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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:

Ingredients for making potato salad.
  • Prepare all your ingredients ready to start cooking.
Freshly boiled new potatoes draining.
  • 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.
streaky bacon on a tray straight out of the oven.
  • 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.
Pouring double cream into a bowl.
  • 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.
Bacon and chives added into a creamy dressing.
  • 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.
A white bowl filled with creamy potato salad

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.

Pin the recipe:

Additional recipe suggestions:

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

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.

Creamy Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon

Creamy potato salad, flavoured with mustard and bacon is a delicious way to serve the humble potato. A great side to serve at a Summer barbecue.
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Save
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 portions
Calories: 252kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 kg new potatoes (cleaned and cut into large chunks)
  • 10 slices streaky bacon
  • 150 g good quality mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 100 ml single cream
  • 20 g fresh chives (chopped)

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain then set aside to steam dry in the colander and allow to cool.
  • 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 flavour 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.

Notes

For a vegetarian version of this salad simply leave out the bacon.
Nutrition Facts
Creamy Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon
Amount Per Serving
Calories 252 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 27mg9%
Sodium 238mg10%
Potassium 407mg12%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 175IU4%
Vitamin C 17mg21%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Canape, Starter, Side, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine : British
Keyword : best creamy potato salad, creamy potato salad, Easy, new potato salad, Quick, Simple
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Recipe Rating




5 from 18 votes (7 ratings without comment)

Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie

Monday 19th of July 2021

YUM! Adding bacon definitely takes potato salad to the next level! Eb :-)

Lesley

Tuesday 20th of July 2021

Thank you Eb, this is one very tasty potato salad for sure.

Marita

Friday 9th of July 2021

What a great recipe. I love potato salad and having it with British bacon just makes it even better.

Lesley

Tuesday 20th of July 2021

Thank you Marita, it's such a flavour packed side.

Carrie Carvalho

Thursday 8th of July 2021

Such a perfect combination of flavours, I will be making this on repeat all summer!

Lesley

Tuesday 20th of July 2021

Thank you Carrie, it's definitely one of our favourite sides.

Marie Wright

Wednesday 7th of July 2021

Lovely side dish for our summer BBQ!

Lesley

Tuesday 20th of July 2021

Thank you Marie, it's one of our favourite summer sides.

Cat

Wednesday 7th of July 2021

Bacon makes everything better! I only like homemade potato salad and this looks so delicious!

Lesley

Tuesday 20th of July 2021

Thank you Cat, I couldn't agree more - homemade potato salad is better than anything you can buy in a store.

5 from 18 votes (7 ratings without comment)