Maybe it’s my German roots but I am hands down obsessed with potato salad. But not just any potato salad. I’ve been making a version of this Chipotle Bacon Sweet Potato Salad for the past few summers and I look forward to any occasion every year when I can make it and bring it to a party – Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, any tuesday…I’m down. Bring it on me.
It’s actually funny because when I was a little kid I used to thing mayonnaise was GROSS until my mom made me so many egg salad sandwiches that I actually started to love them. And I would totally get made fun of at school during lunch when everyone else had their uncrustable peanut butter & jelly sandwiches and I had my egg salad one, or my mom’s favorite (but definitely not mine) – cream cheese and jelly sandwiches. It’s just weird, you guys. Do not recommend. But also, looking back I’m glad my mom decided not to buy those things because who knows how many weird ingredients they can stick into a peanut butter & jelly sandwich which, you know, should be just bread, peanut butter, and jelly – but when you need to preserve it for weeks and months in the fridge so it actually stays good from when it’s manufactured to the time it actually gets put in a kids’ lunch box? I don’t really want to think about it.
Back to this Chipotle Bacon Sweet Potato Salad though. I took all my favorite elements from those vinegar-based potato salads and mayo potato salads and combined them. And kicked things up a notch by using some chipotle-lime mayonnaise. So you’ve got the creaminess and slightly spiciness of the mayo, crunch from the pickles and red onions, freshness from the dill and chives, and the tang of some apple cider vinegar and mustard. Plus, obviously garlic for good measure. Because I’m also Italian at heart and garlic makes literally anything and everything better. Except probably PB&J sandwiches. That would be gross.
Another thing that makes this potato salad different is I roasted the potatoes instead of boiling them. Ain’t nobody got time for mushy potatoes. Roasted is the way to go!
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes - I used a mix of white + orange ones!
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- ⅓ cup chipotle lime mayo
- ¼ red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped pickles
- ¼ c dill, chopped
- ¼ c chives, chopped
- 3-4 slices bacon, cooked, cooled and cut into bacon bits
- 1 Tbsp mustard (dijon or coarse ground)
- ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- For serving: a sprinkle of paprika
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into bite-sized cubes and toss them with 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil. Spread them on a prepared baking sheet. Once the oven is hot, pop them in and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until they are easily pierced with a fork.
- While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the bacon. Heat a medium sized skillet on medium heat and cook the bacon until crispy, but not burned - about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and allow it to cool completely before chopping it up into bacon bits.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine the mayo, chopped onion and pickles, mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Stir in the chives and dill last, but make sure to save a little for garnish. Stick the dressing in the refrigerator until the potatoes are ready.
- Once the potatoes are done, pull them out of the oven. You can allow them to cool on the stovetop, or once they are cool to the touch, transfer them to a large bowl and cool them in the refrigerator. (If you don’t let them cool all the way, the dressing will totally melt!)
- When the potatoes are cool, combine them in a large bowl with the dressing using a spatula, being careful not to mush up the potatoes. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with the remaining chopped dill, chives, and a little paprika.
Bringing this to a holiday potluck? You’ll love these too!
Strawberry Basil Frosé (Frozen Rosé)
Secret Recipe Guacamole
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Paleo Almond Joy Cookies (No Bake)
