This Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon isn’t your typical potato salad recipe! A take on German potato salad, this sweet potato salad has a vinegar based dressing that soaks into the potatoes – it’s irresistible!
If you love sweet potatoes, also check out this Sweet Potato Hash or these Sweet Potato Biscuits.
Sweet potatoes are one of those ingredients that I never seem to get sick of. Which is funny, because as a kid, I always thought I hated sweet potatoes. Well, come to find out, I’m pretty much obsessed with them.
I love potato salad (this Potato Salad Recipe with Corn and Poblanos is one of my favorites!), but sometimes you need to change things up. And turning to sweet potatoes is never a bad idea.
I love this sweet potato salad for many different reasons. This is more like a German potato salad than your typical American potato salad. What is a German potato salad, you ask? Well, instead of using a heavy, usually mayonnaise based dressing, you use a vinegar based dressing that gets stirred into the potatoes while they are warm. It’s much lighter, much healthier, and an all around different experience than your usual American potato salad. I do really love both, but this sweet potato salad is one that I can feel good eating.
This potato salad is one that I know I’ll be making for many more years!
How to Make Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon
- Start by boiling the potatoes until they are just fork tender.
- While the potatoes are boiling, fry the bacon until it is crisp.
- Once the potatoes are tender, drain them and then return them to the hot pot.
- Mix the broth, vinegar and paprika and pour it over the potatoes. Cook over low heat until the potatoes have absorbed the liquid.
- Stir in red onion, celery, parsley and the cooked bacon.
- Serve!
Tips and Tricks
This sweet potato salad will come together pretty quickly, so you need to make sure you have all of the ingredients ready to go before you start. It will help to even have all of the vegetables cut before, as you’ll want to add them in while the salad is still hot.
When you boil the potatoes, you’ll want to make sure you drain them right as they are just fork tender. If you let them go too far, they won’t absorb the vinegar mixture as well, and they will all turn to mush as you stir in the other ingredients.
This salad was originally intended to be served warm, but I have eaten it warm, room temperature and cold, and like it all three ways! I even think it works well as leftovers.
Speaking of leftovers, one of my favorite ways to eat this as leftovers is for breakfast with eggs.
Serving Suggestions
I originally served this salad with these Sliced Steak Sloppy Joes, but they would go well with any sandwich! I would love them with these Mini Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders, these Grilled Chicken Cordon Bleu Wraps, or this Roast Beef and Slaw Panini.
And while it really would be great year round, this is the perfect summer side dish as well! Serve it with Grilled Brown Sugar Mustard Chicken, Grilled Pork Burritos, or Grilled Corn Quesadillas.
More Sweet Potato Side Dishes
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole
Quinoa and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Sweet Potato Tots
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks (about 2 large potatoes)
- 4 slices bacon sliced into small pieces
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 celery stalk finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook just until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, then return the potatoes and return them to the hot pot.
- While the potatoes are cooking, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- In a small bowl, combine the beef broth, red wine vinegar and smoked paprika.
- Place the hot potatoes over low heat and pour the broth mixture over the top. Stir gently until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and stir in the red onion, celery, parsley, and cooked bacon. Stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Salad can be served warm, at room temperature, or cold.
M k says
A hit at our house!
Janet M. says
It sounds really good, but when do you add the bacon? Did I miss something?
Deborah says
Oops! I fixed it. Thank you!
Mei Teng says
Delicious salad.
Ashley says
I shared this recipe on my blog, hope it is okay! Thanks so much for sharing this yummy RR recipe! It was so delicious!
kat says
sweet potato & bacon is such a great combination
scrambledhenfruit says
Sweet potatoes are so awesome! And the bacon makes this dish seem just a little bit naughty. 🙂 Yum!
Monet says
Winter or summer, this salad looks like it would be perfect on any table. I love sweet potatoes, and I'm sure the bacon added the perfect amount of flavor/fat. Thank you for sharing with me tonight! I hope you have a great weekend, my dear.
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
That commbo sounds and looks delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
teresa says
oh yum! i love sweet potatoes, especially when they are accompanied by bacon!
Joanne says
You can definitely feel good about eating this salad! Sweet potatoes are the ULTIMATE superfood!
Mike and Kimmy says
That sweet potato salad with bacon looks fabulous! Can't wait to try it. I just linked up the Beef Wellingtons I made from a Rachael Ray cookbook. Thanks for hosting.