This colorful, easy Sweet Potato Salad comes with a zippy mustard vinaigrette and plenty of smoky, crispy bacon. Unconventional as it may seem, this is one of my favorite potato salads recipes ever!
Potato salad with a sweet and smoky twist!
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 —
Ingredients + Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Sweet Potatoes. Making potato salad with sweet potato is absolutely delicious! Their natural sweetness pairs well with mustardy potato salad dressing.
- Bacon. 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. 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.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep the Ingredients (photo 1). Boil and cube the potatoes. Cook the bacon.
Mix (photo 2). Combine the celery, green onions, and bacon in a large bowl.
Make the Dressing (photo 3). Whisk together the mustard dressing ingredients.
Finish (photo 4). Stir everything together. ENJOY!
What to Serve With Sweet Potato Salad
- Grilled Mains. Like Grilled Chicken Breast, Grilled Pork Chops, or Grilled Salmon.
- Sandwiches. This salad is the perfect side for something like a Pulled Chicken Sandwich!
- Other Potluck Salads. Cover all your salad bases with BLT Pasta Salad, Pea Salad, and Fruit Salad.
Sweet Potato Salad
Video
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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 extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground 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.
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!
This is unbelievable easy and delicious. The dressing is heavenly. This is a favorite, for sure. Thank you
So glad thanks Elizabeth!
This was my first time making a potato salad without mayo, and I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would. The vinaigrette is really flavorful and not too heavy. I added a bit more bacon than the recipe called for (no regrets). It’s definitely worth making again. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Nancy! Thank you!
I wasn’t sure about sweet potatoes in a salad like this, but it actually worked. It’s a little different from what I’m used to, but not in a bad way. The bacon adds a nice touch. I think I’d season it a bit more next time. Still, it’s definitely worth trying.
Thanks so much, Becca!
This was such a refreshing change from traditional mayo-heavy potato salads. The flavors actually work really well together, especially once it’s chilled a bit. The bacon really carries the flavor, and the dressing ties everything together nicely. I’ll probably add more celery next time for extra crunch.
So glad you enjoyed it, Valeria! Thank you!