Recipes, Side Dishes / September 6, 2018

Southern Sweet Potato Salad

Today I am sharing the most delicious Southern Sweet Potato Salad that took to my niece’s 2nd birthday party! Spring time is here and in my family that means birthdays and backyard barbecues. When you think of backyard barbecues in the South, you probably immediately think of traditional potato salad with relish, boiled eggs and what else, Duke’s mayonnaise. Duke’s is absolutely the best mayo, and no… no one paid me to say that. No one pays me to say anything, actually. I knew that using sweet potatoes for this dish could be a risk but it was a total hit that had my family saying “what potato salad?”
preparing sweet potatoes

chopping sweet potatoes

Sweet Potato Salad Inspiration

The idea for a sweet potato salad came from an event I recently attended. I couldn’t get the thought out of my head so I decided to give it a try and add my own twist! This recipe brings me back to the holidays where my sweet potato casserole is always on the short list at any family gathering. Brown sugar and pecans are a MUST and bacon is the perfect salty addition. *Here’s a hint* if you want to double the bacon flavor in this dish, reserve one tablespoon of the bacon grease and add it to the dressing mixture. I know, I am so bad.

As I was preparing the Southern Sweet Potato Salad on Sunday morning, the morning light was shining through our front windows, birds were singing and the smell of coffee and fresh flowers was in the air. Bear was enjoying the warm sun on his back, napping in his usual spot on the couch. I could hardly wipe the smile off my face. Spring is here! Spring is here!

Wheaten Terrier enjoying spring sun in living room

This dish is a sweet twist on a classic southern favorite! If you have any fun parties or picnics coming up, give this sweet potato salad a try. The steps in this recipe can be completed simultaneously if you are a multi-tasker so don’t be intimidated by the long cook time! However, if you are new to cooking, just take it slow. You can even boil the potatoes the night before to save time.

Let me know what you think of this dish in the comments below. I can’t wait for you to try it!

Kelsey Renee

Southern Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon and Pecans

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