This recipe for potato salad with bacon and parsley trades the mayo for a lighter mustard sauce, for all the flavor in a lighter, brighter version!
So, I should start this discussion of potato salad with bacon and parsley by admitting that I am not the world’s biggest potato salad fan. Frankly, if I am going to spend my carbs on a side dish, I like it to involve pasta or rice or even corn.
And those potato salads with sour cream and mayo — well, they are just a little heavy for me. But this potato salad is a whole different deal. Adorable baby potatoes, fresh parsley and, of course, BACON.
Here’s how you make potato salad with bacon and parsley!
You obviously need a nice big bowl of these…
…and you can use all red, all yellow or a mixture. Just try for the smallest ones you can find, for nice bite-sized potato salad wonderfulness.
Second, you need fresh chopped parsley, and this is the time of year when my herb garden starts taking over the world. They are the Herbs That Ate Manhattan. Okay, the Herbs That Ate Northern New Jersey. Here is the parsley in its natural habitat, pre-chopping:
This used to be not such an issue when we had Wilbur.
Wilbur was our guinea pig, and he didn’t have a lot of personality — he was pretty much a baked potato with fur — but man, he loved a good plate of basil and parsley, and could always be counted on to chow it down.
Wilbur broke all world records for life expectancy, but is now chomping herbs in guinea pig heaven. We miss the old guy, actually more than I thought we would. Good old Wilbur.
But I digress. Last but not least, this potato salad also includes bacon, and need I say more about THAT?
This recipe for potato salad with bacon and parsley trades the mayo for a lighter mustard sauce, for all the flavor in a lighter, brighter version! You start by cooking up the potatoes in salted water until they are just tender, and while that is happening you cook up some chopped bacon until it is crispy. Then add the bacon drippings to some mustard, vinegar and a little olive oil to make a light, flavorful dressing.
Drizzle the dressing over the potatoes, add the bacon and the parsley…and you’re done! The longest part of this is the 1o or so minutes you spend boiling the potatoes — it really couldn’t be easier.
So here you go, a recipe for a potato salad that I actually LIKE. (Because I know you were worrying about that).
PrintPotato Salad with Bacon and Parsley
This recipe for potato salad with bacon and parsley trades the mayo for a lighter mustard sauce, for all the flavor in a lighter, brighter version!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, cut in halves or quarters
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
- 4 slices bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a pot with water to cover and one teaspoon salt and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and run under cold water, then transfer to a mixing bowl.
- While potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Drain on paper towels, saving the drippings.
- Mix the reserved drippings, oil, vinegar and mustard with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Drizzle over potatoes and toss. Add bacon and parsley and toss again. Realize that you DO like potato salad after all.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Little Wilbur! OMG he looked adorable! Love this potato salad Kate. Bacon makes everything better! And love the light mustard vinaigrette. Have a great week!
Bacon DOES make everything better! :)
Amanda says
Oh, Wilbur! So cute. That takes me back to some Guinea pig memories!
I ate a lot of heavy potato salad at gatherings when I was a kid, so I always prefer non-mayo based now. This is so fresh and summery. And BACON!! ????
Guinea pigs are the best – we did love our Wilbur! Happy long weekend, Amanda!
ruthie says
OMG, guinea pigs! A memory from my childhood just floated past…the part of the family that “we don’t talk about” came to visit when I was maybe five or six. They were travelling the country in an old school bus — the kind that were bright yellow and had a snout, only theirs was painted rather decoratively. And they raised guinea pigs. OMG! There were so many cages and little critters running loose in their home that I don’t know how they found a place to lie down and sleep!
Of course, as little kids, my cousin and I wanted guinea pigs of our own, but our mothers simply shuddered at the thought of their babies being in what they were sure was a flea and plague infested environment, so no new pets were acquired. LOL! I guess you’d have to call those folks hippies, huh? And I’ve got to say that your Wilbur was a very handsome specimen of his kind. RIP Wilbur. ;)
Love your guinea pig remembrances, Ruthie! And yes, Wilbur was a lovable guy. Memories…. :)
Martha in KS says
I remember my little brother in kindergarten loving the story of Humm the Hamster who loooooved parsley. Did you ever read that book? I’ll be trying this potato salad recipe soon.
Mindy says
Finally, another human who doesn’t get on board the typical potato salad train. THIS, however, sounds delish. My sister makes one that’s similar and I love it. I also love me a good German potato salad. Bacon is also involved, so ya know…..
Mindy says
Finally, another human who doesn’t get on board the typical potato salad train. THIS, however, sounds delish. My sister makes one that’s similar and I love it. I also love me a good German potato salad. Bacon is also involved, so ya know…..
Mindy says
Finally, another human who doesn’t get on board the typical potato salad train. THIS, however, sounds delish. My sister makes one that’s similar and I love it. I also love me a good German potato salad. Bacon is also involved, so ya know…..
songfemme says
ps.
I sliced my potatoes instead of doing them in quarters, but I think it would work equally well for hash browns either way.
songfemme says
ps.
I sliced my potatoes instead of doing them in quarters, but I think it would work equally well for hash browns either way.
songfemme says
ps.
I sliced my potatoes instead of doing them in quarters, but I think it would work equally well for hash browns either way.
songfemme says
I made this with cilantro instead of parsley, since I was out of parsley. It was yum!
BUT I had some leftover and for breakfast the next morning, I made hashbrowns out of it! The bacon crisped up, the flavor came out even more from the dressing and it was delish!
Thanks for sharing such a easy and tasty dish Kate!
songfemme says
I made this with cilantro instead of parsley, since I was out of parsley. It was yum!
BUT I had some leftover and for breakfast the next morning, I made hashbrowns out of it! The bacon crisped up, the flavor came out even more from the dressing and it was delish!
Thanks for sharing such a easy and tasty dish Kate!
songfemme says
I made this with cilantro instead of parsley, since I was out of parsley. It was yum!
BUT I had some leftover and for breakfast the next morning, I made hashbrowns out of it! The bacon crisped up, the flavor came out even more from the dressing and it was delish!
Thanks for sharing such a easy and tasty dish Kate!
Donna says
always looking for a good potato salad recipe! thanks.
Donna says
always looking for a good potato salad recipe! thanks.
Donna says
always looking for a good potato salad recipe! thanks.