Crispy Potato Salad with Bacon & Pickles

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If crispy potatoes and creamy potato salad had a baby, this crispy potato salad would be it. Golden smashed potatoes, smoky bacon, briny pickles and a creamy Dijon lemon dressing all piled into one seriously loaded bowl.

My sister has been making this potato salad for years, and I’ve been trying to get her recipe onto the blog for just as long. The Yukon Golds are boiled until tender, smashed, seasoned and roasted until those craggy edges get nice and crisp. Then comes plenty of bacon, dill pickles, red onion and fresh chives, all tossed in that tangy, creamy dressing.

If you love my sour cream smashed potatoes or my garlic butter smashed potatoes, consider this their summer salad era. Serve it warm or at room temperature while those crispy edges are still doing their thing.

Smashed potato salad with crispy bacon, pickles, red onion, and fresh chives in a creamy dressing.

This smashed potato salad recipe officially wraps up my seven recipe Summer Salad Series with one very crispy grand finale!

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✳︎ What Makes This Potato Salad So Crispy?

It all comes down to the smash. Gently flattening the tender Yukon Gold potatoes creates more surface area and plenty of rough, craggy edges that turn deeply golden and crisp in the oven. Give them enough room on the baking sheet and let them actually brown. Pale potatoes won’t give this smashed potato salad the same crispy creamy contrast.

The other trick is timing. Once those crispy smashed potatoes meet the creamy dressing, they’ll naturally start to soften. Let them cool slightly before tossing, then assemble the salad closer to serving if maximum crunch is the goal. You’ll still get that creamy potato salad goodness, but with crispy edges tucked into every bite.

And if that classic creamy potato salad texture is more your thing from the get-go, my red skin potato salad is always a good one to have in your back pocket.

The Bacon-Pickle Situation

And this is where things get really good. Crispy bacon brings the smoky, salty bite, while chopped dill pickles and red onion cut through all that richness with plenty of tang and crunch. Fresh chives keep things bright, and a little smoked paprika on the potatoes ties right back into the bacon.I usually make my broiled bacon for this recipe because it’s easy and lets the oven do the work, but you can absolutely cook the bacon in a skillet instead if you prefer.

Then there’s the dressing. Homemade mayonnaise makes it extra good if you have some on hand, but your favourite store bought mayo works just fine. Dijon adds a sharp little kick, and fresh lemon juice keeps the whole thing from feeling too heavy. Together, you get a potato salad with bacon and pickles that hits smoky, salty, tangy, creamy and fresh all at once.

If you’re looking for a lighter take on the creamy stuff, my Greek yogurt potato salad skips the mayo altogether.

Can You Make Crispy Potato Salad Ahead of Time?

Yes, but if you want to keep those golden edges crispy, I wouldn’t fully assemble it the day before. The roasted potatoes will naturally soften as they sit in the creamy dressing, so timing is your friend here.

You can cook the bacon, chop the pickles, red onion and chives, and mix up the Dijon lemon dressing ahead of time. Keep everything separate in the fridge, then roast the potatoes and toss the salad together closer to serving. It’s best warm or at room temperature when you really get that crispy creamy contrast.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge and are totally fair game cold the next day. Just expect a softer, more traditional potato salad texture once everything has had time to mingle.

What to Serve with Crispy Potato Salad

With smoky bacon, tangy pickles and that creamy Dijon dressing already bringing plenty to the table, this potato salad is basically begging for something hot off the grill. Pair it with my perfect grilled chicken for an easy summer dinner, or go full backyard cookout with these juicy ground beef burgers.

It’s also a great side for steak or ribs, especially when you want something creamy and tangy to balance out a rich, meaty main. My ribeye steak or Instant Pot fall-off-the-bone-ribs would be right at home next to a big scoop.

hand holding a bowl of smashed potato salad with crispy bacon, pickles, red onion, and fresh chives in a creamy dressing.

FAQs

Absolutely. It’s best served warm or at room temperature when the roasted potatoes still have some of those crispy edges, but leftovers are great cold, too. Just keep in mind that the potatoes will soften as they sit in the dressing.

You can prep most of it the day before, but for the best texture, wait to roast and dress the potatoes until closer to serving. The bacon, pickles, red onion and chives can all be prepped ahead, and the Dijon lemon dressing can be mixed and refrigerated separately.

The short answer is: don’t let them sit too long! Creamy dressing will inevitably soften crispy roasted potatoes over time. Let the potatoes cool slightly before tossing them with the dressing, then serve soon after assembling for the best crispy creamy contrast.

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Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with Bacon and Pickles

This crispy potato salad combines golden smashed potatoes, smoky bacon, and briny pickles with a creamy Dijon lemon dressing for one loaded bowl.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings 6 Servings

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Potatoes

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (unpeeled and cut into chunks)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

For the Salad

8 slices bacon
½ cup dill pickles (finely chopped)
⅓ cup red onion (finely chopped)
¼ cup fresh chives (chopped)

For the Dressing

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Add the potato chunks to a large pot and cover with cold, generously salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork-tender but not falling apart, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well.
While the potatoes are boiling, cook the bacon until crisp using your preferred method. I like to use my broiled bacon method, but a skillet works too. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain, then chop into bite sized pieces.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Place a second sheet pan on top and gently press down to smash them all at once.

No second sheet pan? Smash them individually with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and crisp around the edges. For extra crispy potatoes, broil for the final 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely.
In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Let the potatoes cool slightly, then break any particularly large ones into bite sized pieces. Add them to the dressing along with the bacon, pickles, red onion and chives. Gently toss until coated.

Serve warm or at room temperature for the best crispy creamy contrast.

Notes

Use Yukon Gold potatoes. Their creamy centres hold up well to smashing while the edges get beautifully crisp.

Keep the skins on: Don’t peel the Yukon Gold potatoes. As the chunks are boiled and smashed, some of the skins will naturally pull away from the potatoes. Those loose, craggy pieces get especially crispy in the oven and are part of what gives this potato salad its texture.

Don’t overboil the potatoes. They should be fork tender but still holding their shape. Too soft and they can fall apart when smashed.

Try the sheet pan smashing trick. Place a second sheet pan over the boiled potatoes and gently press to smash several at once instead of doing them individually.

Give them room to crisp. Avoid overcrowding the baking sheet and roast until the potatoes are deeply golden, not just lightly browned.

Let them really crisp: Don’t pull the potatoes just because they’re technically cooked. You want deeply golden edges and visibly crisp pieces of skin before assembling the salad.

Dress close to serving. Once the roasted potatoes hit the creamy dressing, those crispy edges will gradually soften.

Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. They’re great cold, but expect a softer potato salad the next day.

Nutrition

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scroll up above the recipe card for ingredient notes, tips & tricks, and easy swaps/variations.

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Crispy Potato Salad with Bacon and Pickles

✳︎ What Makes This Potato Salad So Crispy?

The Bacon-Pickle Situation

Can You Make Crispy Potato Salad Ahead of Time?

What to Serve with Crispy Potato Salad

FAQs