Warm Potato Salad with Bacon and Feta
This is truly comfort in a bowl, and perfect for eating on its own or as a side with lots of mains. This warm potato salad mixes baby potatoes and smoky bacon with a herb, shallot, garlic, and mayo dressing and crumbled feta. It’s easy to make and great for those cold fall and winter evenings.
What You Need
To make this potato salad, you’ll first need the following:
- Baby Potatoes – 2 lb baby potatoes
- Smoked Bacon – 4 oz smoked streaky bacon rashers
- Feta – 4 oz feta
- Mayo – 2 tbsp mayo
- Cilantro – a handful, about 1 tbsp when minced (packed)
- Parsley – a handful, about 1 tbsp when minced (packed)
- Red Pepper Flakes – 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, more to taste
- Garlic – 1 large clove, minced and divided in half
- Salt – a pinch of salt
- Black Pepper – a pinch of ground black pepper
- Italian Seasoning – 1/2 tsp Italian dried herb seasoning
- Shallot – 1/2 shallot
- Red Wine Vinegar – 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Oil – 1 tbsp oil (olive oil or a neutral oil like sunflower oil)
Note: I like to use my air-fryer to make this potato salad recipe. However, you can use the oven to cook the bacon and the potatoes. I’ve included instructions for making it in the oven below after the air-fryer steps.
How to Make It
Step 1. Cook the Bacon. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Arrange the bacon in a single layer in the preheated air fryer. Air fry at 400°F / 200°C for 7-8 minutes for crispy bacon, flipping halfway through. Once crispy, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain.
Step 2. Prep the Potatoes. While the bacon is cooking, you can prep the potatoes. Clean them, scrubbing them well. Cut them in half or in 3-4 pieces if they’re large. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and half the minced garlic. Toss with the oil.
Step 3. Cook the Potatoes. Once you’ve removed the bacon from the air fryer, add the potatoes (in a single layer) and cook them at 400°F / 200°C until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside (about 20-22 minutes). Toss them / shake the air fryer basket halfway through.
Step 4. Make the Dressing. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Mix mayo with the red wine vinegar, minced shallot, minced fresh herbs (cilantro and parsley), half the garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Step 5. Assemble. Once the potatoes are cooked, toss them with the dressing, add the crumbled feta and the chopped crispy bacon (reserving a few bits to garnish).
Step 6. Plate and Serve. Plate the warm potato salad and top with the remaining bits of crispy bacon as garnish. Serve the potato salad while warm.
Oven Method Note
If you want to make this recipe in the oven instead of the air fryer, prep the potatoes as in Step 2 and spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
For the bacon, lay the rashers on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover with another sheet of parchment, and place a second baking sheet on top to keep them flat so they crisp evenly.
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Put both trays in the oven on separate racks. Take the bacon out once it’s crispy (18–20 minutes) and drain it on paper towels. Keep roasting the potatoes until they’re crispy outside and tender inside (25–30 minutes total), flipping halfway through. While they roast, make the dressing (Step 4), then assemble and serve as in Steps 5 and 6.
If you make this warm potato salad and love it, tell me all about it in a review below. I’d also like to know if you used the air fryer method or the oven method.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 lb baby potatoes
- 4 oz smoked streaky bacon rashers
- 4 oz feta
- 2 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 large garlic minced and divided in half
- pinch salt
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Italian dried herb seasoning
- 1/2 shallot
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp oil (olive oil or a neutral oil like sunflower oil)
Instructions
- Cook the Bacon. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F / 200°C. Arrange the bacon in a single layer in the preheated air fryer. Air fry at 400°F / 200°C for 7-8 minutes for crispy bacon, flipping halfway through. Once crispy, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain.
- Prep the Potatoes. While the bacon is cooking, you can prep the potatoes. Clean them, scrubbing them well. Cut them in half or in 3-4 pieces if they’re large. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and half the minced garlic. Toss with the oil.
- Cook the Potatoes. Once you’ve removed the bacon from the air fryer, add the potatoes (in a single layer) and cook them at 400°F / 200°C until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside (about 20-22 minutes). Toss them / shake the air fryer basket halfway through.
- Make the Dressing. While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. Mix mayo with the red wine vinegar, minced shallot, minced fresh herbs (cilantro and parsley), half the garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Assemble. Once the potatoes are cooked, toss them with the dressing, add the crumbled feta and the chopped crispy bacon (reserving a few bits to garnish).
- Plate and Serve. Plate the warm potato salad and top with the remaining bits of crispy bacon as garnish. Serve the potato salad while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Lastly, don’t forget to save this recipe to one of your side dish boards.
