Roasted Potato "Salad" with Dijon Vinaigrette

Here's another great summer salad recipe for your next al fresco dining adventure. This time, potatoes get the royal treatment -- roasted to perfection, then tossed with a light dressing, bacon, chives and cheese. It's a great change of pace from heavy mayo-based potato salads. 

 

This side dish goes well with any kind of meat: we loved it with both pork tenderloin and chicken, and it would be especially good with steak. You'll get the best results for this using Yukon Gold potatoes - they have a delicious creamy interior that roasts up beautifully and quickly in the oven. (Using the oven in summer is the only downside of this recipe. I suppose you could try air frying the potatoes but my air fryer wouldn't be big enough to do them all in one batch. So I used the oven and then we ate outside! ha!)

Toss the potatoes with olive oil and salt, then roast them in an even layer. I also broiled them for a couple minutes to get a nice blistery effect. 

Transfer the potatoes to a bowl, then top with the cheese so it can get a little melty on the hot potatoes! Yum.

Drizzle with the dressing. Mix it all up together so all the pieces are coated with the dressing, then add the bacon and chives. 

Voila! That's all there is to it. So simply, and such good flavor. 

You'll for sure want to taste test one of these beauties before you transfer it to a serving dish! 

Here's to many more nights eating outside yet this summer - and many more roasted potato salads!

Roasted Potato "Salad" with Dijon Viniagrette

Potatoes:

2-3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled and cut into wedges 

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. apple cider or balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
¼ tsp. salt
Pinch of black pepper

Accompaniments:

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, feta, or Queso Fresca (you can also leave cheese out!)

2-3 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives

4-6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon

Preheat the oven to 400 and place a large, rimmed baking sheet in the oven.

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Put the potatoes on the hot baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes and bake for and additional 10 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and tender.

Set the broiler to high. Place the potatoes near the heat source and broil for several minutes until the potato skins are blistered and toasty. (This is an optional step.)

While the potatoes are baking, make the dressing by whisking together the Dijon, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Chop the chives and cook and chop the bacon.

When the potatoes are finished cooking, scrape them into a shallow bowl or serving platter. If using cheese, sprinkle it immediately over the warm potatoes so it melts slightly. Drizzle the dressing over the potatoes and toss gently to combine. Garnish with bacon crumbles and chives. 

Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 side dish servings. 

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe