Roasted Garlic & Red Skin Potato Salad is a delicious twist on creamy potato salad recipe with roasted garlic and bacon. This hearty salad is sure to be a hit at your next picnic or potluck!
Roasted Garlic & Red Skin Potato Salad
I made this Roasted Garlic & Red Skin Potato Salad and absolutely fell in love with it. Then again, I tend to love anything with roasted garlic! I was heading over to my mom’s for the weekend so I brought some over to to share. My 12 year old nephew Christian was there and he is not a big fan of new foods (if you haven’t noticed, that seems to be a running theme in my family!), but I asked him to try it. He hesitated at first, because it doesn’t look like the yellow potato salad he normally gets from the deli. I pleaded with him that I needed his feedback and once he realized his opinion was going to be valued, he was all about it. 🙂
He took a big bite…and then another, he smiled at me and said “Danielle, if I had to rate this out of 5 stars, I would definitely give it 4.5 stars.” HAHA! That is a definite win people! So be sure and give this spin on potato salad with creamy roasted garlic a try next time you have a cook out!
To get started, preheat your oven to 400°. Take your 4 heads of garlic and slice the tops off so each clove is exposed. (This is important, if you leave some cloves intact, they will be difficult to get at later.) Place them on the sheet of tinfoil, cut side up, and use the 1 Tbsp of olive oil to rub over the entire head. Be sure to cover them thoroughly, so they don’t burn. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and fold the tinfoil into a packet to enclose the garlic completely. Place in the oven and bake for 60-90 minutes until the cloves are a deep golden-brown. It may seem like four heads of garlic is a lot for one batch of potato salad, but when you roast garlic, it sweetens and mellows the garlic flavor drastically.
Once the garlic is done cooking, remove it from the oven and it should be a beautiful golden brown color. Squeeze each head from the bottom to release the individual cloves. (Use an oven mitt to protect your hand if you are impatient like myself, otherwise just wait for it to cool.) Dice or mash the cloves, so they will blend well into the dressing.
While the garlic is baking, clean the potatoes and chop them into 3/4″ size pieces. In a large pot of salted boiling water, (It is important to generously salt your boiling water, because this is where the potatoes will get some of their flavor) add the chopped potatoes and boil for about 8-10 minutes until they are fork tender. (You should be able to stick a fork through the potato without meeting resistance from a hard, raw portion.) When they are done, drain the potatoes and then promptly return them to the pot they were cooking in. This will allow them to steam for a bit and remove any excess moisture.
Chop the bacon into 1/4″ pieces and add to a hot frying pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bacon starts to brown and then add the diced onions. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the onions are browned.
Add the cooled bacon and onions to a large bowl with the potatoes, celery, green onions, bell pepper and hard boiled eggs.
In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, dijon, vinegar, salt, pepper and mashed roasted garlic. Mix well and spoon on the top of the potato mixture. Gently fold the dressing into the vegetables until well combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
Roasted Garlic & Red Skin Potato Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb red potatoes
- 1/2 lb. bacon
- 1 large sweet yellow onion diced
- 1/4 c. red bell pepper diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
- 6 hard boiled eggs chopped
- 1 c. mayonnaise
- 1/3 c. Dijon
- 2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar can substitute red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 4 heads roasted garlic mashed
Instructions
- Clean the potatoes and chop them into 3/4″ size pieces. In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the chopped potatoes and boil for about 8-10 minutes until they are fork tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat and drain the potatoes. Promptly return them to the pot they were cooking in (NOT over heat) to let them steam for a bit.
- Chop the bacon into 1/4″ pieces and add it to a frying pan over medium high heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until bacon starts to brown and add the diced onions. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until the bacon is crispy and the onions are browned.
- Add the cooled bacon and onions to a large bowl with the potatoes, celery, green onions, bell pepper and hard boiled eggs.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon, vinegar, salt, pepper and mashed roasted garlic. Mix well and spoon on the top of the potato mixture. Gently fold the dressing into the vegetables until well combined.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
Pete says
We’ve made this about a dozen times now and it never disappoints. Takes a little more time than most, but it’s worth it.
Betty Freaney says
Can I make this potato salad the day before and have it taste as good?
Danielle Green says
Yes! Potato salad is great the next day. The flavors get a chance to meld together even more.
Natalie says
When I want to browse recipes to get some good ideas from other chefs on a simple recipe, li don’t want to read a damn NOVEL about some family’s potato salad adventures first.
Or guacamole adventure
Or chocolate chip cookie adventure
Or kale adventure…….etc
Danielle Green says
Then you are welcome to go to recipe websites or buy cookbooks. This is a BLOG though and recipes include some backstory. ?
Mark says
I find that the scroll wheel on my mouse works really well for avoiding non-essential information. What’s really great is that you don’t even need to publicly whine about things for it to work.
Felicia says
Would this still be good without the eggs? My son has an extreme allergy to eggs.
Danielle Green says
Yes, it woukd still be good!
Marsha I Arias says
I am normally not a fan of potato salad, but I really liked the twist on the normal ingredients that are typically called for in potato salad, so I gave this a try. I did leave out the celery as none of my family members really like the texture or taste of it, but this recipe is a total hit with us all. I am for sure keeping this one in rotation for our meal plans. Thanks so much for the very delicious recipe?.
Danielle Green says
Glad you enjoyed it Marsha!
L says
Definitely a more labor intensive potato salad recipe, but worth it! Very flavorful with various layers of depth that surprised me as I’ve eaten a lot of other’s potato salads and they seem bland/one-note compared to this. Ran out of time and didn’t put bacon in it, but definitely plan to make again WITH the bacon.
Danielle Green says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it! It definelty takes more time with the roasted garlic but is totally worth it in my opinion.
L says
Definitely a more labor intensive potato salad recipe, but worth it! Very flavorful with various layers of depth that surprised me as I’ve eaten a lot of other’s potato salads and they seem bland/one-note compared to this. Ran out of time and didn’t put bacon in it, but definitely plan to make again WITH the bacon.
Meagan | LifeOutsideOfTexas.com says
Drooool! This looks AMAZING!