Easy Potato Salad Recipe With Crispy Bacon Bits
Crispy bacon bits, fresh herbs, crunchy corn, and baby potatoes mixed perfectly together in a simple creamy dressing. This easy potato salad recipe is a great side dish to make on your next camping trip, family gathering, or BBQ party.
There are probably 101 ways to make potato salad. Some people prefer to add boiled eggs or celery, some swear by adding vinegar, and some want their salads extra creamy. There’s no wrong way to make a potato salad, but if you’re looking for a quick and simple recipe to whip up while you’re outdoors, this recipe is for you! This easy potato salad recipe keeps the ingredient list to just a handful of items that come together quickly, making it a great last minute side dish to add to any BBQ party or camping meal.
Ingredients
- Baby potatoes – Any type of potato will work, but I recommend baby potatoes as they don’t fall apart like others when mixing all the ingredients together.
- Bacon – Crispy bacon is the winner here in my opinion. It adds a delicious crunch and saltiness. It can be substituted with garlic sausage, pepperoni, crispy prosciutto, or omitted completely if you prefer.
- Corn – Canned corn is the easiest to store and use while camping. Alternatively, you can use up any leftover corn on the cob by shaving off the kernels and adding to the salad. If you charred it over the fire the night before, it will add a delicious smokiness that pairs well with the bacon.
- Green onion – Raw onion adds a great zip to any meal and is an ingredient I highly recommend including in this potato salad (unless you’re not an onion person at all, of course). You can also use finely diced red or yellow onion, as well as chives.
- Fresh parsley – For a fresh touch and a pop of color. Can be omitted if you don’t have space for fresh herbs, or substitute with ½ tsp dried parsley.
- Mayonnaise – The base of the potato salad dressing. If mayo is not your thing, you can use ¼ cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice instead.
- Dijon mustard – Adds some tang to the potato salad dressing.
The Easy Potato Salad Recipe
Makes 4 side servings
- 500g bag baby potatoes (about 20 to 30 potatoes), halved
- 4-6 slices bacon, cut into pieces
- ½ to ¾ cup canned corn, drained
- 2-3 sprigs green onion, diced
- Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
- On a stove set to medium-low heat, start frying bacon pieces until golden and crispy. Meanwhile, add the halved potatoes to a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain excess water.
- To the pot with cooked potatoes, add corn, bacon bits, mayonnaise, mustard, and fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. You can serve this warm, or cold after storing in the fridge or cooler.
Meal Prep and Storage
This recipe is a great side dish to prepare ahead of your camping trip or BBQ party because it is just as delicious cold as it is freshly made. You can store it in a resealable container in the fridge or cooler for 2 to 3 days. Prepping ahead can reduce the time and mess while out camping, giving you more time to do whatever fun activities you have planned!
Potato salad is a classic side dish for any summer picnic, BBQ, or camping trip. Prep ahead or make the day of; this easy potato salad will be a great complement to your meal!
Carlin is a lover of all things outdoors, adventure, and food! She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys activities like camping, hiking, biking, snowboarding, and surfing—especially in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and BC, Canada. She combined her passion for food and the outdoors and decided to start her outdoor food blog, Camp Kitchen, where she shares easy, delicious, and approachable recipes for the outdoors.
Image credit: Carlin Frimmel