Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with Bacon Recipe
This Smashed Potato Salad is a delightful twist on traditional potato salad, featuring crispy roasted smashed baby potatoes combined with a creamy, tangy dressing, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and red onion. It offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors, making it an excellent side dish for barbecues, picnics, or a comforting meal at home.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 3 pounds baby potatoes
- ¼ cup (54 g) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Dressing
- 1 cup (232 g) mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk (adjust for desired dressing thickness)
Salad
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 8 strips bacon, cooked and chopped
- 6 large eggs, hard-boiled to preferred doneness, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Potatoes: Wash the baby potatoes thoroughly and boil them in salted water for 15-20 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Boiling time may vary depending on the size of the potatoes.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate easy cleanup.
- Smash Potatoes: Drain the boiled potatoes and pat them dry to remove excess moisture. Arrange them evenly on the lined baking sheet. Using a potato masher or the bottom of a sturdy glass, gently smash each potato to a thickness of about ¼ to ½ inch.
- Season and Roast: Brush each smashed potato with extra virgin olive oil, ensuring even coverage. Season them with kosher salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 55 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through the roasting time to ensure crispiness on both sides.
- Cool Potatoes: Once roasted to a crispy golden-brown, remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool for about 15 minutes before adding them to the salad to avoid wilting other ingredients and to enhance flavor melding.
- Make Dressing: In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, dill weed, kosher salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until smooth and homogeneous. Gradually stir in whole milk, 3-4 tablespoons, to adjust the dressing to a preferred creamy and slightly runny consistency. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Note that the dressing will thicken as it chills.
- Assemble Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the finely diced red onion, cooked and chopped bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and the slightly cooled smashed potatoes. Add the dressing onto the salad, reserving a small amount for serving if desired. Gently fold all ingredients together, ensuring every potato piece is evenly coated with the dressing. Add more dressing if necessary to reach the desired level of creaminess.
- Serve: Serve the smashed potato salad immediately with extra dressing on the side, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This salad makes a flavorful, crowd-pleasing side dish perfect for any occasion.
Notes
- Boiling time for potatoes may vary; test doneness by inserting a fork—it should go in easily.
- Smashing potatoes to a thickness between ¼ and ½ inch maximizes crispiness when roasted.
- For a spicier kick, consider adding some smoked paprika or cayenne pepper to the seasoning.
- Dressing can be adjusted in consistency by varying the amount of milk added.
- Make sure to cool potatoes slightly before mixing to prevent the dressing from becoming too watery.
- Leftover salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days; stir before serving.
