Cuisine: The Polish Palate
•
Course: Side Dishes Salads Light Meals
•
Diet: Gluten-Free

Sałatka Ziemniaczana Z Boczkiem I Rzodkiewką (Polish Potato Salad With Bacon And Radish)

A hearty, deeply savoury potato salad cut through with the sharp crunch of fresh radish and crispy smoked bacon.
Prep time 15m
Temp 100°C (212°F)
Cook time 25m
Rest time 20m
Total 1h
Yield 4
Per serving:
521 kcal
38g Carbs
12g Protein
35g Fat
By Adam Dworak

Brilliant!

You cooked this today. How did it turn out?

Maybe Later

Ingredients

  • 2000 ml
    Water
    Water
  • 800 g
    New Potatoes
    New Potatoes
  • 200 g
    Smoked Bacon
    Smoked Bacon
  • 150 g
    Radishes
    Radishes
  • 50 g
    Spring Onions
    Spring Onions
  • 100 g
    Mayonnaise
    Mayonnaise
  • 100 g
    Sour Cream
    Sour Cream
  • 15 g
    Dijon Mustard
    Dijon Mustard
  • 12 g
    Salt
    Salt
  • 3 g
    Black Pepper
    Black Pepper

Success!

Ingredients added to your shopping list.

View Shopping List Continue Browsing

Kitchen Kit

  • Large Pot
  • Frying Pan
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Slotted Spoon
  • Colander
  • Whisk
  • Paper Towels
Pasta salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon on a wooden table

Method

  1. Boil the Water: Fill a large pot with 2000ml of cold water, chuck in 10g of the salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Factoring in the volume, this will take about 15 minutes.
  2. Cook the Potatoes: Dice the new potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Drop them carefully into the boiling water and simmer for 10–12 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain well and leave them in the colander to steam dry for 5 minutes.
  3. Render the Bacon: Chuck the diced smoked bacon into a cold frying pan and set it over a medium heat. Slowly render the fat until the bacon bits are crispy and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper. Reserve 15ml (about a tablespoon) of that rendered bacon fat in the pan, setting it aside to cool slightly—it needs to be warm enough to pour, but not so hot that it splits your dressing.
  4. Build the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, the reserved warm bacon fat, the remaining 2g of salt, and a heavy grind of black pepper.
  5. Dress Warm: Tip the warm, dry potatoes directly into the dressing. Toss gently to coat—doing this while they are warm ensures they absorb the seasoning rather than just sitting in it. Set aside to rest and cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes).
  6. The Final Crunch: While the potatoes are resting, finely slice the radishes and chop the spring onions. Once the potatoes are completely cool, scatter the fresh veg into the bowl along with the crispy bacon. Fold everything together gently just before serving to keep the crunch intact.
Chef's Note & Storage
Fridge up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to loosen the dressing; the bacon will lose its peak crunch on day two, but the overall flavour deepens significantly.
Plated potato salad with bacon and radish on a wooden table

The Anatomy of a Proper Potato Salad

There is potato salad, and then there is sałatka ziemniaczana built with intent. A proper potato salad shouldn't be a cold, claggy afterthought drowned in cheap mayonnaise. It requires contrast. The deep, smoky richness of rendered boczek (bacon) paired with the sharp, peppery bite of fresh radishes cuts straight through the earthy comfort of waxy potatoes. We use a split base of mayonnaise and sour cream to keep the dressing bright and acidic, avoiding that heavy, overly sweet finish common in supermarket tubs.

CHEF'S SECRET: Dress the potatoes while they are still warm so they absorb the dressing like a sponge, but wait until they are completely cold before folding in your bacon and radishes. This stops the fat from splitting the dressing and keeps your garnish aggressively crunchy.

❖

The Crunch Factor

The success of this dish lies entirely in texture management. You need waxy potatoes—something that will hold its shape after boiling and tossing, rather than collapsing into mash. Starting your bacon in a cold pan is non-negotiable; it slowly renders the fat out, leaving you with crispy, golden morsels rather than chewy, burnt bits. Keep a spoonful of that liquid gold bacon fat to whisk directly into your dressing for an underlying hum of smoke.

Back to Cookbook

Cook’s Notes & Discussion

Be the first to leave a note on this recipe.

Leave a note or ask a question

Sałatka Ziemniaczana Z Boczkiem I Rzodkiewką (Polish Potato Salad With Bacon And Radish)
Cuisine:The Polish Palate
Course:Side Dishes, Salads, Light Meals
Diet:Gluten-Free

Sałatka Ziemniaczana Z Boczkiem I Rzodkiewką (Polish Potato Salad With Bacon And Radish)

By Adam Dworak

A hearty, deeply savoury potato salad cut through with the sharp crunch of fresh radish and crispy smoked bacon.

Prep 15m
Temp 100°C
Cook 25m
Rest 20m
Total 1h
Yield 4
Pasta salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon on a wooden table

Kitchen Kit

  • •Large Pot
  • •Frying Pan
  • •Large Mixing Bowl
  • •Slotted Spoon
  • •Colander
  • •Whisk
  • •Paper Towels
Per serving:
521 kcal
38g Carbs
12g Protein
35g Fat

Ingredients

  • 2000 ml Water
  • 800 g New Potatoes
  • 200 g Smoked Bacon
  • 150 g Radishes
  • 50 g Spring Onions
  • 100 g Mayonnaise
  • 100 g Sour Cream
  • 15 g Dijon Mustard
  • 12 g Salt
  • 3 g Black Pepper

Method

Step-by-step instructions.

Chef's Note:
Fridge up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to loosen the dressing; the bacon will lose its peak crunch on day two, but the overall flavour deepens significantly.
Plated potato salad with bacon and radish on a wooden table
  1. Boil the Water: Fill a large pot with 2000ml of cold water, chuck in 10g of the salt, and bring to a rolling boil. Factoring in the volume, this will take about 15 minutes.
  2. Cook the Potatoes: Dice the new potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Drop them carefully into the boiling water and simmer for 10–12 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain well and leave them in the colander to steam dry for 5 minutes.
  3. Render the Bacon: Chuck the diced smoked bacon into a cold frying pan and set it over a medium heat. Slowly render the fat until the bacon bits are crispy and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper. Reserve 15ml (about a tablespoon) of that rendered bacon fat in the pan, setting it aside to cool slightly—it needs to be warm enough to pour, but not so hot that it splits your dressing.
  4. Build the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, the reserved warm bacon fat, the remaining 2g of salt, and a heavy grind of black pepper.
  5. Dress Warm: Tip the warm, dry potatoes directly into the dressing. Toss gently to coat—doing this while they are warm ensures they absorb the seasoning rather than just sitting in it. Set aside to rest and cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes).
  6. The Final Crunch: While the potatoes are resting, finely slice the radishes and chop the spring onions. Once the potatoes are completely cool, scatter the fresh veg into the bowl along with the crispy bacon. Fold everything together gently just before serving to keep the crunch intact.

My Tweaks & Notes

DIGITAL PANTRY

Scan to view the high-res gallery & chef's tips.

Recipe QR

History

The Anatomy of a Proper Potato Salad

There is potato salad, and then there is sałatka ziemniaczana built with intent. A proper potato salad shouldn't be a cold, claggy afterthought drowned in cheap mayonnaise. It requires contrast. The deep, smoky richness of rendered boczek (bacon) paired with the sharp, peppery bite of fresh radishes cuts straight through the earthy comfort of waxy potatoes. We use a split base of mayonnaise and sour cream to keep the dressing bright and acidic, avoiding that heavy, overly sweet finish common in supermarket tubs.

CHEF'S SECRET: Dress the potatoes while they are still warm so they absorb the dressing like a sponge, but wait until they are completely cold before folding in your bacon and radishes. This stops the fat from splitting the dressing and keeps your garnish aggressively crunchy.

❖

The Crunch Factor

The success of this dish lies entirely in texture management. You need waxy potatoes—something that will hold its shape after boiling and tossing, rather than collapsing into mash. Starting your bacon in a cold pan is non-negotiable; it slowly renders the fat out, leaving you with crispy, golden morsels rather than chewy, burnt bits. Keep a spoonful of that liquid gold bacon fat to whisk directly into your dressing for an underlying hum of smoke.