This Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon and Corn is addictively good! It’s perfect for a weekend family dinner or your next summer party.
What Makes This Potato Salad Different
Not only do I grill the potatoes in the recipe, but I add corn, scallions and bacon for great flavor and texture. The sweet and savory flavors play off each other really well.
The dressing is also unusual. Instead of adding mostly mayo, I cut it with olive oil, vinegar and whole grain mustard.
Almost forgot to mention the pickles! I love the tang and texture they add, but it’s not something I always add. Consider them optional.
Ingredient Notes
Potatoes- Baby red potatoes or other baby potatoes work well in this recipe. If you’re using a larger potato, cook times will vary, and you would need to cut it smaller after grilling.
Mustard– This recipe uses whole grain mustard. You could also use Dijon, but I would start with a teaspoon or two and taste it before adding more.
Corn- Fresh corn is best for this recipe, so you’re able to grill it. If you only can find frozen corn, simply defrost it, drain it and add to the salad.
Bacon- For a lighter version of this salad, you can sub out turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon.
Recipe Steps
First, boil the potatoes. This step is important, because the potatoes will not cook through on the grill alone.
While the potatoes boil, crisp up the bacon. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Then, grill the potatoes corn and scallions. Cut the kernels off the cob and chop the scallions.
While the vegetables cook, whisk together the mayo, mustard, oil and vinegar for the dressing. Toss with potatoes and serve immediately, or allow to sit in the fridge to absorb the flavors before serving. Add vegetables and pickles. Crumble over bacon before serving.
Cooking Tips
- I think the salad is actually really good at room temperature when it’s first mixed, but it’s probably best after it sits somewhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours. After that time, the I found the vinegar flavor to be a bit pronounced.
- There are a few steps you can do in advance. Feel free to grill and and chop the scallions and corn up to a couple days before serving. You can also chop the pickles a few days in advance. The potatoes can be boiled the day before, but I would grill them within 2 hours of serving, because they should be warm when mixed with the dressing to absorb the flavor. The dressing on the other hand, can be mixed a day or two in advance. Stir in the bacon right before serving for the best texture.
- If you’d like to toss the potatoes with the dressing sooner, I’d suggest leaving out the vinegar until right before serving. I found the salad had the perfect tangy balance when it was first put together, but a bit of a strong vinegar flavor when it sat more than a few hours.
Potato Salad FAQs
Usually potato salad should chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes and up to a couple hours before serving. Some warm potato salads can be served immediately.
In order to avoid a mushy potato salad, it’s important to cook the potatoes properly. Add potatoes to room temperature water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender. If you add potatoes to already boiling water, they have a tendency to overcook on the outside before cooking through in the center.
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Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon and Corn
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
This Grilled Potato Salad with Bacon and Corn is addictively good! It’s perfect for a weekend family dinner or your next summer party.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds baby red potatoes or other baby potatoes
- 4 slices bacon
- 2 ears corn, shucked
- 10 scallions
- ½ cup cornichons or pickles of choice, chopped ½ inch thick (optional)
- Olive oil, as needed
- Kosher salt
Dressing:
- ¼ cup whole grain mustard
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons sherry or red wine vinegar, or to taste
- Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Boil potatoes: Place whole potatoes in a large pot. Cover by two inches with room temperature water. Place on stove top, cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slightly. Slice in half.
- Cook bacon: While potatoes boil, place bacon in a large nonstick pan. Turn heat to medium. Cook, turning frequently, until crispy, about 12-15 minutes. Reduce heat, as needed, to prevent burning. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Grill vegetables: Heat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat cut potatoes, cobbs of corn and whole scallions with olive oil. Season with salt. Place potatoes on grill, cut-side down. Place corn and scallions on grill. Cook potatoes 3-4 minutes on first side or until browned, flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Turn corn every 2 minutes until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Grill scallions for 2-3 minutes per side, or until charred and tender.
- Mix dressing: While vegetables are grilling, mix dressing. In a bowl, whisk together mustard and mayo. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking. Stir in vinegar, to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
- Chop vegetables: Cut corn off the cobb. Trim and discard scallion roots. Chop scallions into ½ inch pieces.
- Mix salad: In a large bowl, combine potatoes, corn, scallions, pickles and dressing. Toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Serve: Serve immediately or allow potatoes to sit in dressing for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the fridge. Spoon potato salad onto serving plates. Crumble bacon on top. Enjoy.
Notes
If you want to use a larger potato, cook times will vary, and you would need to cut it smaller after grilling.
If you want to sub Dijon mustard for the whole grain, start with a teaspoon or two and taste it before adding more.
Fresh corn is best for this recipe, so you’re able to grill it. If you only can find frozen corn, simply defrost it, drain it and add to the salad.
For a lighter version of this salad, you can sub out turkey bacon or vegetarian bacon.
For a creamier version, omit the olive oil and double up on the mayo.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side dish
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American, New American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅛ of salad
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 132mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 2mg
Great side dish!
Love the idea of grilled potato salad, Sabrina! Extra mustard for me please! Yum!
Thanks so much, Marissa!
This is not like any other potato salad I have seen. Looks so fresh and delicious. I’ll have to give it a go!
Thanks, Jin!! Hope you enjoy it 🙂