Combining a traditional Korean condiment with an American classic side dish results in a deeply flavorful spicy potato salad. The kimchi and Korean chili paste adds some much needed heat to the creamy dressing while the bacon rounds out the flavor profile and adds a crunchy texture. It’s so good you will find yourself making it year round and not just for barbecues.

  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr, 30 mins 
  • Active: 45 mins 

Ingredients (19)

For potato salad:

  • 1 pound Yukon potatoes, peeled
  • 5 eggs
  • 10-12 strips bacon

For potato salad dressing:

  • 1 16-ounce jar of cabbage kimchi, chopped with juice
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • ¼ cup Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
  • 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
  • 1 cup scallions, sliced, white and light-green parts only
  • Black pepper, freshly ground
  • Kosher salt

For garnish:

  • Scallions, sliced, green parts
  • Black sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. On a baking sheet lined with foil, line up 10-12 strips of bacon. Cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until crispy and browned. Set aside to cool. Reserve bacon fat for dressing.
  2. Fill large sauce pot ⅔ full with cold water and heavily salted. Put whole Yukon potatoes into the sauce pot. Put sauce pot on the stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, carefully add in 3 eggs to the sauce pot.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer the eggs with potatoes for 12 minutes. Using kitchen tongs, take out the eggs and put them into iced or cold water. Let the eggs sit for 15 minutes in cold water. Continue cooking potatoes in gently boiling water for about 15 more minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Take the potatoes off the heat and use a colander to drain the potatoes. Put them on a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until potatoes are cold.
  4. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together with the reserved bacon fat and set aside.
  5. Remove the skin from the potatoes or leave them on for a more rustic potato salad. Gently cube potatoes and put into a large mixing bowl.
  6. Peel the hard-boiled eggs, chop, and add to the cubed potatoes.
  7. Chop the bacon and add to the potatoes and eggs.
  8. Add the dressing into the potato mixture. Gently mix all the ingredients together until evenly coated. Season with freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt to taste.
  9. Garnish with sliced scallions and black sesame seeds. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-4 days.