The Ultimate Roasted Potato Salad: Crispy Potatoes, Jammy Eggs, and Smoky Bacon Perfection

Forget everything you thought you knew about traditional potato salad. This isn’t your grandma’s creamy, chilled side dish – it’s a vibrant, textural masterpiece designed to elevate any meal. Our Roasted Potato Salad takes the humble potato, roasts it to golden perfection with aromatic shallots and garlic, then tosses it with a bright, balanced dressing. But the real game-changers? Perfectly jammy, soft-boiled eggs and crisp, smoky bacon, transforming this classic into an unforgettable culinary experience. Served at room temperature, it allows all the intricate flavors to shine, making it an ideal companion for a weeknight dinner, a festive holiday spread, or even a show-stopping Easter centerpiece. Prepare yourself for a potato salad that will truly knock your socks off!

I am genuinely thrilled to share this recipe with you, as it truly represents my ideal version of potato salad. It perfectly balances tradition with a modern update, ticking every box for flavor, texture, and visual appeal. Stepping outside the conventional methods has resulted in a dish that brings me immense satisfaction, and I’m confident it will delight your palate too.

Crafting the Perfect Crispy Roasted Potatoes

The secret to this extraordinary potato salad lies in the potatoes themselves. We’re not just boiling them; we’re giving them the royal treatment to achieve a texture reminiscent of the finest English roasted potatoes – incredibly crisp and golden on the outside, yet unbelievably fluffy and creamy within. This isn’t just a simple roast; it’s a carefully executed two-step process that guarantees perfection every time, a crucial departure from the often bland, soggy texture of conventionally boiled potato salads. This method ensures that each potato piece develops a beautiful, flavorful crust, which is essential for standing up to the rich dressing and providing a delightful textural contrast.

First, the potatoes are parboiled. This initial steaming or boiling gently cooks the potatoes through, softening their interior without letting them fall apart. It’s a critical step that prepares them for the roasting phase by allowing them to absorb moisture and become tender. For the best results, we recommend using small Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered, as their waxy-starchy balance holds up well to both boiling and roasting, providing that desirable creamy interior. Once parboiled, they are drained thoroughly, allowing any excess moisture to evaporate. This drying step is key to achieving maximum crispiness in the oven.

Next, these parboiled potatoes are tossed with a generous amount of olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. But we don’t stop there. We elevate the flavor profile by adding thinly sliced shallots and finely minced garlic to the mix. As these roast alongside the potatoes, they caramelize, infusing the entire dish with a sweet, savory, and aromatic depth that truly sets this potato salad apart. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet to ensure even roasting and optimal crispness. The high heat of the oven (450 degrees F / 230 degrees C) creates that irresistible crunchy exterior, developing the Maillard reaction – the chemical process responsible for that delicious browned flavor and texture. This meticulous attention to the potatoes transforms them from a mere filler to the star of the show, delivering a complex, satisfying bite in every forkful.

P.S. While your oven is preheated and working its magic on the potatoes, seize the opportunity to cook your bacon in the most efficient and mess-free way! Simply line a separate sheet pan with aluminum foil – this makes cleanup a breeze – and lay your bacon slices flat. Roast them alongside the potatoes at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for about 20 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of crispness. The oven method ensures uniformly crispy bacon without the splattering mess of stovetop frying. Once cooked, let them cool slightly on paper towels to absorb any excess grease, then chop them into delicious, smoky bits. These will add an invaluable salty crunch to our salad, complementing the creamy eggs and crisp potatoes perfectly.

Preparing the Zesty & Balanced Dressing

Moving beyond the potatoes, the dressing is where this salad truly takes a fresh, modern twist on a beloved classic. While many traditional potato salads rely on heavy, often ‘sludgy’ dressings that can overpower the delicate potato flavor, our version is designed to be vibrant, light, and perfectly balanced. It adheres to the fundamental components of a great potato salad – creamy, tangy, and savory – but reinterprets them with a sophisticated simplicity that highlights, rather than masks, the star ingredients.

Our dressing is an incredibly straightforward yet powerfully flavorful blend of just three key ingredients: high-quality mayonnaise, robust Creole mustard, and bright white balsamic vinegar. The mayonnaise provides the essential creamy base, binding all the ingredients together and adding a luxurious mouthfeel. Creole mustard, with its distinctive pungent and slightly spicy kick, introduces a depth of flavor that yellow mustard simply can’t match, while also adding a beautiful hue. The white balsamic vinegar is the unsung hero, cutting through the richness with its subtle sweetness and tangy acidity. Unlike regular balsamic, white balsamic maintains a lighter color, preserving the aesthetic appeal of the salad. This triumvirate creates a dynamic dressing that is simultaneously creamy and tangy, with a sharp, invigorating zest that perfectly complements the rich, roasted potatoes. Because our potatoes are already seasoned and bursting with flavor from the roasting process, the dressing’s role is to enhance, not to dominate, ensuring a harmonious symphony of tastes and textures in every bite.

The Art of the Jammy Egg

Now, for another element that transforms this from a good potato salad into a truly great one: the jammy eggs. I know, you might be thinking, ‘Another step for a potato salad?’ But trust me, this small additional effort yields a spectacular reward that you won’t want to skip. Especially if you’re preparing this dish around Easter or for a special occasion, these perfectly cooked eggs will add an undeniable ‘wow’ factor, both visually and texturally. Their rich, creamy yolks and tender whites provide a luxurious counterpoint to the crispy potatoes and smoky bacon.

Achieving these perfect jammy eggs is simpler than you might imagine. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower your eggs into the boiling water and cook them for precisely 7 minutes. This exact timing is critical for developing that beautiful, molten, golden yolk that’s firm around the edges but still delightfully runny and ‘jammy’ in the center – exactly what you see in the pictures! Immediately after their 7-minute boil, transfer the eggs to an ice bath for at least 5 minutes. This abrupt temperature change halts the cooking process, preventing the yolks from becoming chalky and ensuring they retain their desired jammy consistency. It also helps to separate the membrane from the shell, making peeling much easier.

When it comes to peeling, handle them with care, as soft-boiled eggs are more delicate than their hard-boiled counterparts. Peeling them gently under cold running water can be incredibly helpful; the flowing water works its way under the shell, assisting in the removal of larger pieces and minimizing breakage. Once peeled, halve them to reveal their gorgeous jammy centers. These tender, flavorful eggs are more than just a garnish; they are an integral component, contributing creaminess, richness, and an alluring visual appeal that elevates the entire dish.

Serving and Final Touches for a Memorable Meal

Once your beautifully roasted potatoes have cooled slightly – they should still be warm but not piping hot – it’s time to bring everything together. In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the potatoes with about three-quarters of your prepared dressing and a handful of the crispy bacon bits. The slight warmth of the potatoes will help them absorb the dressing’s flavors even better. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed; if you seasoned your potatoes well before roasting, they should be perfectly balanced. Arrange the potato salad on an elegant serving platter. This presentation allows the vibrant colors and textures to truly shine, making it an attractive addition to any table.

To finish, artfully arrange the halved jammy eggs on top of the salad, letting their golden yolks peek through. Scatter the remaining crispy bacon bits for an extra burst of flavor and crunch, and if using, sprinkle with freshly chopped chives for a hint of oniony freshness and a pop of color. Drizzle any remaining dressing over the top, not just for flavor, but for a beautiful glossy finish. This roasted potato salad is best served at room temperature, allowing all the nuanced flavors to fully develop and integrate. It’s incredibly versatile, pairing wonderfully with grilled meats, roasted chicken, or as a standout side for holiday feasts like Easter dinner. The combination of crispy, fluffy potatoes, savory bacon, creamy jammy eggs, and a zesty dressing creates a truly unforgettable experience that will have everyone asking for the recipe!

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📖 Recipe

Roasted Potato Salad

I couldn’t be happier with how this roasted potato salad recipe turned out. It perfectly blends crispy potatoes, rich jammy eggs, and smoky bacon with a light, zesty dressing. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It pairs beautifully with any roast or would even be a show-stopping addition to your Easter table or any special occasion.

Ingredients

• 4 lg Eggs, soft boiled 7 min
• 1.5 lb small Yukon Potatoes, quartered
• 1 Shallot, sliced
• 4-5 cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• 6 slices Bacon, crisped and chopped
• ½ cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Creole Mustard
• 2 tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Chopped Chives

Instructions

1. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Prepare an ice bath in a bowl and set aside.
2. In the boiling water, gently lower the eggs in and cook for 7 minutes. When the time has elapsed, remove and place in the ice bath for a minimum of 5 minutes. Peel under running water and set aside.
3. In the boiling water that remains, place your potatoes in and boil for 5-6 minutes, just until you see the potatoes turn from translucent to opaque. You do not want them to be falling apart tender, just parboiled.
4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
5. Line a sheet pan with tin foil or a baking liner as the potatoes cook. Drain the potatoes and add them to the sheet pan along with the shallot, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
6. Roast the potatoes in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes have crisped and the shallots and garlic have caramelized. Cook your bacon on a foiled lined baking sheet while the oven is on, I cook my bacon this way for easy cleanup! Chop the bacon when it is done cooking and set aside.
7. While the potatoes and bacon are cooking, combine the mayo, mustard, and white balsamic in a small bowl.
8. When the potatoes are done cooking, remove them from the oven and let them cool for about 15-20 minutes. When they are cool but still slightly warm, toss them in a bowl with ¾ of the dressing and a small handful of the bacon bits. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, but if you seasoned your potatoes well before roasting they should be good to go.
9. Place the potato salad on a platter, top with more bacon bits, the eggs that have been cut in half, and some chopped chives if using. Finish with the remaining dressing and enjoy!

Notes

For convenience, the jammy eggs and crispy bacon can be prepared up to a day ahead of time. Simply store them separately in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, allow them to come to room temperature to ensure optimal flavor and texture before adding them to the potato salad.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving:
Unsaturated Fat: 0g

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