If there's one salad that has to be on the table at an Aussie BBQ, it's creamy bacon, egg and potato salad. This is my go-to version - simple to make, totally reliable and always the first bowl scraped clean.
Perfect for BBQs, picnics and easy make-ahead entertaining, this classic potato salad feeds a crowd and never lets you down.
If you love side dishes that easily feed a crowd, you might also like my Creamy Pasta Salad or classic Curried Rice Salad - both are total BBQ staples, too.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad
🕒 Ready In: 40 minutes
👪 Serves: 8
🍽 Calories: 229 per serve
🥣 Main Ingredients: potatoes, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, sour cream, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard
📖 Dietary Info: gluten-free
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Creamy, comforting and always a crowd-pleaser, this classic potato salad is perfect for Aussie BBQs, picnics and easy make-ahead entertaining.
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Oh baby. This is the one! I've been making a simple version of this for about 10 years in Australia. More than once, I've found people after lunch hiding in the kitchen, eating this stuff out of the bowl... yeah, it's good.
- John
This creamy bacon, egg and potato salad is everything a good potato salad should be. Fluffy potatoes that hold their shape, crispy bacon, perfectly cooked eggs and a creamy, tangy dressing that coats every bite without feeling heavy. It's made with simple ingredients you likely already have, and it's perfect for summer BBQs, picnics, potlucks or easy make-ahead lunches.
Planning a spread? This salad pairs beautifully with my Spinach, Tomato and Bacon Frittata or crispy Panko Chicken Schnitzels for an easy, crowd-pleasing menu.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- A BBQ classic: A simple dish that feeds a crowd and pairs perfectly with all your favourite BBQ mains.
- Simple ingredients: Nothing fancy, pricey or hard to find.
- Make-ahead friendly: Tastes even better after a few hours (or the next day).
- Perfect texture: Creamy and comforting, without being mushy.
- Family-approved: Loved by kids and adults alike - leftovers never last long.
Jump to:
Potato Salad Ingredients
Made with a short list of classic ingredients, this creamy bacon, egg and potato salad lets simple flavours shine.
- Potatoes: Choose a waxy potato variety that holds its shape when cooked. Desiree, Red Pontiac, Sebago or Yukon Gold are ideal - floury potatoes will fall apart and turn the salad mushy. Cook the potatoes until just fork-tender.
- Bacon: Streaky bacon works best as it crisps beautifully and adds loads of flavour. Shortcut bacon won't give the same result.
- Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs add richness and balance the salty bacon. Take care not to overcook them or they'll turn chalky.
- Dijon mustard: Just a small amount lifts the potato salad dressing and stops it tasting too heavy.
Variations
This creamy potato salad is easy to adapt, depending on what you have on hand.
- No bacon: Skip the bacon for a vegetarian version and add extra spring onion, dill pickles, red onion or fresh herbs, such as chives or dill.
- Gluten-free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free - just double-check your bacon and mustard.
- Lighter option: Swap half of the sour cream for Greek yoghurt to lighten the creaminess of the dressing.
- Extra crunch: Stir through finely chopped celery or radish for added texture.
How To Make Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad
This is the best potato salad! Try it for yourself and see...
1: Cook The Bacon
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook the chopped bacon until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towel and set aside.
2: Cook The Potatoes
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, add the chopped potatoes and cook for around 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well and allow to cool completely.
3: Boil The Eggs
Place eggs gently into a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and leave for 12 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel and chop.
4: Make The Dressing
Whisk together the sour cream, mayo, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until smooth.
5: Assemble The Salad
Add the cooled potatoes, eggs, bacon and spring onion/green onions to a large bowl.
Pour over the dressing and gently fold through until just combined. Serve immediately or place into the refrigerator until needed.
Recipe Tips
- Choose the right potatoes: Use a variety that holds its shape when cooked, such as Desiree, Red Pontiac, Sebago or Yukon Gold.
- No peeling required: Cut the potatoes into even-sized cubes, bring the water to a boil, then add the potatoes so they cook evenly.
- Don't overcook: The potatoes should be tender but still firm - overcooking will make the salad mushy.
- Cool completely: Always allow the potatoes to cool fully before adding the dressing to avoid a soggy salad.
- Season in layers: Lightly salt the potatoes after boiling, then season the dressing to taste for the best flavour.
- Make it ahead: This salad tastes even better after a few hours - or overnight - in the fridge.
- Serving ideas: Perfect alongside BBQ meats, grilled chicken, baked fish or salmon.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Not suitable for freezing due to the creamy dressing.
- Transport tip: Keep chilled in an esky with ice packs when taking to a BBQ or picnic.
Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad FAQs
Waxy or all-rounder potatoes work best because they hold their shape when cooked. Desiree, Red Pontiac, Sebago or Yukon Gold are all great choices and won't turn mushy.
Yes! This salad is perfect for making ahead. Prepare it a few hours in advance - or even the day before - and store it in the fridge. The flavours develop beautifully over time.
Watery potato salad is usually caused by adding the dressing while the potatoes are still warm. Make sure the potatoes are completely cooled and well-drained before mixing everything together.
This salad is best served chilled or at room temperature. Serving it warm can cause the creamy dressing to loosen and lose its texture.
More Simple Potato Recipes
Potatoes are the perfect comfort food! These easy recipes are budget-friendly, family-friendly, and fussy kid-approved too!
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Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 200 g bacon rashers chopped
- 1 kg potatoes chopped into 3cm cubes
- 4 eggs room temperature
- ½ cup spring onion chopped
For the dressing
- 120 g (½ cup) sour cream
- 60 g (¼ cup) mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat. Cook the bacon until crispy, remove from the pan and place onto paper towel. Set aside.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to the boil over high heat. Add the potatoes. Once the water starts to boil again, cook the potatoes for a further 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool completely.
- Place the eggs into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat off and cover with a lid. Leave for 12 minutes. Drain the water, allow to cool slightly and then peel the eggs. Chop into small pieces.
- To make the dressing, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- To assemble the salad, place the potatoes into a large bowl. Add the chopped eggs, bacon and spring onion.
- Pour over the dressing and carefully mix to combine.
Notes
- Choose a variety of potato that holds its shape when cooked (Desiree, Red Pontiac, Sebago or Yukon Gold are ideal).
- No need to peel, cut into uniform sized small cubes, bring water to the boil then add potatoes to cook evenly.
- Don't overcook the potatoes - they should be tender but still hold their shape.
- Always cool the potatoes completely before adding the dressing to avoid a soggy salad.
- Season in layers - lightly salt the potatoes after boiling, then season the dressing to taste.
- Make it ahead - this salad tastes even better after a few hours (or overnight) in the fridge.
- Serve with grilled chicken or BBQ meats, baked fish or salmon.
- Storage - Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing - Not suitable for freezing due to the creamy dressing.
- Transport tip - Keep chilled in an esky with ice packs if taking to a BBQ or picnic.
John Hogan says
Oh baby. This is the one! I've been making a simple version of this for about 10 years in Australia.
I've just done my Christmas batch that I share around. For me it's a ratio of 4kg potatoes, 1kg bacon, 12 to 18 eggs, a lot of Thomy mayo and a lot of chopped spring onions/shallots. It's super rich and I limit this to once or twice a year for health reasons... it's probably shortening your life but also increasing your will to live!
More than once I've found people after lunch hiding in the kitchen eating this stuff out of the bowl... yeah it's good.
Lucy says
It sounds amazing!