Warm potato salad is tossed in a roasted poblano cream sauce with fresh herbs, crispy bacon, pickled shallots, and grilled corn. This delicious side dish takes center stage when paired with barbecue-style or traditional comfort food.
Looking for delicious potato recipes? Check out this Loaded Shrimp Baked Potato recipe and this hearty Sausage and Potato Soup.
This warm potato salad with poblano cream sauce is a tasty twist on classic potato salad. It is a pleasant contrast to creamy and cold potato salad.
Tender roasted potatoes are tossed in a homemade poblano tomatillo sauce, that has smoky, sweet, savory, and tangy notes. With pickled shallots added for a delectable crunch and pop of bright acidity, this is definitely the best warm potato salad recipe ever!
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Why You'll Love This Warm Potato Salad Recipe
- Easy. Make your sauce and pickled shallots ahead of time, then mix them with roasted potatoes for a satisfying side dish.
- Unique Flavor. I can guarantee you haven't had a potato salad recipe like this. Tangy tomatillos, bold poblanos, and sweet grilled corn are all unexpected ingredients.
- Great for Gatherings. Serve this at your next picnic, barbecue, or cookout, and see how quickly it disappears!
The History of Warm German Potato Salad
Potato salad originated in the southern region of Germany. You may be surprised to find out that the original recipe for potato salad does not include mayonnaise. Instead, hot German potato salad contains onion, spices, chives, vinegar, and bacon grease.
This warm potato salad with poblano tomatillo sauce is a fresh take on the classic German potato salad recipe. Although both recipes have a vinegar-based dressing, I add roasted peppers and aromatics for depth of flavor.
Ingredients
There are three components to this easy warm potato salad recipe: the poblano tomatillo sauce, the potato salad, and pickled shallots.
Roasted Poblano Tomatillo Sauce
- Oil. Olive oil is best for this recipe.
- Peppers. Poblano Pepper and jalapeno
- Tomatillo. These have a bright, slightly acidic taste and aren't quite as sweet as red tomatoes.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves. Roast 3-4 cloves for a strong garlic flavor.
- Cilantro. For a fresh pop of flavor.
- Mexican Crema. This is the creamy base of the sauce. It's thick with a tangy taste that balances the spicy, savory flavors of the peppers and tomatillo. You can use Greek yogurt or sour cream as substitutes.
- Seasoning. Season simply with smoked salt and black pepper.
- Chicken Broth. Alternatively, use chicken bouillon and water.
Warm Potato Salad
- Cooking Oil. Drizzle this over the sliced and seasoned potatoes for perfectly golden brown, crisp potatoes.
- Red Potatoes. Waxy potatoes with thin skin are best for this recipe. Use baby potatoes as an alternative.
- Fresh Corn. Use 1 ear.
- Bacon. It adds a savory, salty flavor and crunch.
- Fresh Herbs. Boost the overall taste by adding fresh tarragon and dill.
- Seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste.
Pickled Shallots
- Shallot. These have a delicate sweet flavor. You can use red onions instead but expect a sharper flavor.
- Water. Add this to cut through some of the vinegar.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. This adds depth of flavor with a pleasant, tanginess.
- Sugar & Salt. To enhance the flavor of the shallots.
How to Make Warm Potato Salad
The key to making warm potato salad is coordinating the elements of the dish. Begun by roasting the ingredients for your sauce. Then roast the potatoes and bacon strips while blending the sauce ingredients. Save time by preparing the pickled shallots ahead of time.
Roasted Poblano Tomatillo Cream Sauce
Begin by setting the oven to broil. Place the poblano pepper, garlic, jalapeno, and tomatillo on a line baking sheet. Drizzle them with oil, salt, and pepper, and then massage the ingredients until oil and seasonings are well combined.
Roast everything for 5-10 minutes, until the vegetables are roasted, charred, and soft. Remove charred veggies from the heat and allow them to cool before handling. At this time, reduce oven heat to 425 degrees for the roasted potatoes.
Then, blend roasted vegetables, cilantro, Mexican crema, chicken bouillon, and up to ¼ cup – 1 cup of water at a time and blend. Depending on desired thickness, add more water until smooth and runny.
Lastly, adjust the taste by adding more salt, pepper, or bouillon flavor.
Prepare Pickled Shallots
Thinly slice shallots into small ringlets. Then, combine vinegar, a warm cup of water, sugar, and salt, and stir until dissolved in a bowl with a lid or a mason jar with a lid. Place sliced shallots in liquid and cover until ready for use.
Warm Herbed Potato Salad
Rinse and chop red potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Add sliced bacon evenly on a lined baking sheet. On another aluminum foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet, evenly spread out potatoes, and toss with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the bacon and potatoes for 15-20 minutes in an oven preheated to 425 degrees, until the potatoes are crisp and cooked through.
While the bacon and potatoes are baking, shuck one ear of corn and on medium/high heat sauté corn in 1 teaspoon of butter until golden brown. If you have a grill, grill corn on all sides until charred.
Be sure to watch both items for varying cooking times. The bacon will take about 12 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Lastly, crumble with your hands or dice with a knife and set aside. Set hot potatoes and chopped bacon aside and allow to cool.
Mince fresh herbs and set aside and reserve a small amount of the herbs and bacon before tossing all ingredients. This will be used as topping and garnish.
Assemble Warm Potato Salad with Poblano Cream Sauce
Combine warm potatoes, crispy bacon, grilled corn, pickled shallots, fresh herbs, and 3 tablespoon up to ¼ cup of the poblano cream sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss until thoroughly combined.
Finally, taste for seasoning and adjust by adding additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
These tips are suggested for the best possible flavor and texture, use these tips!
- Roasting the potatoes gives them far more flavor than boiled potatoes.
- Roast potatoes and cook bacon simultaneously.
- The size of the potatoes may alter the cooking time. Slice potatoes into small bite-sized pieces to cook them faster.
- Toss potatoes and sauce together first, then add additional ingredients. But be gently when combining so you don't end up with mashed potatoes.
- Deseed the poblano and jalapeno pepper after roasting for a less spicy dish.
- Do not let warm potato salad sit at room temperature for more than an hour. Refrigerate it if you aren't serving it immediately.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Enjoy it hot, cold, or warm. If reheating, microwave for about 1 minute and stir.
Can I make warm potato salad in advance?
Yes. Either make the potato salad the day before and refrigerate it or just prepare the elements of the potato salad for easier assembly. Make the sauce and shallots up to one day ahead to save on prep time. Prepare poblano tomatillo sauce first and set aside. Then make the pickled shallots in order to allow "pickling" time.
FAQ
Is potato salad good warm?
The debate about potato salad depends on culture and region. This potato salad can be served warm or chilled but for best results, serve warm and fresh out of the oven!
Can you warm up potato salad?
Absolutely! Enjoy leftover warm potato salad straight out of the fridge, at room temperature, or reheat it in the microwave.
Can you cook the potatoes the day before making potato salad?
Yes. Roast the potatoes, allow them to cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the potato salad.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS WARM BACON POTATO SALAD RECIPE!
If you try this recipe, I'd love to see it! Share it with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Easy Warm Potato Salad in a Poblano Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Roasted Poblano Tomatillo Sauce
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 Poblano Pepper
- 1 Tomatillo
- 1 Jalapeno
- 9 cloves Garlic 3-4 is good
- ½ cup Cilantro
- 3 tablespoon Mexican Crema
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- ⅔-1 cup Chicken Broth or chicken bouillon and water
Warm Potato Salad
- 1 teaspoon Cooking Oil
- 1 lb Red Potatoes
- 1 cup Fresh Corn 1 ear
- 4 slices Bacon
- 1 tbsp Fresh Tarragon
- 1 tablespoon Dill
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Pickled Shallots
- 1 small Shallot
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
Roasted Poblano Tomatillo Sauce
- Preheat oven to broil.
- On a lined baking sheet, place poblano pepper, garlic, jalapeno and tomatillo and drizzle with oil, salt and pepper.
- Massage ingredients until oil and seasonings are well combined.
- Roast ingredients for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are roasted, charred and soft.
- Remove from heat and let cool before handling.
- Deseed poblano pepper. Deseed jalapeno pepper if spice is not desired.
- At this time. Reduce oven heat to 425 degrees.
- In a blender, place roasted vegetables, cilantro, Mexican crema, chicken bouillon and up to ¼ cup – 1 cup of water at a time and blend.
- Depending on desired thickness, add more water until smooth and runny.
- Adjust taste by adding more salt, pepper or bouillon flavor.
Pickled Shallots
- Thinly slice shallots into small ringlets.
- In a bowl with a lid or mason jar with lid, combine vinegar, warm cup of water, sugar, salt and stir until dissolved.
- Place sliced shallots in liquid and cover until ready for use.
Warm Potato Salad
- Oven should be preheated to 425 degrees.
- Rinse, clean and chop red potatoes into bite sized pieces.
- On a lined baking sheet, place sliced bacon evenly on sheet.
- On a lined baking sheet, evenly spread out potatoes, toss with oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast for 15-20 until potatoes are crisp and cooked through.
- Cook bacon for 12 minutes until crispy and cooked through.
- Crumble with hands or dice with knife and set aside.
- Once potatoes and bacon are cooked through, set aside to cool.
- While bacon and potatoes are baking, shuck one ear of corn and on medium/high heat sauté corn in 1 teaspoon of butter until golden brown. If you have a grill, grill corn on all sides until charred.
- Mince fresh herbs and set aside.
- Reserve a small amount of the herbs and bacon before tossing all ingredients. This will be used as topping and garnish.
Potato Salad Assembly
- In a large serving bowl combine warm potatoes, crispy bacon, grilled corn, pickled shallots, fresh herbs, and 3 tablespoon up to ¼ cup of the poblano cream sauce.
- Toss until thoroughly combined.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust by adding additional salt and pepper.
Joycelyn says
Love Love Love the content, and the beauty of everything you are doing!
Carita says
Thank you so much Joycelyn. I'm so happy you love the content and hope you'll stick around for more! 😉