creamy potato salad with bacon and chives

Creamy potato salad with crispy bacon pieces and flavoured with fresh chives and Dijon mustard, a great tasting side any time of the year.

It would be fair to say that I do love the humble potato: mashed; roasted; fried - I'm really not fussy. However, one of my absolute favourite ways to serve potatoes is this creamy potato salad with bacon.

The crispy bacon cuts through the creamy dressing and adds a salty crunch to the salad, the chives a burst of freshness while the Dijon mustard adds a gentle warmth to the dressing.

I've made this salad for years, particularly over the summer months when new potatoes are at their best. This salad always goes down well with my family and friends and I don't think I've ever had any leftovers.

There are no fancy ingredients either in this new potato salad either. The dressing is made with ingredients that I always have in the fridge so I can pull it together easily.

This creamy potato salad with bacon can be cooked, prepared and on the table in less than 30 minutes, making this a great tasting, quick side any day of the week.

Can new potato salad be served warm?

Potato salad can be served either warm, as soon as it has been made. Or cold, by simply allowing the potatoes to cool completely before being coating in the salad dressing. Either way works a treat.

However, if you plan to serve the salad cold, place it in the serving bowl, cover with some clingfilm and pop the salad in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

What potatoes are best for potato salad?

You can make potato salad with pretty much any potato, although I would not recommend using a floury potato, they break down too easily. Instead I prefer to use a waxier potato for both its flavour and texture. A new potato tends to hold it's shape better when coated in the salad dressing.

New potatoes have the added benefit of not having to be pared before hand, just a quick clean, cut them to size and they are ready to go.

I like to use new potatoes for this creamy potato salad as they have a deliciously earthy flavour. Any variety of new potato will work, for example: Jersey Royals, Charlotte; Anya or Cornish Kings.

How to make potato salad - recipe steps:

• Prepare all your ingredients ready to start cooking.

• Cut the potatoes to size, place in a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook until al dente.
• Drain then set aside and allow to steam dry and cool.

• While the potatoes are cooking, place the bacon under a medium-high grill and cook until crispy.
• Remove the bacon on to some kitchen roll and allow it to cool before breaking up into smaller pieces.
• Reserve any cooking liquids left in the bottom of the grill pan to add to the salad dressing.

• In a large mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, cream, mustard, vinegar and a little of the reserved bacon cooking liquids and whisk well to combine.

• Add the freshly chopped chives, potatoes and half of the crispy bacon, stir well to combine.

• Place the potato salad in a serving dish and sprinkle over the remaining crispy bacon pieces.
• This salad can be served either still warm or cold.
• If making ahead of time, cover the dish with clingfilm and place in a refrigerator.

How to cut potatoes for salad?

To ensure an even cook, cut the potatoes into pieces of an even size, ideally bite-sized pieces. As well as being quick to cook, this also makes the salad easy to eat. This is particularly important if you are having a party and enjoying the meal outdoors in the sunshine - it makes it easier to eat if you are sat on a picnic rug.

You can also look for baby new potatoes which tend to be really small in size and therefore require no cutting at all as they can be cooked whole.

Recipe substitutions and variations:

• New potatoes should be washed and cut into bite-sized pieces - no need to peel. You can use any variety of new potato.
• Crispy bacon is used to flavour the potato salad. If you want a vegetarian potato salad leave the bacon out altogether.
• Fresh chives have a lovely mellow onion flavour which work great in salads but can be substituted with spring onions or other fresh herbs like thyme or parsley.
• Dijon mustard add a lovely mild warmth to the salad dressing, you can substitute with a wholegrain mustard if you prefer. English mustard would work, but as it is a lot stronger you would have to cut back on the amount, adding a little at a time and tasting as you go to ensure you don't add to much.
• Mayonnaise thickens the salad dressing, you can substitute with natural Greek yogurt or creme fraiche.
• Single cream loosens the salad dressing, you could also use whipping cream.
• White wine vinegar adds acidity to the salad dressing. Substitute red wine vinegar or even some freshly squeezed lemon juice. Don't use malt vinegar, it is too harsh for this salad dressing.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great make ahead dish. Cook the potatoes, cool them down then add the salad dressing, half the crispy bacon pieces and freshly cut chives. Cover the dish and place the salad in the fridge. Also place the remaining crispy bacon into a container and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

When ready to enjoy, take the remain crispy bacon pieces and scatter them over the potato salad and serve.

Serving suggestions:

This versatile creamy potato salad not only tastes great but can be served in a variety of different ways:

• Enjoy any day of the week, a great tasting side dish to go with your dinner main.
• Planning a party? For hassle free catering, make ahead of time and serve this potato salad in large bowls alongside other side salads and cold cuts, buffet style, and allow your guests to help themselves.
• A great barbecue side to enjoy with grilled meat, burgers, sausages or vegetable kebabs.
• Pop some in a container, pack it into your cool bag, and bring along on a picnic with other salads and cold cuts.

Useful hints and tips:

1. Take care not to over cook the potatoes! You want them cooked but still with a bit of bite.
2. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
3. Planning a barbecue or party? No problem, the recipe for this creamy potato salad with bacon can be doubled or trebled, depending on the numbers you are catering for.
4. For a vegetarian creamy potato salad simply remove the crispy bacon from the salad. You could also add in some chopped pickled gerkin (dill pickle) to add the crunch back into the salad.
5. Egg allergy, replace regular mayonnaise with an egg free mayonnaise or natural Greek yogurt.
6. Allergy advice: gluten free, soy free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try some of our other great tasting vegetable side dishes:

• Warm Potato Salad with Wild Garlic
• Warm Vegan Potato Salad
• Easy Bean Salad
• Italian Marinated Aubergines
• Spicy Chickpea & Carrot Salad
• Fennel & Apple Slaw
• Quick Roasted Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar
• Oven Roasted Asparagus

If you are looking to change things up a bit, have a look at our 12 Best Potato Side Dishes post. It's full of useful hints and tips, along with all our favourite potato sides.

Love salad? Then head to our Best Salad Recipes post where you will find links to all our favourite salads in one place.

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