Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

I’m starting to hit that phase of summer where everything feels fleeting and urgent and I realize that I’m far behind my seasonal quota of patio sitting, potlucking, and eating side dishes for dinner. My pick: Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon. This colorful, zippy salad is the ideal addition to your summer spread. It stand outs from the crowd, and I’m betting you’ve never had a potato salad quite like it. Bucket list recipe, right here.

While plain-old potato salad often lets me down (what is with that goupy dressing?), sweet potato salad makes my taste buds sing.

For a roasted sweet potato salad, this Sweet Potato Quinoa Black Bean Salad is my squeeze and a meal prep super star. When I’m looking to please a crowd, however, it’s this Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon all the way.

In place of the aforementioned goopy dressing and bland, over-cooked white potatoes that plague many classic potato salad recipes, this vibrant and healthy sweet potato salad recipe has no mayo, replacing it with a lively jalapeno mustard dressing.

A shower of crispy bacon and crunchy celery combined with the golden, tender sweet potato chunks give this salad different textural dimensions. A light sprinkle of green onions adds a subtle but important bite that will leave you craving more.

Lovers of German potato salad with its grainy mustard dressing (as well as all lovers of bacon and all lovers of sweet potatoes) will be especially enamored with this simple but surprisingly flavorful sweet potato salad recipe.

Healthy Sweet Potato Salad – A Recipe Above the Rest

The best I can say of  old-fashioned potato salad is that it blends into the backdrop. Sweet potato salad stands out.

I first made this cold sweet potato salad a few years ago, and it’s become one of my favorite sides to bring to summer get togethers. It’s memorable, easy to make, and someone always asks me for the recipe.

I can’t, however, take credit for the recipe myself. I adapted it from my friend Heather‘s book Pure Delicious. Like me, Heather prefers her potato salad on the mustardy/vinegary side, no mayo please.

Also, in the process of reading Heather’s book, I developed a total girl crush on her. I’ve since had the pleasure to meet her in person, and I can say that crush is 100% validated.

Like all of Heather’s recipes, this healthy sweet potato salad is free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, and refined sugar. Heather and her family struggle with serious food allergies, so she’s learned to make recipes that are free of these things but don’t skimp on flavor. This sweet potato salad is a prime example.

Eating it, you’ll be entirely focused on what it does offer—a bounty of flavor—and not what it doesn’t.

I’m honored Heather let me share her sweet potato salad recipe with all of you! I’m updating it today with fresh photos and a video to give it the extra love it deserves. Try it before summer ends. I know it will be a staple on your picnic table too!

How to Store This Salad

• To Store. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I’ve enjoyed this sweet potato salad cold, at room temperature, and even warmed up as a side at dinner.

Recommended Tools to Make Sweet Potato Salad

• Potato combination scrubber/peeler
• All purpose baking sheet, plus an oven-proof baking/cooling rack for the most perfectly cooked bacon

Print Review

5 from 5 votes

Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

An easy and healthy sweet potato salad recipe with bacon and zippy mustard dressing. Fantastic flavor! No mayo, Paleo friendly, and great for potlucks.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  

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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 thinly sliced celery hearts
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions

For the mustard dressing:

• 1 jalapeno pepper - 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 these easy steps. 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 jalapeno (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

• I've enjoyed this sweet potato salad cold, at room temperature, and even warmed up as a side at dinner. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• *The original recipe calls for a red Fresno chili. I was unable to find one, and swapped a seeded jalapeño. It was delicious!

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 6), Calories: 222kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 359mg, Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 0mg, Iron: 0mg

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

All text and images ©Erin Clarke / Well Plated

DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?I want to see! Follow @wellplated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!

This recipe originally included a giveaway for Pure Delicious. The giveaway has ended, but I still HIGHLY recommend this cookbook, especially for those with food allergies or sensitivities.