Summer is (almost) here and this means, of course, it’s bbq season once again. Time to heat up the grill and “annoy” the neighbors with some delicious smells ;P Besides all the meat and sausages for your bbq you also need side dishes to feed the masses. Potato salad is a popular salad and side dish here in Germany when it comes to grilling. Today’s potato salad is an updated version of the classic salad: Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with Bacon and Tzatziki. Sounds good, right?
When it comes to potato salad, there are two “rivaling” groups – one group that makes potato salad with mayonnaise and the other group that only uses oil and vinegar as a salad dressing. You either like one or the other. It’s basically in your DNA, defined by many generations of potato-salad-making relatives. If your grandma made it with oil and vinegar only, you are most likely doing it the same way ;) It’s very unlikely you ever switch to the other group… the dark side so to speak ;P
I am definitely group “oil and vinegar”. Learned that from my mom and she learned from her mom how to make the perfect potato salad. That’s how it is and how it always has been. Probably since the stone age in our family ;P I have to admit, though, I don’t mind a potato salad made with mayo. If it’s done right it’s delicious. But making it myself like that…. no way. Well… until now ;P
Well… I did not really switch to camp “mayo”, but we made this potato salad here with tzatziki several times now and it’s been quite popular with guests I have to say. Of course, the popularity is not only based on the creamy and tangy yogurt sauce… the preparation of the potatoes and crispy bacon is probably the main reason this salad is a hit ;)
This potato salad can be served with grilled sausages, meat, or whatever as a side dish, but it also works on its own as a main course. Maybe a few olives on the side and some bread and you will have a delicious dinner for your family.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(4 servings)
For the salad:
35 oz. (1kg) small baby potatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 tbsp. olive oil, plus some more if needed
salt, pepper
8 slices bacon
For the Tzatziki:
18 oz. (500g) Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cucumber, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper
1 small red onion, in fine rings
1 spring onion, in rings
some olive oil for drizzling
salt, pepper
(4 Portionen)
Für den Salat:
etwa 1 kg kleine Kartoffeln (Drillinge)
2 Knoblauchzehen, gepresst
3-4 EL Olivenöl, plus ggf.etwas mehr
Salz, Pfeffer
8 Scheiben Bacon
Für das Tsatsiki:
500g griechischer Joghurt
2 EL Olivenöl
1/2 Salatgurke, grob gerieben
2 Knoblauchzehen, gepresst
Salz, Pfeffer
1 kleine rote Zwiebel, in feinen Ringen
1 Frühlingszwiebel, gehackt
etwas Olivenöl zum Beträufeln
Salz, Pfeffer
Smashed potatoes are well known as a side dish for steaks – as a replacement for french fries, for example. But these little fellas are also perfect to create a delicious potato salad. I think you can see that here ;)
BTW – you could also fry the bacon in a pan if you prefer. However, I think the preparation in the oven is easier and you get a better result. If you crumple the baking parchment and add the bacon on top, excess fat and liquid are dripping down and do not stick to the bacon strips ;)
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Add the potatoes to a large pot, add water so the potatoes are well covered, add some salt and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the heat, drain, and let cool down for 5 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and smash them with the bottom of a glass. You want them to be flat and thin but not breaking into pieces. Let sit for another 5 minutes so they can release some more steam. Peel and finely mince (or press) the garlic and mix with the olive oil. Brush the potatoes with this mix and season well with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes (depends on the size and thickness of the potatoes). You want the potatoes to be golden brown and crispy. Do not flip the potatoes in between! Take out of the oven and set aside. Do not turn off the oven.
3. For the crispy bacon take a piece of baking parchment and crumple it. Place on a baking sheet and add the bacon strips on top – this way the fat from the bacon can drip down and the bacon is not cooking in its own liquids and fat. Place in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the bacon is nice and crispy. Flip halfway through the baking time. Take out of the oven and let cool down for a moment.
4. While the bacon is in the oven prepare the Tzatziki. Add the yogurt and oil to a bowl and mix to combine. Grate the cucumber and place it on a piece of kitchen paper to get rid of some of the liquids from the cucumber. Mince the garlic finely or press through a garlic press. Add the cucumber and garlic to the bowl with the yogurt and mix. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To assemble the salad add half of the Tzatziki on a large plate, add the (still warm) smashed potatoes on top, break the bacon into small pieces and add together with the finely sliced onion on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with some chopped spring onions and season with some more salt and pepper, drizzle with some olive oil. Serve along with the rest of the Tzatziki so everybody can add more if they like.
1. Die Kartoffeln in einen großen Topf geben, Wasser und Salz dazu und dann in etwa 20-25 Minuten garkochen. Vom Herd nehmen und abgießen. Etwa 5 Minuten abkühlen lassen.
2. Den Ofen auf 200°C (390°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Ein großes Backblech mit Backpapier auslegen und die Kartoffeln darauf verteilen. Mit der Unterseite von einem Glas o.ä. die Kartoffeln zerquetschen. Die zerdrückten Kartoffeln sollen dünn sein, aber nicht in Stücke zerbrechen. Für 5 Minuten auf dem Blech ausdampfen lassen. Knoblauch schälen und durch eine Knoblauchpresse drücken (oder sehr fein hacken). Mit dem Olivenöl vermischen und dann die Kartoffeln mit dieser Mischung bestreichen. Ordentlich mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen und dann für 45-55 Minuten backen (dauert je nach Größe und Dicke der Kartoffeln etwas länger). Die Kartoffeln sollen schön goldbraun aussehen und knusprig sein. Die Kartoffeln in der Backzeit nicht wenden! Aus dem Ofen holen und zur Seite stellen – den Ofen nicht ausschalten.
3. Für den Bacon ein Stück Backpapier zerknüllen und dann auf ein Backblech legen. Den Bacon darauflegen. Durch das zerknüllte Papier liegt der Bacon nicht flach auf und schwimmt später nicht im eigenen Saft und Fett. In den Ofen schieben und für 8-12 Minuten backen bzw. bis der Bacon schön knusprig aussieht. Zwischendurch kann man den Bacon auch einmal wenden, damit er gleichmäßig knusprig wird. Aus dem Ofen holen und kurz abkühlen lassen.
4. Während der Bacon im Ofen brutzelt, den Tsatsiki zubereiten. Dafür den Joghurt mit dem Öl in einer Schüssel verrühren. Die Gurke grob raspeln und mit einem Stück Küchenpapier etwas von der Feuchtigkeit aufsaugen. Den Knoblauch durch eine Knoblauchpresse drücken oder sehr fein hacken. Beides in die Schüssel mit dem Joghurt geben und gut vermischen. Mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen.
5. Die Hälfte des Tsatsikis auf einen großen Teller geben, die (noch warmen) Kartoffeln darauflegen, den Bacon in Stücke brechen und dann zusammen mit den fein geschnittenen Zwiebelringen darauf verteilen. Mit gehackten Frühlingszwiebeln bestreuen und noch einmal mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen und mit etwas Olivenöl beträufeln. Salat zusammen mit dem restlichen Tsatsiki servieren, damit sich jeder noch etwas mehr davon nehmen kann mit dem Salat.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
PrintCrispy Smashed Potato Salad with Bacon and Tzatziki
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 01:00
- Total Time: 01:30
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: International
Description
Best potato salad ever: Crispy Smashed Potato Salad with Bacon and Tzatziki
Ingredients
For the salad:
35 oz. (1kg) small baby potatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
3–4 tbsp. olive oil, plus some more if needed
salt, pepper
8 slices bacon
For the Tzatziki:
18 oz. (500g) Greek yogurt
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cucumber, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, pepper
1 small red onion, in fine rings
1 spring onion, in rings
some olive oil for drizzling
salt, pepper
Instructions
1. Add the potatoes to a large pot, add water so the potatoes are well covered, add some salt and cook for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the heat, drain, and let cool down for 5 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet and smash them with the bottom of a glass. You want them to be flat and thin but not breaking into pieces. Let sit for another 5 minutes so they can release some more steam. Peel and finely mince (or press) the garlic and mix with the olive oil. Brush the potatoes with this mix and season well with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes (depends on the size and thickness of the potatoes). You want the potatoes to be golden brown and crispy. Do not flip the potatoes in between! Take out of the oven and set aside. Do not turn off the oven.
3. For the crispy bacon take a piece of baking parchment and crumple it. Place on a baking sheet and add the bacon strips on top – this way the fat from the bacon can drip down and the bacon is not cooking in its own liquids and fat. Place in the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes or until the bacon is nice and crispy. Flip halfway through the baking time. Take out of the oven and let cool down for a moment.
4. While the bacon is in the oven prepare the Tzatziki. Add the yogurt and oil to a bowl and mix to combine. Grate the cucumber and place it on a piece of kitchen paper to get rid of some of the liquids from the cucumber. Mince the garlic finely or press through a garlic press. Add the cucumber and garlic to the bowl with the yogurt and mix. Season with salt and pepper.
5. To assemble the salad add half of the Tzatziki on a large plate, add the (still warm) smashed potatoes on top, break the bacon into small pieces and add together with the finely sliced onion on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with some chopped spring onions and season with some more salt and pepper, drizzle with some olive oil. Serve along with the rest of the Tzatziki so everybody can add more if they like.
Notes
Enjoy baking!