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!
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.
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.
- 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).
- 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.
The Directions
- Boil and cube the potatoes. Cook the bacon.
- Combine the celery, green onions, and bacon in a large bowl.
- Whisk together the mustard dressing ingredients.
- Stir everything together. ENJOY!
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
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.
Quick, summer will be gone before you know it!
Better make a double batch (and some Healthy Coleslaw for good measure).
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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.
Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon
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
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We, as a family, are trying to eat healthier. This was REALLY good. I must admit the first bite was a bit discombobulating, as we don’t do a lot of vinegar. But by the second bite, we were sold. I did use the air fryer to cook my cubed, peeled sweet potatoes, and I added a large cubed parsnip. That little lemon bite from the parsnip was an added treat. My daughter suggested next time, and there WILL BE a next time, we throw in some chopped walnuts and a little cubed apple or dried cranberries. Thank you for this. All my friends love it.
Hi Susan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made it but left out the jalapeño because I wanted to make it tasty for all and my husband is very spice sensitive. I liked, it’s different, it’s low FodMap for those who have food sensitivity or IBS. I’ve already shared with a few friends.
Hi Sheryl! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!