Boring old potato salad gets an upgrade with dill pickles, shallots, bacon, and smoked paprika in this recipe for creamy Dill Pickle Potato Salad with Bacon.
Dill Pickel Potato Salad is tangy and delicious. It's definitely a popular BBQ side dish at all of our summertime parties.
I also like to keep it on hand in the fridge to serve as a quick family side during busy work weeks.
**Please Note - The printable recipe card with detailed instructions, complete ingredient measurements, and nutritional information for making Homemade Dill Pickle Potato Salad is available at the end of this post. Or click on the "jump to recipe" button (found above) to be taken directly to the recipe.
The ingredient list:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
- small red potatoes or small gold potatoes
- dill pickles
- bacon
- celery
- shallots
- mayonnaise
- milk
- mustard
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- dill weed
- hard-boiled eggs
- salt and pepper
Check out my latest and greatest Kudos Kitchen tasty BBQ side dishes recipe roundup.
Why this pickle potato salad recipe works:
Potato salad is one of my favorite go-to items in a buffet line or at a casual get-together.
For me, the creamier, the better, and the more flavor you can pack into a single forkful means that you'll feel satisfied sooner with less on your plate.
Which, in turn, will make room for all those other must-haves from around that tempting buffet table.
See? I've got your back! LOL
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What are the best potatoes for making potato salad, and why?
The key to making a potato salad that doesn't turn into a mashed potato after stirring in all the ingredients is to use a low starch, waxy potato like a red potato (called for in this recipe), or even a Yukon gold.
The reason being waxy potatoes have a more cohesive cell structure which helps them hold their shape far better than a high starch potato, such as a russet which absorbs too much water while cooking and will, therefore, become too soft and mushy.
The #1 tip for making the BEST creamy homemade potato salad:
The best tip I can give for making the very best potato salad is to dress the potatoes shortly after boiling and draining them, and while they're still hot.
This way the potatoes themselves will soak in the dressing (in this case, the mayonnaise, mustard, and smoked paprika dressing), and the dressing will impart much more flavor into the potatoes themselves, as opposed to being smothered in the dressing.
For loads more BBQ side dishes check out my popular BBQ Side Dish Recipe Roundup.
The step-by-step photo instructions:
- Prepare 3 pounds of red potatoes by washing and chopping them into approximate 1½" pieces.
- Add the potatoes to a large stock pot, cover with water, and 1½ tablespoons of kosher salt.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, hard boil the eggs, dice the celery, mince the shallots, crumble the cooked bacon, and dice the dill pickles.
- Drain the potatoes when tender and add them back into the warm pot.
- Add the celery, shallots, bacon and dill pickles to the warm potatoes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
- Pour the mayonnaise and smoked paprika dressing onto the potatoes in the pot and gently stir to thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
- Spoon the potato salad into a large serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To serve, garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs, and sprinkle with dried dill weed.
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Printable Recipe Card
Dill Pickle Potato Salad with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes washed and cut into 1½" pieces
- water to cover the potatoes
- 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 medium shallots minced
- 4 ribs celery small diced
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup dill pickles chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 hard cooked eggs peeled and sliced (optional)
- dried dill weed optional
Instructions
- Put the cut potatoes into a large stock pot and add water to cover.
- Add 1½ tablespoons of kosher salt into the potatoes.
- Bring the potatoes to a low boil and cook for 25-30 minutes, until tender.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
- Drain the potatoes and add them back into the warm pot.
- Add the minced shallots, diced celery, crumbled bacon, and diced dill pickles into the drained potatoes.
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the potatoes and gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Place the potato salad into a large serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- To serve, garnish the top with the sliced hard-boiled eggs and a sprinkling of dried dill weed.
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's recipe for creamy dill pickle potato salad with bacon as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Miranda says
Wow this sounds so amazing!!! If I were to double the recipe, do you think it would come out the same? I want to make this for a big graduation party this weekend. Thank you!!
Renée says
Yes! That will work just fine. Enjoy!!
Sandi says
You had me at dill pickle. This may be the perfect salad for me:-).
Renée says
Right? That's all it takes for me too. Love pickles!! Thanks, Sandi
Taryn says
Adding the pickles really kicks up the flavor! Thanks for the recipe.
Renée says
My pleasure. I couldn't agree with you more. Thanks, Taryn!
cathy | Lemon Tree Dwelling says
What a perfect addition to potato salad! My family would LOVE this!
Serene @ House of Yumm says
What a tasty way to dress up potato salad!
Renée says
Thank you, Serene!
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
This reminds me of the potato salad my aunt makes, except she uses sweet gherkins 🙂
Renée says
I love sweet gherkins too. Next time I'll try those.
Jenny | Honey and Birch says
All of your potato salad additions are some of my favorite ingredients; I'm sure I would love this potato salad version!
Renée says
We have very similar tastes, Jenny! 🙂
Abeer says
I can't get enough of potatoes. It's pretty much my favorite vergetable and I am excited about trying this potato salad... Mmmm!
Krista says
I am in love with this! It will complete any weekend BBQ!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
I've only made potato salad once this summer and summer is slipping away! This is a good reminder to make it soon!