A creative backyard bbq side dish that will awaken your taste buds and make you a legend among friends. This Sweet Potato Bacon Salad is sure to impress!
You might remember way back when Steve + I went on our top secret eating adventure while shopping for Valerie's engagement ring. Well, guess what? Our really, really, really, really great friends Steve + Valerie are now MARRIED!
It was a most memorable July 4th filled with laughter, joy, and love. And rain. Lots of rain. But Steve + Val had a great attitude and didn't let the drops damper their special day.
I was super honored to be a best man along with our other friend Dave, and to make it an extra interesting day, our company Ashe Photography Studio also photographed the wedding. If you want to see a sneak peak of some photos from their day and also view a cool slideshow I put together, check out our facebook page.
AND, today is Valerie's birthday! #wootwoot. Happy Birthday Valerie!
::smooth segue into this sweet potato bacon salad::
Actually, there is a smooth segue thank you very much. Valerie absolutely adores this Sweet Potato Bacon Salad. Anytime she comes over throughout the summer, she hopes expects demands that this salad be on the table.
And you know what? Valerie has good taste. I think you'll really dig this creative potato salad also, because it's filled with bacon flavor... even throughout the dressing, and it's studded with the potato's big flavored friend. The almighty sweet potato.
Big thanks to Asheley, my hand model. I think she has a future career in hand modeling, don't you?
You know, if the whole saving lives and healing people as a PA thing doesn't work out.
Hey. Guess what? You can now have your very own personal recipe box! To save this recipe, simply click save below the thumbnail image below? Once you start storing all your favorite recipes from around the interwebs in your Recipe Box, you can create Meal Plans and the ingredients will automatically be added to your Grocery List! Download the app to your phone and boom, welcome to the 21st century age of grocery shopping 
Sweet Potato Bacon Salad
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 as a side dish 1x
Ingredients
- 5 medium red-skinned potatoes
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
- 1 (16 ounce) package bacon, chopped into ½" pieces
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 bunches scallions, chopped
- Parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Chop the red-skinned potatoes and sweet potatoes into approximate 1" pieces. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Season generously with Kosher salt. Bring water to a boil over high heat, and cook until potatoes are fork tender (about 10 minutes). Drain potatoes and let cool.
- Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Drain on a paper-towel lined plate. Reserve 3 tablespoons of bacon fat for the dressing.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, 3 tablespoons cooled bacon fat, onion powder, garlic powder, and pinch of cayenne pepper. Season to taste with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
- When the potatoes are cool to the touch, gently toss them, along with the bacon and scallions, in the dressing mixture to coat. Garnish with parsley if desired.
- Store in refrigerator and allow flavors to meld a bit before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
Taylor
Yay for weddings! So fun that got to shoot such a special day AND be the best man! Awesome!
And you know what else is awesome? This salad.
Sweet taters and bacon. Face plant city! Pinned!
Chris
Face plant city indeed 🙂
Sandra
I would demand this salad too...sweet potatoes with bacon, yes please! I love looking at all the wedding pictures...I don't think a girl could ever get tired of wedding photos...or baby photos for that matter 😉
Chris
Hahaha wedding and baby photos... oh boy.
Bri | Bites of Bri
I love weddings especially when good friends are getting married to each other! 🙂 This potato salad looks like it would be my favorite too. Good call Valerie!
Chris
Hahaha Valerie has good tastes 🙂
Mike
Was that a real wolf wedding? With howling at the moon and hunting trip? 😉
On a more serious note, I'm happy to hear you had a blast both as the best man and the photographer. Good job!
Great looking potato salad btw, and it's paleo! *fist bump*
Chris
Hahaha I thought it might be paleo, but then I read that potatoes really aren't all that paleo. Thoughts on that from our resident wolfpack paleo authority?
CakePants
Ooh yum, I made a bacon potato salad recently too, but my version didn't have sweet potatoes - what a great twist on traditional potato salads to include sweet potatoes! This looks fantastic!
Chris
Thanks CakePants! I loved the sweet potatoes in this... will be putting them in all my potato salads in the future!
Ashley
Oooo I really like that you used sweet potatoes in this! I've never done that with potato salad which is just pretty silly now that I think about it! haha happy monday!
Chris
Hahaha thanks Ashley!
Natalie
Going to weddings of good friends is just the best! Fun that your company got to photograph the wedding too.
This sweet potato salad sounds delicious! Bacon makes everything better : )
Chris
It was a lot of fun Natalie! And I agree, bacon makes life more enjoyable in general 🙂
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps
Awwww how fun!! Love this potato salad, I'm a huge fan of potato salads in general, so when there's one as creative of this, I'm ALL in!
Chris
Thanks Nicole!
Kathy
It's just so much more fun going to good friends weddings. This is a fabulous potato salad, love the sweet potato twist on it.
Chris
Yup indeed!!
Alyssa
Potatoes and bacon - YES. I'm still trying to figure out a good kitchen organizational strategy in our new place - which cabinets will store food, which will store bakeware/glasses, etc. Today I opened up a cabinet I thought would be empty and found a big bag of sweet potatoes that I forgot we even bought! Too many things going on haha - BUT I think we will make room in our schedule tomorrow to make this potato salad. This looks seriously good, Chris!
Chris
Hahaha I can't wait to move into our new place so I can organize the new kitchen 🙂 It's the "type A" nerd in me, but I love that stuff!
Cindy
That is awesome that your company photographed the weeding. It rained on my wedding day, but just for a little while. I think it is good luck 😀
This potato salad looks amazing. I love love sweet potatoes and bacon. 😀
Chris
It's good luck indeed 🙂
Liz
I've seen all sweet potato salads but never a combo! Love this idea! I'd eat all the sweet potatoes and the hubby would finish the rest 🙂
Chris
Hahaha thanks Liz!
Krista
Now that is talent.. be the best man and shoot a wedding so impressed! Also crazy impressed with this potato salad all the flavors and textures sound like the perfect bite. {and go wifey on the hand modeling}
Chris
Hahaha I try, I try. Thanks so much Krista. I'll pass on the compliments to Asheley 🙂
Sam
Mmm, this flavor combination is great.
That's neat your company photographed your friend's wedding! 🙂
Chris
Yup we were super pumped to capture their special day 🙂
Sarah
Did you say bacon? And sweet potatoes? These two go together like Steve & Valerie. Made for each other.
Also - Hooray for Ziplist!!! I hope mine's coming soon:)
Chris
Hahaha I like what you did there... very smooth, very smooth indeed 😉 Yay for ziplist coming soon to Snixy Kitchen!
Kristi
This looks really good Chris! Beautiful photos too!
Chris
Thanks Kristi!
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom
This sweet potato and bacon salad is beautiful but I don't expect anything less from you! just gorgeous! and congrats on your friends' wedding, your gorgeous photos and new photography business!! how exciting! I love weddings so I think it's awesome that you get to capture couples' special day!
Chris
Thanks so much Alice! Hope you're having an awesome week!
Bianca
I love potato salad, especially if it has bacon 🙂
Chris
Exactly Bianca. Exactly 😉
Christine
I've had my eye on these since I saw them yesterday on Facebook - WORTH the wait!!! absolutely loving this spin with sweet potatoes, so creative!
also - the wedding pics look wonderful!!! obv obsessed with everything wedding at the moment, and I am totally digging your photog style! very natural and candid, I'm sure Val & Steve are thrilled 🙂
Chris
Thanks so much Christine. That's what we are after with our photography... clean, natural, timeless images with a photojournalistic/candid angle. Glad you're digging it 🙂 Thanks so much!
When's your big day?!?!
Kelly
Yay for great friends getting married and getting to be best man! Love weddings - and this one must have been so fun 🙂
This sweet potato salad sounds amazing too! Everything is more fun with bacon 🙂
Chris
It was a great wedding... one of them that you know pretty much everyone there and you just party on the dance floor all night. It was a great time 🙂
Shibi
The salad looks perfect for BBQs!!! I am convinced by your words that it is a crowd pleaser 🙂 Will try it!
Chris
A crowd pleaser indeed 😉 Thansk Shibi!
Erin | The Law Student's Wife
Congrats to your friends on their wedding! How wonderful. Did you give them this sweet potato salad as a gift? Looks like a winner to me 🙂
Chris
Hahaha now that would have been an idea Erin! They totally could have eaten this on the plane on the way to their honeymoon lol
Consuelo - Honey & Figs
Awwwh congrats to your friends and happy birthday to Valerie!!
This potato salad is genius - I love that you used sweet potatoes! Aaaaaand bacon always wins!
Chris
Exactly... bacon always wins 😉
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen
I love weddings! So cool that you got to shoot such a special day!
Your recipe is also. I think it is very clever you added two different type of potatoes!
Chris
Thanks so much Olivia! Yes, it was great to shoot their wedding. A lot of fun for sure!
Kelly - LEFT SIDE OF THE TABLE
The mixture of potatoes is so amazing! I have never had sweet potatoes in potatoes!! I mean why not?! Congratulations to your friends, so exciting 🙂 thanks, Chris!!
Chris
Thanks so much Kelly!
Amy | Club Narwhal
Chris, I can't wait to make this! I have been wanting to add more sweet potatoes to our meals but kept falling on the same old baked version. Looks fabulous (and you're so right--Valerie has great taste, and great hand modeling skills)!
Chris
Hahaha thansk Amy!
Beth
I have never really been a potato salad person, but that's probably because I've never had it made with sweet potatoes and BACON. Really, why don't all potato salads look like this? Awesome summer side dish, Chris! Pinned!
Chris
Hahaha I've often wondered that myself 😉 Thanks so much Beth!
GiGi Eats
Sweet potato salads!!! You don't see those very often or at all!
Chris
That's how I roll GiGi 😉
Deb
Chris, I love the flavors going on in this salad... great combo of flavors!! Pinned!
Chris
Thansk so much Deb 🙂
Melanie
I don't think I've ever turned sweet potatoes into a salad. Totally on my to-do list now. Looks scrumptious!
Have a great day Chris!
Chris
Thanks Mealanie!
Shashi
Congrats to your buddy Steve and Valerie and Happy Belated Birthday to Valerie - she does indeed have great taste in photographers AND salad and Ashley most definitely has a career in hand modelling! 🙂
I don't even like bacon - but you make me wanna eat it - in this salad! GAH!
Chris
Haha thanks Shashi! Asheley will be very happy to hear she has a new future career possibility 🙂
Laura Dembowski
Love sweet potato salad! And with the addition of protein filled bacon, this is totally a well balanced dinner, right???
Chris
Thanks Laura! I think bacon always makes a dish balanced 😉