Crispy Bacon Deviled Egg Potato Salad

If you ask me, potato salad is one of those dishes that everyone thinks they’ve perfected.

This bacon deviled egg potato salad takes two cookout favorites and rolls them into one crowd-pleasing side dish. Creamy Yukon Gold potatoes meet classic deviled egg flavors with tangy mayo and mustard powder.

It’s loaded with crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and a mix of crunchy vegetables like celery, red onion, and jalapeño for a little kick. Dill pickles and black olives add that briny punch that keeps you coming back for more.

It’s the kind of dish that disappears fast at potlucks and makes people ask for the recipe.

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

For potato salad, you’ll want to stick with waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or fingerlings rather than russets or Idaho potatoes. Waxy potatoes hold their shape better after boiling and don’t turn mushy or fall apart when you mix them with the dressing. Yukon Golds are my personal favorite because they have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture that works perfectly with the mayo and bacon. If you can only find russets, just be extra gentle when mixing everything together and maybe slightly undercook them so they stay firmer.

Options for Substitutions

This potato salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so feel free to work with what you have:

• Potatoes: Yukon golds or red potatoes are your best bet here since they hold their shape well. Russets can work too, but they tend to get a bit mushy, so cut them into larger chunks and watch them carefully while boiling.
• Bacon: Turkey bacon works if you want a lighter option, or you can skip the meat entirely and add some chopped ham or even crispy chickpeas for texture.
• Mayonnaise: You can use Greek yogurt for half the mayo to lighten things up, or go with a mix of mayo and sour cream. Just know that using all Greek yogurt will give you a tangier, less creamy result.
• Dill pickle: Sweet pickles or bread and butter pickles can replace dill pickles if that’s what you prefer. You could also use pickle relish – just reduce the amount to about 1/3 cup since it’s more concentrated.
• Jalapeño: Leave it out for a milder salad, or swap it with banana peppers or a few dashes of hot sauce if you still want some kick without the crunch.
• Mustard powder: Regular yellow or Dijon mustard works fine – use about 1 tablespoon of prepared mustard in place of the powder.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with potato salad is adding the dressing while the potatoes are still warm, which can turn your salad into a mushy disaster – always let your potatoes cool completely before mixing in the mayo and other ingredients.

Overcooking your eggs is another common error that leads to that unappetizing gray-green ring around the yolk, so stick to the 10-minute boil time and immediately transfer them to ice water to stop the cooking process.

When it comes to the bacon, make sure it’s crispy and well-drained on paper towels before adding it to the salad, otherwise the excess grease will make your potato salad oily and heavy.

For the best flavor, let the finished salad chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours before serving, which gives all the ingredients time to meld together and makes the flavors really pop.

What to Serve With Bacon Deviled Egg Potato Salad?

This potato salad is already pretty loaded with bacon, eggs, and all those good mix-ins, so it pairs perfectly with simple grilled meats like burgers, hot dogs, or BBQ chicken. I love serving it at cookouts alongside some grilled corn on the cob and watermelon slices for a classic summer spread. It also works great as a side for pulled pork sandwiches or ribs since the creamy, tangy flavors balance out smoky meats really well. If you’re keeping things casual, just throw some chips and fresh veggies with ranch dip on the table and you’ve got yourself a complete meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your bacon deviled egg potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Since it has mayo and hard-boiled eggs, you’ll want to make sure it stays cold. It actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have had time to hang out together!

Make Ahead: This is a great dish to prep the night before a party or gathering. You can boil the potatoes and eggs, chop all your veggies, and cook the bacon ahead of time. Just mix everything together a few hours before serving so the potatoes don’t get too mushy from sitting in the dressing.

Serve: Always serve this potato salad chilled, straight from the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving since the dressing can settle at the bottom. If it’s been sitting out at a picnic or party for more than 2 hours, it’s best to toss any leftovers to be safe.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2700-3000
• Protein: 80-95 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 190-220 g

Ingredients

For the salad base:

• 2.5 lb potatoes (I use Yukon Gold for a creamier texture)
• 8 eggs (hard-boiled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup red onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 jalapeño
• 3/4 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup dill pickle
• 1 cup bacon (I like using Hormel Black Label for extra crispiness)

For the dressing:

• 1.25 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann’s for the best classic flavor)
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

For the garnish:

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Step 1: Prepare the Potatoes and Hard-Boil the Eggs

• 2.5 lb potatoes
• 8 eggs
• salt

Start both elements simultaneously since they require similar cooking times.

Wash the potatoes, cut them into 1.5-inch chunks, and place in a large pot of cold salted water.

Bring to a boil and cook for 15-18 minutes until fork-tender.

In a separate pot, place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.

Once the potatoes are done, drain and spread on a sheet pan to cool slightly.

Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop cooking, then peel and dice into ½-inch pieces once cooled.

Step 2: Prepare All Vegetables and Bacon

• 1/3 cup red onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 jalapeño
• 3/4 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup dill pickle
• 1 cup bacon

While the potatoes and eggs cool, finely dice the red onion, celery, and jalapeño, then chop the dill pickle into similar-sized pieces.

Slice the black olives in half for even distribution.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, then crumble it into bite-sized pieces.

I find that breaking the bacon into smaller pieces rather than leaving it in strips helps it distribute more evenly throughout every bite of the salad.

Step 3: Make the Deviled Egg Dressing

• 1.25 cups mayonnaise
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.

Whisk until smooth and fully combined.

This seasoned mayo base is what gives the salad its deviled egg flavor profile, so make sure the mustard powder is fully incorporated with no lumps.

Step 4: Assemble the Salad

• cooled potatoes from Step 1
• diced eggs from Step 1
• crumbled bacon from Step 2
• diced vegetables and olives from Step 2
• deviled egg dressing from Step 3

Add the cooled potatoes from Step 1, diced eggs from Step 1, crumbled bacon from Step 2, and all the prepared vegetables from Step 2 to the dressing mixture.

Gently fold everything together with a spatula until the potatoes and vegetables are evenly coated.

I recommend folding gently rather than stirring vigorously to keep the potato pieces intact and prevent the salad from becoming mushy.

Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Step 5: Chill and Serve

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

This allows the flavors to meld together and ensures the salad is served at the ideal cold temperature.

The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Crispy Bacon Deviled Egg Potato Salad

Delicious Crispy Bacon Deviled Egg Potato Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 2850

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the salad base::

• 2.5 lb potatoes (I use Yukon Gold for a creamier texture)
• 8 eggs (hard-boiled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup red onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 jalapeño
• 3/4 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup dill pickle
• 1 cup bacon (I like using Hormel Black Label for extra crispiness)

For the dressing::

• 1.25 cups mayonnaise (I prefer Hellmann's for the best classic flavor)
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

For the garnish::

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Method

 

1. Start both elements simultaneously since they require similar cooking times. Wash the potatoes, cut them into 1.5-inch chunks, and place in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-18 minutes until fork-tender. In a separate pot, place eggs in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Once the potatoes are done, drain and spread on a sheet pan to cool slightly. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath to stop cooking, then peel and dice into ½-inch pieces once cooled.
2. While the potatoes and eggs cool, finely dice the red onion, celery, and jalapeño, then chop the dill pickle into similar-sized pieces. Slice the black olives in half for even distribution. Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, then crumble it into bite-sized pieces. I find that breaking the bacon into smaller pieces rather than leaving it in strips helps it distribute more evenly throughout every bite of the salad.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Whisk until smooth and fully combined. This seasoned mayo base is what gives the salad its deviled egg flavor profile, so make sure the mustard powder is fully incorporated with no lumps.
4. Add the cooled potatoes from Step 1, diced eggs from Step 1, crumbled bacon from Step 2, and all the prepared vegetables from Step 2 to the dressing mixture. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until the potatoes and vegetables are evenly coated. I recommend folding gently rather than stirring vigorously to keep the potato pieces intact and prevent the salad from becoming mushy. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
5. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together and ensures the salad is served at the ideal cold temperature. The salad can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.