There are some recipes that just belong at every Aussie BBQ, and a big bowl of potato salad is right up there with sausages and sunshine. This Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad is the one I make on repeat - it's simple, reliable, and always the first thing to disappear from the table.
If you love side dishes that easily feed a crowd, you might also like my Creamy Pasta Salad or classic Curried Rice Salad - both total BBQ staples too.
This recipe 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 being heavy. It's made with basic ingredients you probably already have, and it's ideal for summer entertaining, potlucks, picnics or make-ahead lunches.
If you're 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
- Perfect BBQ side dish - feeds a crowd and pairs with everything
- Simple ingredients - nothing fancy, expensive or hard to find
- Make-ahead friendly - even better the next day
- Great texture - creamy without being mushy
- Family-approved - kid-friendly and grown-up delicious - even the leftovers won't last long!
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Potato Salad Ingredients
Made with a short list of classic ingredients, this potato salad with creamy dressing is all about letting simple flavours shine.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Potatoes - Choose a 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.
- 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 help balance the saltiness of the bacon - don't overcook them or they'll turn chalky.
- Dijon mustard - Just a small amount lifts the Sour Cream and Mayo dressing and stops it tasting overly creamy.
Variations
- No bacon - Skip the bacon for a vegetarian version and add extra spring onion or fresh herbs.
- Gluten free - This recipe is naturally gluten free (just double-check your bacon and mustard).
- Lighter version - Use Greek yoghurt in place of half the sour cream for a lighter dressing.
- Extra crunch - Add finely chopped celery or radish for extra texture.
How To Make Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad
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, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until smooth.
5: Assemble The Salad
Add the cooled potatoes, eggs, bacon and spring onion to a large bowl.
Pour over the dressing and gently toss until just combined. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.
Recipe Tips
- 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.
Creamy Bacon, Egg & Potato Salad FAQs
Waxy or all-rounder potatoes like Desiree, Red Pontiac, Sebago or Yukon Gold work best as they hold their shape after boiling.
Yes! In fact, it's even better the next day once the flavours have had time to fully develop.
This usually happens if the potatoes weren't cooled properly before adding the dressing, or if they were overcooked.
This recipe is best served cold or at room temperature - warm potatoes will absorb too much dressing.
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!