Warm Potato Salad with Bacon and Peppers
This warm potato salad with bacon and peppers skips the mayo and instead gets flavored with crispy bacon, buttery sautéed long hot peppers, extra virgin olive oil, fresh chives and a cooling dollop of sour cream. It’s a little bit spicy, super flavorful and perfect for summer BBQs and cookouts!
This post may contain affiliate links.
This is a favorite salad amongst all of my friends. One of us (okay, me) usually makes it for every summertime BBQ and get together. It’s just so damn tasty!
We use long hots, which are a long, hot chili pepper common in New Jersey and the surrounding area. If you can't find them, you can substitute jalapeños, hatch chilies or any other medium hot pepper.
Creamy Yukon gold or fingerling potatoes get boiled until just fork tender, then steamed dry in the pot to prevent the salad from being watery. Seasoning the boiling water with plenty of salt helps the flavor go all the way through, not just sit on the outside.
The dressing is mostly just olive oil infused with spicy chili flavor and a little bacon fat. It doesn’t really need any vinegar, but you could add a splash of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar to give it an extra kick.
The salad gets served warm with a scoop of tangy, cool sour cream, which melts into the warm potatoes and tampers the heat of the chilies. Then it gets finished with chives, which add much needed freshness and a mellow oniony bite.
Want more great potato recipes? Try my classic Dauphinoise potatoes, these crispy roasted potatoes with onions and rosemary, or this pillowy homemade potato gnocchi.
Why This Recipe Works
- Skips the mayo for a warm chili oil and bacon fat dressing instead.
- Boiling, then steaming the potatoes keeps them perfectly tender, never soggy.
- Sour cream adds tang and balances the heat, while chives bring welcome freshness.
- Great warm or at room temperature, and holds up well outside.
Ingredient Notes
Long hot peppers - These peppers can range wildly in heat, from mild to crazy spicy. They’re key to this salad's flavor profile, but if you’re worried about spice, sub in milder options like cubanelle peppers, Jimmy Nardello peppers, or your favorite chili pepper variety. Avoid bell peppers, as they don't add quite the same flavor or texture.
Potatoes - I love using fingerlings or Yukon gold potatoes here. Any waxy variety is perfect for this kind of salad. Look for small to medium potatoes and avoid any that are very large. You can also use baby potatoes, red bliss potatoes, or other small potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces.
Bacon - Don’t skimp on the crispy bacon! It brings that smoky-salty balance and gives this salad so much flavor. Save those bacon drippings for the salad. You can even use my homemade smoked bacon recipe!
Chives - These bring a fresh, oniony pop that cuts through the richness. Green onions or scallions make a great substitute. You can also experiment with different herbs like fresh dill, basil or parsley to add a unique flavor.
Sour cream - The best part of adding sour cream is that it cools everything down and gives a subtle tang that ties all the flavors together. Greek yogurt also works, but the richness of real sour cream is ideal.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Medium cast iron skillet or sauté pan
- Sheet pan
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
Step by Step Instructions
- Pour the oil into a medium sauté pan over medium heat, then add the long hots. Season generously with salt, then toss them every few minutes until totally softened, about 25 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lay the bacon slices in an even layer on a foil-lined sheet pan, then cook until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon grease.
- Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then cook until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Pro Tip: Using cold water from the start ensures the potatoes cook evenly from the inside out.
- Drain the potatoes, let sit in the colander to steam dry, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the softened peppers and their oil, then crumble in the bacon pieces and mix together.
- If the salad seems dry, pour in a little reserved bacon fat or some extra-virgin olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, mix, then taste and adjust with more as needed.
- Add chopped chives just before serving. Serve warm with a generous dollop of sour cream and extra chives on top.
Tips for Success
- Salt the boiling water generously to season the potatoes from the inside out.
- Steaming the boiled potatoes dry after draining helps prevent a soggy salad.
- Let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving so the flavors meld together.
- For even more flavor, add a dash of lemon juice, red wine vinegar or white vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder or onion powder.
Serving Suggestions
This warm potato salad recipe is a fantastic tasty side dish for just about anything off the grill. It holds up beautifully at room temperature, so it’s ideal for cookouts and potlucks.
Serve alongside a classic BLT sandwich, these bacon cheddar burgers with tomato jam, crispy shrimp po'boys or flaky panko-crusted fried fish.
For something a little fancier, try it with my Cajun fish cakes or tender grilled scallops with prosciutto. And don’t forget a crisp, refreshing vinegar slaw on the side!
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It can be reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until just warmed through, or enjoyed cold like more classic potato salad styles.
Avoid freezing, as the texture will be compromised.
FAQs
While there are many different types of potato salad, this one benefits from potatoes that hold their shape during mixing and waxy varieties work best. Unpeeled red potatoes, Yukon golds, and other boiling potatoes are ideal because they’re less likely to fall apart.
Avoid russet potatoes and other starchy potatoes, which can become mealy and break down too easily. Choosing the right waxy potato helps ensure this dish lives up to its potential as the ultimate side dish.
Absolutely. Swap out long hots for cubanelle peppers or milder chili varieties like Hatch chilies. Remove seeds to reduce heat further.
Yes! Make it up to a day ahead, then gently reheat and finish with sour cream and fresh herbs just before serving for the best texture.
You can sub in full fat Greek yogurt, but keep in mind it will be a little tangier and less rich than traditional sour cream.
This particular potato salad is a little different from both. Unlike a classic American potato salad, which typically features a creamy dressing with mayonnaise and sometimes includes hard-boiled eggs, this version skips the mayo entirely and uses a warm, oil-based salad dressing infused with chili and bacon fat.
It also differs from an authentic German potato salad recipe, which usually includes vinegar, a touch of mustard, and sometimes sugar for a sweet-tangy profile. This hot potato salad leans into smoky, spicy flavors with a cooling sour cream finish. It’s less traditional and more based on personal preference.
Did you LOVE this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and comment and tag your creations @ColeyCooks on Instagram!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox.
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Coley Cooks.
Warm Potato Salad with Bacon
Ingredients
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 5 long hot peppers or long sweets, sliced into 1 inch chunks*
- kosher salt as needed
- 1 pound fingerling or yukon gold potatoes cut into large chunks
- 8 slices bacon
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped chives plus more for garnish
- sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Pour the oil into a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the long hots. Season generously with salt, then toss them around every few minutes until they're totally softened, about 25 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay the bacon slices in an even layer on a foil lined sheet pan, then cook in the oven until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon fat (optional).
- Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cool water and add enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes, then let them sit in the colander for a few minutes to dry out. Transfer to a bowl, then add the peppers and all of their oil, and crumble the bacon over top. Mix together, mashing some of the potatoes a bit as you go. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- If the salad is a little dry, pour in a little bacon fat, or alternatively some extra olive oil. Add the chives and mix right before serving. Serve warm, with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprinkling of chives.
Notes
- Salt the boiling water generously to season the potatoes from the inside out.
- Steaming the boiled potatoes dry after draining helps prevent a soggy salad.
- Let the salad sit for a few minutes before serving so the flavors meld together.
- For even more flavor, add a dash of lemon juice, red wine vinegar or white vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder or onion powder.
Man, do I love potatoes. And potato salad. And pretty much anything you post. So yeah, I'm totally obsessed with this recipe! Perfect to go with a roast or chicken on the grill! A must-try, for sure!
Thanks, Karly! It's one of our all time favorites. I hope you love it as much as we do!