Foodies, forgive me, but I must confess something. I’m not that big on bacon.
I love waking up to its aroma on a Sunday morning (if someone else is cooking it) but that is generally where my affection ends. For the past year or more, bacon has been a popular subject for food writers eager to explore the complexity of what once played second fiddle to a plateful of scrambled eggs. People seem enthralled by the salty, crispy piece of cured pork.
Not for me. I think there is a time and a place for bacon and every once in awhile, despite my general ambivalence to its culinary ability. Yet, once every rare blue moon, I’m sidelined with a craving for a BLT and I have to have it immediately.
The latest bacon craving happened, conveniently, in the grocery store and resulted in a bacon, lettuce and heirloom tomato sandwich on nine-grain bread with an ample layer of goat cheese instead of mayo. Since buying bacon by the slice is unfortunately a non-option, I was left with a package of bacon and no desire to consume any of it.
I know that bacon has quite a loyal following and didn’t want to let it waste away in the refrigerator, forgotten among half-empty tubs of hummus and fat-free Greek yogurt.
I had seen a recipe for Emeril’s bacon potato salad on A Good Appetite and knew that I had to make it. Two pounds of red potatoes and a pinch of cayenne pepper later, I’ll never go back to regular potato salad.
- 2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1½ tablespoon whole grain mustard (we were all out & just used Dijon & it was great)
- 4 strips bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan & cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender about 10 - 12 minutes. Drain & put in a bowl. While still warm season the potatoes with salt, cayenne, pepper and lemon juice. Toss well. Add the celery, onion, parsley & eggs.
- Mix the mayonnaise & mustard together. Stir into the salad. Add the bacon & toss gently.
- Serve right away or refrigerate & serve cold.
28 Comments
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Palidor
August 30, 2009 at 6:09 pmI didn’t become a fan of bacon until a few years ago. I always found it too fatty and too salty. But now I love bacon, and this salad looks like a great way to eat it!
Jamie
August 26, 2009 at 2:52 amGrowing up in a Jewish home, I just never got in the habit of cooking and adding bacon to things, even being married to a Frenchman who grew up in a home where lardons were often added. I do love bacon (I feel guilty admitting it!) and I know for a fact that adding it too potato salad must be outrageously delicious! Yours looks so wonderful! Yum!
Chrissy
August 25, 2009 at 2:19 pmOh yes, bacon definitely belongs in potato salad. I certainly appreciate bacon, but don’t have a need for it all that often. I do agree with popular belief, though, that it tends to make everything better. 🙂 When I get it, I buy the smallest package possible (I think it has about ten slices?), but it would be nice to have little single serving bacon packages. At least now you have something to do with the leftovers!
By the way, I’m going to try a BLT with goat cheese ASAP. Yum.
Jamie
August 25, 2009 at 9:17 amWe love bacon but have cut back. But sometimes you just have to have your bacon. I know my husband would love this potato salad. Looks and sounds great!
leslie
August 24, 2009 at 10:23 pmI think in High School when my metabolism actually worked, I would fry up a half pound of bacon and eat it by itself!!!
unconfidentialcook
August 23, 2009 at 6:57 pmI just love bacon….For her birthday my daughter asked if we could have “real” bacon as opposed to turkey bacon, and every time I have it I just can’t believe how good it is. Hence: Your salad, I’m sure, is absolutely divine!
Dirk
August 22, 2009 at 8:18 pmAdd some green olives and purple onion to that tater salad and you’ve got the same recipe I’ve used for years (but I use Duke’s Fat-Full Mayo).
Maria
August 21, 2009 at 6:19 pmI don’t “do” bacon but the hubs would love this:)
Christina
August 21, 2009 at 5:35 pmI feel the same exact way about bacon. I can have it once a year and I’d be fine. The potato salad looks great though!
Kristen
August 21, 2009 at 11:19 amI am totally with you on the whole bacon thing! This could make me a convert though.
grace
August 21, 2009 at 10:50 ami WISH i could say the presence of bacon compensates for the presence of mayo, but i just can’t take it. a version with sour cream or yogurt would tickle my fancy. 🙂
kat
August 21, 2009 at 9:41 amOh, wasn’t it great! I’m afraid we are a little too big fans of bacon & all pork products!
kate
August 21, 2009 at 9:40 amBACON! And POTATOES!
oops, sorry. I’m sort of in deep love with bacon. And potatoes. That version of potato salad looks wonderful
Daryl
August 21, 2009 at 5:57 amI love bacon. but didnt have it for years due to a choking incident as a child. Now when I have it, I burn it to a crisp so there’s no chance of choking on the fat and I love it.
Nutmeg Nanny
August 21, 2009 at 12:39 amOk can I just say you are a genius. Goat cheese instead of mayo…how did I never think of this! Now back to bacon. I love it. I really do. Thick sliced peppered bacon to be exact is my favorite. I do hate that it can be messy to cook so I just cook it in the oven. All the taste none of the mess…perfect for me:)
elra
August 20, 2009 at 11:48 pmI am totally the opposite. I love bacon, would love to be able to eat it everyday, which is impossible, right?
Honestly I never had potato salad with bacon before, this sounds so good!
Carissa
August 20, 2009 at 5:43 pmI am also not a huge fan of bacon (I pretty much only eat it with eggs), but my boyfriend is. but he has to have his extra crispy, or it’s a no-go 🙂 but this potato salad does sound pretty amazing. there’s nothing in it that I don’t like, so that’s always a good start!! haha.
beyond
August 20, 2009 at 5:05 pmyou had me at bacon.
(how long dies the bacon stay crisp? (long enough for leftovers the next day?)
Amy
August 20, 2009 at 4:42 pmI am okay with bacon (I occasionally have that BLT craving), but the only thing that I will always eat is bacon-wrapped dates (stuffed w/ chevre). Yum. Yum. Yum.
As a public service announcement, never do a shot of bacon-flavored vodka, no matter how much your friends assure you it’s good. It’s not. They are liars.
brandi
August 20, 2009 at 4:26 pmthis salad sounds great! I do love bacon…although not as much as some people 🙂 This potato salad sounds wonderful, though, and is a good way to use up leftover bacon!