Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon {No Mayo!}

Name: Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4 slices thick-cut bacon cooked*; 3 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks (I do a rough 3/4 inch, but you can do any size you like)); 1 cup celery hearts (thinly sliced ); 1 cup green onions (thinly sliced ); 1 jalapeño (seeded and minced); 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 3 tablespoons rice vinegar; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

This colorful, easy Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon comes with a zippy mustard vinaigrette. Unconventional as it may seem, this is one of my favorite potato salads recipes ever!

a bowl the best sweet potato salad recipe with bacon and celery

This isn’t your grandma’s old-fashioned potato salad recipe.

In fact, I’m betting you’ve never had a potato salad quite like it.

That’s because this healthy potato salad recipe is made with sweet potatoes rather than everyday russets or Yukon gold potatoes. (Save those for this Grilled Potatoes recipe.)

Plain-old potato salad often lets me down (with the rare exception of this Healthy Potato Salad).

This sweet potato salad, however, makes my taste buds sing.

Complete with a shower of crispy bacon, green onions, and celery for added crunch, everything gets tossed in a lively jalapeño-mustard vinaigrette create the best sweet potato salad recipe ever.

It’s a total crowd-pleaser.

Easy sweet potato salad recipe with bacon and mustard

5 Star Review

“This is absolutely AMAZING. I have made it several times and have given the recipe to at least 4 other people. I can’t say enough about how great this is!”
— Pamela —

How to Make Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

I first made this cold sweet potato salad a few years ago, and it’s become one of my favorite side dish recipes to bring to summer gatherings (along with this Italian Pasta Salad).

It’s familiar enough not to be intimidating, and its twist on a classic side makes it memorable.

Sweet potato salad is easy to make, and someone always asks me for the recipe.

The Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes. Making potato salad with sweet potato is absolutely delicious! Their natural sweetness pairs well with mustardy potato salad dressing. Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of fiber and vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A and vitamin C.
Bacon. Smoky and salty, the contrasting flavor and texture of bacon makes this easy sweet potato salad recipe all the more craveable. (Bacon is also a must for my favorite summer Pea Salad.)

Tip!

Try one of these easy bacon cooking methods for this recipe: Air Fryer Bacon and Oven Baked Bacon.

Celery. For summer freshness and crunch. (Like in this Italian Tuna Salad.)
Green Onions. Adds a subtle but essential bite.

Market Swap

If you don’t have green onions, chives or leeks would be perfect swaps since they also have a lovely, mild onion flavor.

Mustard. To make this sweet potato salad the best recipe ever, opt for whole-grain mustard, not the bright yellow kind. If you enjoy German potato salad, you’ll adore the flavors in this dressing too.
Jalapeño. Gives the simple mustard vinaigrette a little punch (like in this summertime Spicy Margarita recipe).

Ingredient Note

If you prefer a more mild-tasting potato salad, you can reduce the amount of jalapeño or omit it completely.

Garlic. For some extra zip.
Rice Vinegar. Adds just enough extra acidity to the vinaigrette to balance out all the flavors and marry everything together.

Substitution Tip

If you don’t have rice vinegar, use another mild and sweet vinegar. I’d suggest apple cider vinegar (you may want to dial down the amount since apple cider vinegar is stronger).

The Directions

a mesh strainer filled with cubed sweet potatoes that have been boiled until tender

Boil and cube the potatoes. Cook the bacon.

a glass bowl with crumbled bacon, celery, and green onions

Combine the celery, green onions, and bacon in a large bowl.

a simple mustard vinaigrette in a bowl for making the best potato salad ever with bacon

Whisk together the mustard dressing ingredients.

combining the sweet potatoes, dressing and ingredients in a bowl for making an Easy sweet potato salad recipe

Stir everything together. ENJOY!

Dietary Note

This recipe is dairy free, gluten free, and Paleo.

Storage Tips

To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Reheat. No reheating is necessary. Enjoy this sweet potato salad cold or at room temperature. I have warmed up leftovers before as a side at dinner, and they were delish! If you want to try this sweet potato salad warm, reheat it in a microwave for several minutes until heated through.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

Grilling

Grilled Chicken Breast

1 hr

Grilling

Grilled Pork Chops

1 hr 25 mins

Grilling

Grilled Salmon in Foil

25 mins

Cold Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon in a bowl with homemade vinaigrette

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Potato Peeler. I like this one because it’s a combination tool that both peels and scrubs your potatoes.
Mixing Bowl. For tossing everything together.
Baking Sheet. For roasting the bacon in the oven. Add an oven-safe cooling rack to ensure the most perfectly cooked Baked Bacon in the Oven.

The Best Stock Pot

This 15-quart stock pot has great conductivity and is the perfect size for soups & stews or making sauces for a large crowd.

Get on AMazon

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought!

Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.

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Quick, summer will be gone before you know it!

Better make a double batch (and some Healthy Coleslaw for good measure).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Salting the Water Necessary for Boiling Sweet Potatoes?

No. If you are on a low-sodium diet, you may skip salting the water for the potatoes. Note that the salt does help season the potatoes and improve their texture, so omitting the salt may impact the taste and consistency of the potatoes.

How Many Sweet Potatoes Should I Use If I Halve the Recipe?

This is a super forgiving sweet potato salad recipe, so you can use your judgment here and reduce the sweet potatoes to get an ingredient ratio you enjoy. I would probably go with 2 medium sweet potatoes rather than 3 large sweet potatoes for a half batch.

Can I Make Sweet Potato Salad Vegetarian?

Sure! If you would like to make a vegetarian or vegan sweet potato salad, you can omit the bacon from the recipe. For smokiness, I would suggest swapping the bacon for a vegan bacon alternative you enjoy. Cook and crumble according to the package directions, then add to the sweet potato salad recipe as directed.

Review Save Print

Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

5 from 18 votes

This easy sweet potato salad recipe with bacon is the best! Made with a zippy mustard vinaigrette and no mayo, it's perfect for potlucks.

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 45 mins

Servings: servings

Review Save Print

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potato Salad:

4 slices thick-cut bacon cooked*
3 large sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks (I do a rough 3/4 inch, but you can do any size you like)
1 cup celery hearts thinly sliced
1 cup green onions thinly sliced

For the Mustard Dressing:

1 jalapeño seeded and minced
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 garlic cloves minced
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Bring a large bot of salted water to a boil, then add the sweet potatoes. Simmer just until fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes depending upon the size of your potato chunks. Drain, gently and quickly rinse with cold water, then set aside.
If necessary, cook the bacon according to one of my easy methods listed below. Once cool, crumble it into a large bowl. Add the celery and green onions.
Prepare the mustard dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the jalapeño (or fresno chile), mustard, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl with the bacon, drizzle with the dressing, then toss gently to combine. Taste and season with additional salt/pepper as desired. Serve warm, chilled, or at room temperature.

Notes

TO STORE: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
TO REHEAT: No reheating is necessary. Enjoy this sweet potato salad cold or at room temperature. However, I have warmed up leftovers as a side at dinner and they were delish. If you want to try this sweet potato salad warm, reheat it in a microwave for several minutes until heated through.
*INGREDIENT NOTE: Try one of these easy bacon cooking methods: Air Fryer Bacon and Oven Baked Bacon.
Recipe shared with permission from Pure Delicious.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

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Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

5 Star Review