Homestyle Loaded Potato Salad with Bacon
A potato salad that comes fully loaded with all kinds of goodness.
Ingredients
For the Potatoes:
- 15 small to medium size Russet potatoes (skin left on) skin washed really good, bruises and scars cut off
- Water for filling the pot
- 2 heaping teaspoons salt
For the Dressing:
- 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise (add more if additional creaminess is desired)
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt (or add more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Potato Salad:
- Cooked and cooled potatoes
- Dressing (see ingredients above)
- 1-1/2 cups chopped celery (including the leafy tops of the celery hearts)
- 3 green onions (including the green tops) chopped (equal to about 1/3 cup chopped green onions)
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (including the stems) set some aside for garnish
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (curly or Italian)
- 1/4 cup cooked bacon bits diced
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 2 hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
For Garnish:
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 1 tablespoon cooked bacon bits
Instructions
For the Potatoes:
- The recipe calls for 15 medium-size Russet potatoes. But if some of the potatoes used are smaller than others, cut the larger ones in half before boiling them. The idea is to have them all be about the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- In a large pot, add cold water (about 3/4's full), and salt.
- To the pot, add the potatoes (they cook more evenly when added to cold water; if added to boiling water the outside of the potatoes cook faster than the inside of the potatoes).
- Heat the pan on medium heat and bring the water to a boil. Let the potatoes cook until a cooking fork or paring knife can easily pierce the potatoes (about 45 minutes). Be careful not to overcook the potatoes or they’ll be too soft and fall apart.
- When the potatoes are done cooking, the skin starts to break just a little.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large plate and let them cool (about 20 minutes). An option to speed up the cooling process is to place the plate of potatoes in the refrigerator.
- Once cooled, with the skins on, cut the cooled potatoes into medium size cubes.
For the Dressing:
- To a medium size bowl, add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Whisk together until combined and creamy. Set aside.
For the Potato Salad:
- To a large mixing bowl add the cubed potatoes, celery, onions, sweet pickles, dill, parsley, pepper, salt, bacon, black olives and chopped eggs.
- To the bowl of ingredients, add the dressing.
- With a large sturdy spoon or soft spatula, stir together until the dressing coats all of the ingredients.Depending on the size of the potatoes (if they were all more on the medium size side), more mayonnaise may be needed. If the salad looks a little dry, add more mayonnaise. If it's too creamy or saucy, add more cut potatoes.
- Do a taste test and add more salt if needed (make sure to add enough salt; just enough salt brings out the flavor and makes this potato salad taste wonderful).
- Garnish with bacon bits and chopped dill. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
TIPS:
For Boiling the Potatoes:- Put cold water in the pot, add salt to the water, and add the potatoes (they cook more evenly when added to cold water; if added to boiling water the outside of the potato cooks faster than the inside).
- The recipe calls for 15 medium-size Russet potatoes. But if some of the potatoes used are smaller than others, cut the larger ones in half before boiling them. The idea is to have them all be about the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- Be careful not to overcook the potatoes or they'll be too soft and fall apart.
- This potato salad is so good that even if some of the ingredients aren’t available, certain ones can be omitted and it’s still delicious.
- For example, if fresh dill, fresh parsley, black olives, hard boiled eggs or even the bacon bits aren't available, just add an extra medium to large size potato to the recipe.
- And add a little more salt and pepper to taste.
- With some of the ingredients omitted, the flavors and textures may be a little different than the original recipe but it will still be a delicious homestyle potato salad.
- An option to speed up the cooling process is to place the plate of potatoes in the refrigerator.
- Depending on the size of the potatoes (if they were all more on the medium size side), more mayonnaise may be needed.
- If the salad is a little dry, add more mayonnaise.
- If the salad is too creamy or "saucy", add more cooked/cut potatoes.
- Make sure to add enough salt; just enough salt brings out the flavor and makes this potato salad taste wonderful.