and sugar (that would’ve been in the mayo- especially the salt…
I personally find that sour cream, or even yogurt, do not provide quite as much acidity as a good potato salad needs, or the same lubrication as mayo provides- it’s just kind of bland and missing something (at least for me..), and the ‘simple dressing’ of oil and vinegar (with a substitution of mostly lemon juice for vinegar) works perfectly to make a wonderful potato salad in which the mayo will not be missed but celebrated!
Another fantastic addition: fresh herbs… namely dill and parsley (a bit of thyme or even marjoram can be nice too- although they are strong and will definitely change the flavor from being a classic potato salad, which dill and parsley compliment without significantly altering the flavor).
Great suggestions, Jolene -will definitely try these substitutions!
Thank you!
Neat idea! I can’t try it because I’m vegetarian, but I know my boy would love this!
Make it vegetarian, i am also a ,vegetarian You could use veganaise instead of mayo smart bacon and tofu in replace of eggs.
I was raised vegetarian from birth, although not vegan, so dairy, eggs and honey, etc. were on the menu… However, I have never been much or a fan of eggs or mayonnaise especially!
Egg salad, macaroni salad and potato salad were my sworn enemies & nemeses as a child at summer potlucks!
The “bacon replacements” and tofu>egg replacements do NOT solve the problem for me (and I like veganaise no more than mayannaise- although the poster didn’t say she was vegan). However, I did discover a remedy which helped me come to enjoy potato salad! And its solution shares an element of this one but goes a step or two further… In essence: substitute part of the mayonnaise for something else (that performs the same role/function—that being fat, acidity and creaminess). The solution: OLIVE oil (or any salad oil if you don’t like OO), a bit of lemon juice (or even some vinegar; white wine is best, not too strong; but be careful!), and some sour cream (or Greek-style yogurt; or even ranch dressing in a pinch if that’s not offense as well). Substitute about half of the mayonnaise for about 1/3 (of how much mayonnaise is called) of sour cream, and add a little less than 1/4 as much oil & lemon juice/vinegar (2 or 3 parts oil to 1 part “sour” liquid) as mayo is called for. Don’t forget salt and sugar to make up for what would’ve been in the mayo PLUS what your veggies will need. As well as the mustard… I also like a bit of Worcestershire sauce. Sorry about the weird quantities… I was trying to give amounts which could be translated/applied to any recipe and be scaled up. In a smaller recipe like this, the amounts can be guestimated and will be fine; if you were to scale this up the proportions I provided would be helpful (albeit requiring a bit of math). Fresh Herbs- especially dill and parsley- also are a fantastic addition to potato salad!