Creamy Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon [Paleo]

Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon is a naturally sweet and creamy treat that I enjoy during the summer and all year round. It seems indulgent, but really – it’s not!

More Fresh Salads

• Creamy Coleslaw
• Garden Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
• Watermelon Salad
• Festive Cranberry Salad with Chicken
• Chicken Salad with Mango

Nightshades

When I redid the Elimination Diet last year, I found that my body was reacting to potatoes. Potatoes are members of the nightshade family. Sweet potatoes are not. Nightshade vegetables also include tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), and eggplant.  Gogi berries are related, too. These foods contain alkaloids which cause problems for some people.  While nightshades are healthful for most people, according to Dr. Axe, people who struggle with food sensitivities, allergies, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease or leaky gut syndrome may find that they contribute to the condition.

Another issue with nightshades is their high-lectin content.

Everyone’s body reacts differently to the nightshades. Potatoes were the worst for me. I also reacted to raw tomatoes, but seemed to get along all right with a little cooked tomato.

Sweet Potato Salad

So, if I can’t eat potato salad, what am I to do? Create a sweet potato salad recipe, of course! Fortunately, I love sweet potatoes!

Sweet Potato Salad is great for taking to picnics and potlucks. Just be sure to keep it cooled to a safe temperature (4C or 40F or lower). I find it a great salad to have made up ahead of time to take with us when we go away in our trailer. It's even easy enough to make in our small trailer kitchen.

This recipe uses homemade mayonnaise. If you don’t have any on hand, you can whip it up in a minute. The recipe for that is here.

Would you like more sweet potato recipes?

• Gluten Free Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans
• Sweet Potato Frittata
• Creamy Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
• Ground Beef Skillet with Sweet Potatoes and Kale
• Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Sweet Potatoes and Sausage

Prepare your sweet potatoes and bacon first. Then it’s easy to toss the salad together. The 37-second video below the recipe shows you how:

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Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon and Pecans

Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon is a naturally sweet and creamy treat that I’ve been enjoying this summer. It seems indulgent, but really – it’s not!  CathysGlutenFree.com

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 276kcal

Author Cathy

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 6 slices bacon without spices for nightshade-free
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup pecan halves

Instructions

• Peel sweet potatoes and chop them into bite-size pieces. Put them in a pot with a little water, and steam them until tender. Drain.
• Meanwhile, fry or broil bacon until cooked. Remove from fat and allow to cool. Chop.
• Combine the mayonnaise, maple syrup, mustard, and salt for salad dressing.
• Gently stir the dressing into cooked, drained sweet potatoes until coated. Fold in the bacon and green onions. The salad can be refrigerated for a day or two at this point.
• Sprinkle pecan pieces over the salad and serve.

Video

Notes

The potatoes and bacon can easily be cooked ahead of time.

In fact, the whole salad will keep well in the refrigerator if you save the pecans to put on just before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 549mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10740IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @CathysGlutenFree or tag #CathysGlutenFree!