No Mayo Potato Salad (with bacon)
If you're not a fan of mayo or want an alternative, you're about to discover a fantastic way to enjoy your potato salad. It has bacon and a tangy lemon-mustard dressing, so you won't miss the mayo. I retested and tweaked this recipe, and it's now a flavor powerhouse.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
Potatoes:
- 2 pounds baby potatoes yellow or red
- 1 tablespoon vinegar for the boiling water
- 1 teaspoon salt for the boiling water
Lemon bacon dressing:
- ¾ cup chopped or diced bacon I like smoked
- ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- large pinch of black pepper freshly ground is better
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or fresh dill
- lemon wedges to serve
- extra chopped parsley and green onions to serve
Instructions
Cook the potatoes:
- Wash 2 pounds baby potatoes and place them in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt.
- Once the potatoes boil, cook for 8-10 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Drain, place them in a shallow dish and halve them while still hot. Don't touch them until they're at room temperature. This way, they'll hold their shape and not turn mushy when mixing in the rest of the ingredients.
Dressing and assembly:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ¾ cup chopped or diced bacon over medium-low heat until the fat is rendered and the pieces start to crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel. Leave about 2 tablespoons (you can eyeball it) of bacon fat in the pan; discard the rest if necessary.
- Add ¼ cup chopped yellow onion to the skillet and cook in the bacon fat until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 garlic clove, minced, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the cooked potatoes to the pan and stir to coat. Try to place them in a single layer as much as you can, and cook until you get a golden crust on the edges of the potatoes, about 5 to 7 minutes. If it’s too crowded, cook them in two batches. Stir once or twice, but not a lot, so they brown well. Return the bacon to the pan.
- In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a large pinch of black pepper. The oil won't be fully integrated, and that is fine. If not using right away, keep refrigerated in an airtight jar until ready to use.
- Add 2 tablespoons chopped green onions and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to the potatoes and stir lightly. Taste and check seasonings. Adjust if necessary.
- Transfer to the serving platter and let the salad sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with extra chopped parsley and green onions, arrange lemon wedges around and serve.
Notes
Mustard: You can use another type, like whole-grain or ancienne, or brown mustard.
The best potatoes for a salad are waxy or all-purpose varieties, such as baby or new yellow or red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or fingerlings. I use baby potatoes because they're creamier, maintain their shape well and can be colorful. Starchy potatoes, like the popular russet potatoes, are not recommended.
Consume leftover potato salad within a few days: it will generally stay fresh for 3 to 4 days when stored correctly in the refrigerator. The exact duration may vary depending on the specific ingredients used; therefore, use your judgment and check for any signs of spoilage before consuming.
