Thank you so much to the Idaho Potato Commission for sponsoring this post! As always, all opinions and endorsements are my own.
I’ve discovered my new FAVORITE way to make potato salad! This Skillet Potato Salad with Bacon and Arugula is served warm with a sweet and tangy vinegar-based dressing. It’s similar to German potato salad, Paleo and gluten-free, and the perfect side dish all year round. And like most of my favorite foods tend to be, it’s made extra delicious from cooking in a cast-iron skillet.
I’ve been in a bit of a creative slump this week, which is difficult when your job depends on being creative. Coming up with a recipe for the blog was HARD, especially because I didn’t plan ahead like I usually do. I had a serious case of the “don’t wannas.” I spent about a half an hour putzing around my kitchen, staring blankly into my fridge and pantry, looking for inspiration.
In my fridge was a half a carton of baby arugula that if I didn’t use quickly, would go bad. I had two russet potatoes in my pantry that were threatening to sprout at any moment. And I had an open package of uncured thick-cut hickory smoked bacon that I wasn’t about to let go to waste. No, I told myself. NOT THE BACON!
So I did what any responsible bacon and argula and potato lover would do: I used all three to make this recipe. It was like an episode of Chopped (but with normal ingredients).
That’s what I love about cooking and creating recipes. It’s often a creative challenge and so many times, accidental recipes make some of my favorites. I’m DEFINITELY making this potato salad again and again and again.
And I’m also DEFINITELY eating the leftovers right now as I type this. I couldn’t resist. Om nom nom…
You can use another kind of potato for this recipe, but I loved the texture of russets in this. I left the skin on, which provided some structure. The flesh got partially mashed up, which helped thicken the dressing and distribute it equally throughout the salad. I recommend leaving the skin on no matter which potato you choose, both for texture and for added nutrition.
If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, no worries: you can definitely make it in any other, preferably heavy, skillet. BUT, also, you should probably get one. Right now. It’s my favorite piece of cooking equipment. It cooks food evenly because it retains heat throughout the entire surface. The more you use it, the more flavor will develop from the layers of seasoning, especially from recipes like this that use bacon. It’s cheap. It will last forever. Go ahead, treat yo’ self.
If you are a potato salad lover, make sure to try this Nepalese Potato Salad and this Cold Potato Salad with Buttermilk Dill Dressing!
Here’s the printable recipe for Skillet Potato Salad with Bacon and Arugula.
Skillet Potato Salad with Bacon and Arugula
Equipment
- medium pot
Ingredients
- 2 russet Idaho® potatoes washed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups baby arugula packed
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced
Instructions
- Boil the 2 cut up potatoes in salted water in a medium-sized pot until you can easily pierce them with a fork (about 20 minutes).
- Meanwhile, cook the four slices of bacon in a cast iron (or other heavy) skillet until crispy over medium-high heat (about 7-8 minutes).
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Chop when cool.
- In the same skillet, saute the diced onion in the bacon grease until softened and browned (about 5 minutes).
- Add the apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons) to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the whole grain mustard (1 tablespoon), honey (1 tablespoon), kosher salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (1/4 teaspoon) until well combined.
- One the potatoes have finished cooking, drain them in a colander, and add them to the skillet. Stir to coat in the onion and dressing mixture.
- Add the arugula (2 cups) and minced parsley (1 tablespoon) and stir. The heat from the potatoes will wilt the arugula a bit.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- To make this whole30 compliant, omit the honey.
- Make it vegetarian: Omit the bacon, and use 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter to sauté the onions. Make it vegan by using agave or maple syrup instead of honey.
- Time saving tip: You can prep the potatoes in advance- just cut and place in a pot and cover with cold water. Refrigerate the entire pot for up to 24 hours and then place directly on your stovetop when you want to cook.
- Arugula substitution: You can use another leafy green, such as baby spinach or chopped kale, in place of the arugula. Kale takes a bit longer to cook, as do other greens like collards, so take that into consideration.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Leave a Reply