Smokey and Spicy Sweet Potato Salad is made with crumbled bacon, chunks of cheese and fresh scallions. Let me start with the bacon though. My family LOVES bacon. I almost feel like I am cheating when I cook something with bacon in it because I know they are guaranteed to try it. Do they really like it? Or are they just eating it for the bacon? Sometimes I wonder… but not with this sweet potato salad. It has a little something for everyone AND it has bacon.
There’s a little heat from cayenne pepper (add as much as you like) to balance the sweetness of the potatoes. The creaminess of the cheese and fresh crunch from the scallion work in harmony. The lemon juice helps to balance the wonderful fattiness from the bacon and when you let the flavors marry overnight in the fridge… you’ll like it even more the next day. In fact, I recommend that you make it a day ahead for the best result.
Serve this Smokey and Spicy Sweet Potato Salad with my Sweet and Spicy Chicken or Cumin and Lime Marinated Flank Steak with Parsley Awesome Sauce. Grilled chicken or ribs with barbecue sauce would also be the bomb with this…oh my goodness… yummmm…
Smokey and Spicy Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Lb bacon cooked and crumbled
- 5 cups Sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch chunks (mine are too big in the pic)
- ½ cup mayo or sour cream your preference for more or less tanginess
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese cut into 1/4 inch cubes (mine in the pic are too big) or grated on large holes of a box grater
- 6 scallions thinly cut on the bias
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- sprinkle cayenne pepper add more if you like more heat
- to taste salt & pepper
- 1-2 lemons juiced
Instructions
- Cook your bacon in a skillet or on a sheet pan in a 425 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes (depending on thickness, watch them very closely so they don’t over cook). Let the cooked bacon drain & cool on paper towels, then crumble and set aside.
- Boil diced potatoes for about 5 minutes or until barely able to pierce with a knife. You don’t want them to be mushy. Remove from the water and let cool completely. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooled, add all ingredients to a large bowl (reserve some scallions and bacon for toppings).
- Gently mix together with a large spoon, being careful not to smash the potatoes and cheese too much.
- Once combined, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably the next day. Top with reserved scallions & bacon when ready to serve.