Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon

Preparation 15 minutes cook time 15 minutes servings 4 to 6

-by Heather Christo

I love potato salad, but I hate mayonnaise — even before I found out I was allergic to it — so I’ve always gravitated toward German-style potato salads with a mustardy dressing. This one gets gorgeous color and crunch from sweet potatoes, celery, and a bit of bacon. Serve this at your next backyard BBQ and no one will be missing the goopy white old-fashioned potato salad.

• Kosher salt
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE
• 1 red Fresno chile, seeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 4 uncured bacon slices, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery hearts
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions

Bring a medium-large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and simmer until just fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and briefly and gently rinse them with cold water. Set aside.

1. To make the mustard vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the chile, mustard, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Season with salt.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, bacon, celery, and green onions and toss with the mustard vinaigrette. Season with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature, or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Reprinted from Pure Delicious by arrangement with Pam Krauss Books and Avery Books, members of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016, Heather Christo LLC

Sweet potatoes are one of nature’s best sources of vitamin A and a great source of vitamin C. One 8-ounce sweet potato will give you 100 percent of your recommended daily vitamin A. If you consume a little fat with the sweet potatoes (like the olive oil in the recipe here), it helps your body utilize all the vitamin A even more efficiently.