Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food featuring fluffy mashed potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, and more delicious toppings.

The post Twice Baked Potatoes appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I thought I loved loaded baked potatoes, until I tried Twice Baked Potatoes. Two words…Next Level! Who knew a deconstructed loaded baked potato, mixed perfectly with all your favorite toppings, then restuffed into crispy potato skins would taste so good? Yes, it’s an extra step but it’s sooo worth it! Beth and I made these twice baked potatoes three times and each time we debated on who would get to take the leftovers home. Listen, I’m just saying if you’ve ever been hesitant on whether the extra step to make “twice” baked potatoes was worth it…trust us it’s worth it!!

Plated twice baked potatoes with shredded cheese, sliced green onions, and sour cream on the side.

What are Twice Baked Potatoes?

Unlike regular baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes are indeed baked twice in the oven. They’re first baked whole until the insides are fluffy and tender. The creamy potato flesh is then scooped out and mixed with all your favorite mix-ins like butter, sour cream, bacon, and cheese. Now the fun part, the hollowed potato skins are restuffed with the perfectly combined potato mixture and baked a second time in the oven.

Picture a loaded baked potato except each bite has the perfect amount of toppings. It’s actually genius and I’m kinda upset that I wasn’t making these years ago!

Ingredients for Twice Baked Potatoes

Of course the potato is the key ingredient, so you’ll want to use a large sturdy potato like Russet Potatoes for this recipe. But the mix-ins that you choose is what really makes these twice baked potatoes stand out! Here’s what we used:

  • Butter
  • Sour Cream
  • Crispy Bacon
  • Green Onions
  • Milk
  • Cheddar Cheese
  • a little Salt & Pepper

But hey, no pressure. Feel free to use whatever toppings you have on hand. You can also switch things up and use one of the combinations listed in our traditional Baked Potatoes blog post.

Storage & Reheating

You can easily store twice baked potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. They reheat well in the microwave, but if you have some extra time you can certainly reheat them in a preheated 350°F oven until warmed through.

To freeze twice baked potatoes just wrap them tightly in plastic, then place in an air-tight freezer container, and they can keep for about 3 months. Reheat in the microwave (defrost function first), or let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before heating.

Side front view of plated twice baked potatoes.
Close up overhead view of twice baked potatoes staked beside each other.
Print

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes are the ultimate comfort food featuring fluffy mashed potatoes, bacon, cheddar cheese, and more delicious toppings.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost $7.80 recipe / $0.98 serving
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 316kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 russet potatoes (1/2 lb. each) $3.18
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.11
  • 4 oz bacon $1.37
  • 4 Tbsp butter $0.52
  • 1/2 cup sour cream $0.62
  • 1/4 cup milk $0.08
  • 1/2 tsp salt + a pinch to season the potato skins $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 3 green onions, sliced $0.36
  • 1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided $1.49

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the potatoes well, then use a fork to prick each potato several times.
  • Place the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, then use your hands or a silicone brush to brush the oil over each potato until it is fully coated. Season the potatoes with a pinch of salt.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Total baking time will depend on the size of your potatoes.
  • While the potatoes are baking, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and allow it to drain on a paper-towel lined plate. Once cool enough to handle, rough chop the bacon into smaller pieces.
  • Once the potatoes are done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh, leaving a thin rim of potato (about ¼ inch rim) around the edges to help the skin hold its shape.
  • Place the scooped out potato flesh in a large bowl and add the butter, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper. Use a potato masher or hand mixer to blend the potatoes until light and fluffy.
  • Add the chopped bacon, half of the sliced green onions, and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese to the mashed potatoes, then fold to combine.
  • Fill the potato skins with about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture, then sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the top of each potato.
  • Bake the potatoes in the oven a second time, just until heated through and the cheddar cheese is melted on top, about 20 minutes. Top with the remaining green onions and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1potato half | Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 413mg | Fiber: 2g
two plated twice baked potatoes with a dollop of sour cream on top.

How to Make Twice Baked POtatoes – Step by Step Photos

4 russet potatoes being pierced with a fork.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry 4 russet potatoes well, then use a fork to prick each potato several times.

4 russet being brushed with olive oil

Place the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle 1 Tbsp of olive oil over the potatoes, then use your hands or a silicone brush to brush the oil over each potato until it is fully coated. Season the potatoes with a pinch of salt and bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. The total baking time will depend on the size of your potatoes.

Bacon being cooked in a skillet until brown

While the potatoes are baking, cook 4 oz. of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and allow it to drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Once cool enough to handle, rough chop the bacon into smaller pieces.

Cooked potatoes cut in half and flesh being scooped out.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh, leaving a thin rim of potato (about ¼ inch rim) around the edges to help the skin hold its shape. Be extra careful when scooping the potato flesh so you don’t break through the skin, but make sure to scoop out enough of the flesh to combine with the rest of the ingredients.

Potato flesh, butter, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl

Place the scooped out potato flesh in a large bowl and add 4 Tbsp butter, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper. Use a potato masher or hand mixer to blend the potatoes until light and fluffy.

Chopped bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onion added to mashed potatoes.

Add the chopped bacon, 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and half of the sliced green onions to the mashed potatoes, then fold to combine.

Potato skins filled with mashed potato mixture and topped with more shredded cheddar cheese.

Fill the potato skins with about 1/3 cup of the potato mixture, then sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese over the top of each potato.

Finished twiced baked potatoes with green onions garnished on top.

Bake the potatoes in the oven just until heated through and the cheddar cheese is melted on top, about 20 minutes.

Plated twice baked potatoes with small serving bowls of green onions, shredded cheese, and sour cream on the side.

Top with the remaining green onions then get ready to enjoy some of the best twice baked potatoes you’ve ever tasted! ;)

Close up overhead photo of twice baked potatoes

The post Twice Baked Potatoes appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Chimichurri Cheese Fries with Chipotle Bacon.

These chimichurri cheese fries are the ultimate game day snack or party food. Crispy french fries, melty cheddar sauce, herby chimichurri and chipotle bacon for crunch. Delicious! I’m here with your game day food. Sheet pan cheese fries. Chimichurri cheese fries, to be exact. Sprinkled with crispy chipotle bacon for an extra pop of flavor.  […]

The post Chimichurri Cheese Fries with Chipotle Bacon. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

These chimichurri cheese fries are the ultimate game day snack or party food. Crispy french fries, melty cheddar sauce, herby chimichurri and chipotle bacon for crunch. Delicious!

I’m here with your game day food.

chimichurri cheese fries with chipotle bacon

Sheet pan cheese fries. Chimichurri cheese fries, to be exact. Sprinkled with crispy chipotle bacon for an extra pop of flavor. 

I wish I could eat these every single day! 

chipotle bacon

Ever since making my smashburger fries, we’ve been loving sheet pan fries of every variety. Some have cheese. Some don’t! I love a good salt and malt vinegar fry. 

These are clearly cheese-loaded fries. With a few other good things.

I’ve learned a lesson over the last few years of having kids: just buy frozen fries. I have countless recipes on this blog where I make a homemade version of french fries

But! 

You can get such excellent, crispy and delicious fries in the freezer section these days – and they are your best bet. You can fancy them up like this.

P.S. you can also put them on salad for a huge win.

chimichurri cheese fries with chipotle bacon

I mean, think about it. You buy tortilla chips to make sheet pan nachos. So why not buy fries to make sheet pan fries?!

The best idea I ever had. 

Now let’s talk about how incredibly wonderful these are. Perfect for a party, game day snack, appetizer or late night treat. 

And I’ve even made chimichurri fries before. It’s one of my favorite condiments to put on fries and, frankly, potatoes in general. 

chimichurri cheese fries with chipotle bacon

But these chimichurri cheese fries are legit. 

I make a cheese sauce.

And I make my chimichurri too! Unless I already have it made in the fridge. Which in most cases, I do. Because I make it frequently. 

Then I also make some chipotle bacon! Yes, this is a little high maintenance. My chipotle bacon is just diced bacon sprinkled with chipotle chili powder and cooked until super crispy and crunchy. You want to eat it on everything.

Next, I make a batch of frozen fries. Yes. You could use the air fryer, but I don’t like that because it can usually only handle one small batch at a time. So instead, I spread the fries on a sheet pan and roast them at 450 degrees (at least! Even if the directions specify a lower temp!) until crispy. You know, like it’s 1997 again. Before air fryers existed.

chimichurri cheese fries with chipotle bacon

And that’s it!

I don’t think I need to go on and on and on about the amount of flavor these fries have – you can see it right on the plate. Cheesy sauce, chimi drizzle, crunchy bacon sprinkle.  (more…)

The post Chimichurri Cheese Fries with Chipotle Bacon. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Breakfast Sandwich

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I love mixing it up so I can enjoy all of my favorite recipes: pancakes, smoothies, French toast, breakfast burrito, overnight oats, baked oatmeal, and MORE! You can find the best breakfast recipes here. I a…

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I love mixing it up so I can enjoy all of my favorite recipes: pancakes, smoothies, French toast, breakfast burrito, overnight oats, baked oatmeal, and MORE! You can find the best breakfast recipes here. I also LOVE a good Breakfast Sandwich and this breakfast sandwich recipe…

Turkey Wrap

Wraps make a fun, easy, healthy, and delicious meal. Our Chicken Caesar Wraps are very popular and so are these Turkey Wraps! We love making wraps because they are very versatile. You can add whatever ingredients and sauces you like, just like a sandwi…

Wraps make a fun, easy, healthy, and delicious meal. Our Chicken Caesar Wraps are very popular and so are these Turkey Wraps! We love making wraps because they are very versatile. You can add whatever ingredients and sauces you like, just like a sandwich. But wraps really are more fun. Everything gets wrapped up into…

Blue Cheese BLTs.

The perfect summer sandwich – a blue cheese BLT! Marinated tomatoes with blue cheese dressing, piles of shredded lettuce and crispy bacon served on toast. So delicious and flavorful! Blue cheese is about to make our BLT better!! If you’re a blue cheese lover like I am, you will adore this sandwich. Marinated tomatoes, crispy, […]

The post Blue Cheese BLTs. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

The perfect summer sandwich – a blue cheese BLT! Marinated tomatoes with blue cheese dressing, piles of shredded lettuce and crispy bacon served on toast. So delicious and flavorful!

Blue cheese is about to make our BLT better!!

blue cheese BLTs

If you’re a blue cheese lover like I am, you will adore this sandwich. Marinated tomatoes, crispy, crunchy bacon, shredded lettuce piled high with homemade blue cheese dressing on toast. The best summer sandwich!

blue cheese dressing

One of my favorite BLTs in the whole world is from Lake Street Market in Boyne City. It’s so delicious – not only because it has avocado and perfectly crisp bacon, but because the lettuce is shredded. It makes the sandwich so much better, in my opinion. 

marinated tomatoes

So I take that up a notch and make a blue cheese dressing, which goes on the BLT and also gets somewhat mixed into the shredded lettuce.

Oh

My

Word.

The combination is incredible. So much texture, so crunchy, no huge pieces of lettuce falling out – it really is divine. 

fried bacon

Of course, I also have to marinate the tomatoes. Every single time. I can’t even make a BLT anymore without marinating the tomatoes. It makes the entire sandwich! 

I’m all about those layers of flavor. 

shredded lettuce with blue cheese

This is how I make it!

I start by marinating the tomatoes. You can do this for a few hours or even just a few minutes. Marinating them is key because the flavor will be unmatched.

While the tomatoes marinate, I make the blue cheese dressing. It’s a quickie dressing with crumbled blue cheese folded in. I love to use this on everything. It’s great on burgers, as a veggie dip, even for chips. 

Oh, I fry up the bacon too! Just an essential part of the BLT… 

I divide the blue cheese dressing in half, then I toss all the shredded lettuce into one of the halves. Toss, toss, toss. 

blue cheese BLTs

Then it’s time to combine.

I love to use any toast for this (and, well, everything) and get it nice and golden. I use the remaining blue cheese dressing as a sauce. So, I spread some of the blue cheese on the toast, top it with a ton of the blue cheese shredded lettuce – like, pile it on. It’s crisp and refreshing and you can add so much more here since it’s shredded. Then, the tomatoes, bacon and so on. 

blue cheese BLTs

This might be the perfect sandwich? 

blue cheese BLTs

It’s crunchy, creamy, crispy, tangy, savory – everything you want the best summer lunch to be! (more…)

The post Blue Cheese BLTs. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast pizza, made with eggs, bacon, and cheese, is a great way to spice up your weekend breakfast or brunch routine!

The post Breakfast Pizza appeared first on Budget Bytes.

We’ve all had cold pizza for breakfast at some point in our lives (…right?), but intentionally making pizza for breakfast is a whole other ballgame. Breakfast foods taste surprisingly good in pizza form (especially eggs!) and there are so many other fun ingredients you can add to the mix. So if you’re pizza-obsessed like me, or just want to change up your weekend breakfast or brunch routine, you’ve got to make a breakfast pizza. It’s also perfect for brinner (breakfast for dinner)!

One slice of breakfast pizza being pulled from the pie.

What’s on a Breakfast Pizza

There are no real rules when it comes to pizza. But in order to confidently call this a breakfast pizza, it’s got to have some classic breakfast ingredients, like bacon and eggs. The rest is totally open to interpretation! Use any crust you’d like (classic pizza crust, thin crust, a tortilla, crescent rolls, etc.), use red pizza sauce, white sauce, or go sauceless, use any type of cheese you like, and go wild with the leftovers in your fridge for even more toppings!

What Else Can I add?

I’ve kept the breakfast pizza below pretty simple, but pizzas are always a great opportunity to use up your leftovers. Here are some alternative or additional topping ideas for your breakfast pizza:

  • Bell pepper
  • Onion
  • Ham
  • Spinach
  • Tomato
  • Feta
  • Breakfast sausage
  • Hashbrowns
  • Mushrooms

Basically, anything that you can put in an omelet, you’d can put on a breakfast pizza!

Egg Options

I love a good liquid gold runny egg yolk, but if that’s not your thing, scrambled eggs work great on breakfast pizzas, too. Just make sure to only cook the eggs about halfway, until they’re still quite glossy because they will finish cooking while on top of the pizza in the oven. If you fully cook the eggs before adding them to the pizza, they’ll end up dry and rubbery after the pizza cooks.

Make it More Budget-Friendly

If you’re working on a super tight budget, here are a few ways you can make sure to keep the cost of your breakfast pizza LOW:

  • Make your own dough: the ingredients for pizza dough are as simple as they come, so making it from scratch is always going to be the cheapest option. We’ve got several pizza dough recipes on our website, including classic pizza dough, thin crust, and no-yeast pizza dough. You can even par-bake a tortilla for an ultra-thin and crispy crust!
  • Use less cheese and more eggs: Cheese is the most expensive ingredient on our breakfast pizza, but if you double the amount of eggs to cover more surface of the pizza you can cut back on the cheese by half and still have a delicious pizza!
  • Cut back on the meat: The bacon was the second most expensive ingredient in our breakfast pizza, but you could easily cut the amount of meat in half and supplement with some extra veggies! Using a lower-cost meat, like deli ham or sausage is another great option.
Overhead view of one slice of breakfast pizza on a plate.
Close up of a sliced breakfast pizza.
Print

Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast pizza, made with eggs, bacon, and cheese, is a great way to spice up your weekend breakfast or brunch routine!
Course Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost $6.65 recipe / $1.66 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 2 slices each
Calories 726kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. bacon $2.30
  • 1 large prepared pizza dough* $0.62
  • 1/2 cup pizza sauce $0.53
  • 2 cups shredded cheese $2.49
  • 4 large eggs $0.36
  • 2 green onions, sliced $0.35

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Drain the cooked bacon on a paper towel lined plate.
  • Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Stretch the pizza dough out over a pizz pan, then spread the pizza sauce evenly over the surface (leave about ½ inch of bare crust around the outer edge).
  • Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the sauce. Crack four eggs onto the pizza, spaced out evenly over the surface, the crumble the bacon on top.
  • Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes in the preheated oven or until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is melted, and the eggs are cooked to your liking (solid whites, firm or liquid yolks).
  • Top the baked pizza with green onion, slice into 8 pieces, then serve!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*Use any type of prepared pizza dough you prefer, homemade or store-bought.

Nutrition

Serving: 2slices | Calories: 726kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 43g | Sodium: 1650mg | Fiber: 2g

How to Make Breakfast Pizza – Step By Step Photos

Cooked bacon in a skillet.

First, cook 8 oz. bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate. (You can use breakfast sausage in place of bacon, if preferred).

Sauce being spread out on a pizza dough.

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Stretch a large pizza dough out over a pizza pan, then spread about ½ cup of pizza sauce over the surface of the dough (use more or less sauce to your liking).

Cheese on the pizza, eggs being cracked onto the cheese.

Sprinkle about 2 cups of shredded cheese over the surface of the pizza (we used a mix of cheddar and mozzarella because we’re using up leftovers!). I like to save a handful of the cheese to add on top of the eggs. Crack four eggs onto the pizza, spaced out evenly over the surface.

Bacon and more cheese added to the pizza.

Crumble the bacon over the surface of the pizza, then sprinkle any remaining cheese on top.

Baked breakfast pizza.

Make sure the oven is fully preheated to 450ºF, then bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes, or just until the egg whites are set, the yolks are still soft, and the dough is golden brown around the edges.

Breakfast pizza topped with green onions.

Top the pizza with sliced green onions, cut into eight pieces, then enjoy!

Close up of a sliced breakfast pizza.

The post Breakfast Pizza appeared first on Budget Bytes.

The Magic of My Harabeoji’s Avocado BLT

My harabeoji had many secrets, and one of them was tucked inside his BLT.

He kept many things hidden—grief, remorse, worry—in an abyss of stubborn silence. He left Korea for San Diego in 1978 after enduring more than half a century of instability and …

My harabeoji had many secrets, and one of them was tucked inside his BLT.

He kept many things hidden—grief, remorse, worry—in an abyss of stubborn silence. He left Korea for San Diego in 1978 after enduring more than half a century of instability and loss. It was then, at 67, that he started anew, not to retire to manicured golf courses and poolside card games like other sexagenarians, but to work in a corner deli. He had been a widower, briefly, and now, in his new city, he was a newlywed with a new business.

Read More >>

BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad recipe is the perfect summer meal! It’s easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for a potluck or picnic.

The post BLT Pasta Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

One of my favorite things about summer is a big ol’ juicy BLT sandwich. But until those gorgeous summer tomatoes come in, I’ll be enjoying that BLT flavor in salad form. This BLT Pasta Salad gives me all that creamy, tomatoey, balcony flavor I love but in a cold and refreshing pasta salad form. Plus, it’s great for all your summer BBQs, picnics, and potlucks. So if you haven’t tried this classic summer pasta salad, put it on your list!

Overhead view of a bowl full of BLT pasta salad.

What’s In BLT Pasta Salad?

Okay, just in case you’ve never experienced the beautiful simplicity of a BLT sandwich, let’s start there. “BLT” stands for “bacon lettuce tomato”. A BLT sandwich is just crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and sliced tomatoes between two slices of bread, slathered with mayonnaise. It’s simple and perfect.

For BLT Pasta Salad we keep the core flavors the same, but we flesh it out just a bit. I think lettuce is a bit too delicate for pasta salad, so I used fresh spinach instead (I think it holds up better and has better color and texture for a pasta salad). To give the dressing a little more flavor than just plain mayo, we add a little ranch dressing, lemon juice for zing, and some salt and pepper. And then finally, I added a little diced red onion to round out the flavor and texture of the salad. It’s still super simple and totally delish!

What Kind of Pasta to Use

You can use any short pasta shape for this recipe, like rotini, small shells, macaroni, orecchiette, cavatappi, or farfalle (bowtie). I went for bowtie because I thought the shape was super cute in this salad!

How Long Does it Last?

This BLT Pasta Salad benefits from a little time in the fridge (you’ll want it to sit for 10-15 minutes for the best flavor), but it will eventually dry out, so you’ll want to make it the same day if you’re serving it to guests. I ate the leftovers for two days after I originally made the salad and while it was still amazing the next day, it did get a little dry by day two. So for best results, make this salad the same day you plan to serve it and try to eat up those leftovers within a day or so!

Close up side view of a bowl of BLT pasta.
Close up side view of a bowl of BLT pasta.
Print

BLT Pasta Salad

This BLT pasta salad recipe is the perfect summer meal! It's easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for a potluck or picnic.
Course Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Total Cost $7.39 recipe / $0.92 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 8 1 cup each
Calories 466kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. bacon $2.30
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise $0.92
  • 1/4 cup ranch dressing $0.30
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice $0.12
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.02
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper $0.02
  • 12 oz. bowtie pasta* $1.25
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes $1.89
  • 1/4 red onion $0.11
  • 2 cups fresh spinach (packed) $0.46

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Once cooled, chop or crumble the bacon into smaller pieces.
  • While the bacon is cooking, prepare the dressing. Stir together the mayonnaise, ranch dressing, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set the dressing aside.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until tender (7-8 minutes). Drain the pasta in a colander, rinse it briefly with cool water to cool it down, then let it drain very well.
  • While the pasta is cooking and draining, prepare the vegetables. Slice the grape tomatoes in half, finely dice the red onion, and roughly chop the spinach.
  • Once the pasta is cooled and drained, add it to a large bowl along with the spinach, tomatoes, onions, and dressing. Stir everything together until evenly combined and coated in dressing. Let the pasta sit for 10-15 minutes for the flavors to blend, then stir once more and serve.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 31g | Sodium: 546mg | Fiber: 2g

How to Make BLT Pasta Salad – Step by Step Photos

Cooked bacon in a skillet.

Begin by cooking 8oz. of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it is brown and crispy. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Once cooled, chop or crumble the bacon into smaller pieces.

Dressing ingredients in a bowl, not stirred together.

While the bacon is cooking, make the salad dressing. Combine ¾ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup ranch dressing, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Cooked bowtie pasta in the pot being lifted by a pasta fork.

Add a tablespoon of salt to a large pot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add 12oz. bowtie pasta and continue to boil until the pasta is tender (7-8 minutes). drain the pasta in a colander. Give it a quick rinse with cool water to cool it off, then let it drain very well.

Sliced grape tomatoes and diced red onion on a cutting board.

While the pasta is cooking and draining, slice one pint of grape tomatoes in half and finely dice ¼ of a red onion (about ⅓ cup diced).

Chopped spinach on a cutting board.

Roughly chop 2 packed cups of fresh spinach into bite-sized pieces.

Ingredients for BLT pasta salad being combined in a bowl.

Once the pasta is cooled and well drained, transfer it to a large bowl and add the spinach, tomatoes, onions, and dressing.

BLT pasta salad after the ingredients are stirred together.

Stir until everything is evenly combined and coated in dressing. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes for the flavors to blend a little more, then give it one more stir before serving.

Close up overhead view of BLT pasta salad in a bowl.

So summery!

The post BLT Pasta Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad features thickly sliced potatoes, crispy bacon, onions, and a rich and tangy mayo-free vinaigrette dressing.

The post German Potato Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Okay, okay, okay, while I love a good rich and creamy southern-style potato salad, sometimes I want something different. I love German potato salad it’s a little bit lighter on the palate with its tangy mayo-free vinaigrette dressing, and still has plenty of body and flavor, thanks to BACON. It makes a great side dish for grilled bratwurst, kielbasa, or anything you might be serving at your back yard summer BBQ!

close up overhead view of German potato salad in a bowl.

What is German Potato Salad

German potato salad is a simple yet elegant dish featuring thickly sliced potatoes, bacon, onions, fresh herbs, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette dressing. The fat from the bacon is used to sauté the onions and acts as the fat in the vinaigrette, so everything has that wonderfully smoky bacon flavor. You can serve German potato salad hot or cold.

What Type of Potatoes are Best for Potato Salad?

Not all potatoes are equal. Russet potatoes, for instance, break down easily and are well-suited for things like mashed potatoes. Red potatoes hold up slightly better than russets, but a waxy potato like Yukon Gold will hold their shape even better. Personally, I love the color contrast of the red skins, so I went with red potatoes.

How Long Does German Potato Salad Last in the Refrigerator

You can keep this salad refrigerated for about four days. The dressing will absorb into the potatoes as it chills, so it may become slightly more dry as the days go on. You can either save some extra dressing to add just before serving, or make an extra batch to add later. 

What to Serve with German Potato Salad

German potato salad can be served hot or cold and makes a great addition to any potluck or BBQ spread. This week I served mine with my Glazed Pork Chops. It also goes great with sausage, like Bratwurst or Kielbasa! Just like creamy American potato salads, German potato salad also makes a great side dish for lunch items, like sandwiches.

Overhead view of German potato salad in the skillet.
Close up overhead view of a bowl of German Potato Salad in a bowl.
Print

German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad features thickly sliced potatoes, crispy bacon, onions, and a rich and tangy mayo-free vinaigrette dressing.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine German
Total Cost $4.75 recipe / $0.79 serving
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 (about 3/4c each)
Calories 205kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. small red potatoes $2.40
  • 1.5 tsp salt, divided $0.07
  • 4 oz. bacon $1.33
  • 1 yellow onion, diced $0.38
  • 1 Tbsp stone ground mustard $0.07
  • 1 Tbsp sugar $0.04
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly cracked pepper $0.02
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar $0.25
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley $0.20

Instructions

  • Wash the potatoes well, then add them to a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes. Add 1 tsp salt to the water to season the potatoes as they cook. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat on to high, and bring the pot to a boil. Continue to boil the potatoes until they can easily be pierced with a fork (12-15 minutes).
  • Meanwhile, add the bacon to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and leave the bacon fat in the skillet to cook the onions and make the dressing.
  • Add the diced onion to the skillet and continue to cook over medium heat in the bacon fat until the onions are soft and translucent.
  • Once the onions are soft, turn the heat down to low and add the mustard, sugar, pepper, ½ tsp salt, and the apple cider vinegar. Whisk the ingredients together until a light sauce forms, then turn the heat off.
  • When the potatoes are finished cooking, drain them in a colander and allow them to cool for a few minutes, or just until they're cool enough to handle. Once slightly cool, slice the potatoes into ¼-inch thick half-rounds.
  • While the potatoes are cooling, roughly chop the cooked bacon and the fresh parsley.
  • Add the sliced potatoes, bacon, and parsley to the skillet with the onions and dressing. Toss everything until evenly combined and coated in dressing. Give the potato salad a taste and adjust the salt or other seasonings to your liking. Serve warm or refrigerate until ready to eat.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*This is a prepared mustard, not powdered or mustard seed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 205kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 764mg | Fiber: 3g

Scroll down for the step by step photos!

Close up side view of German potato salad in the skillet.

How to Make German Potato Salad – Step by Step Photos

Potatoes in a pot of water with salt being sprinkled over top.

Wash 2 lbs. of small red potatoes well. Place them in a large pot and add enough water to cover them by one inch. Add about 1 tsp of salt to the water to make sure the potatoes are well seasoned. Place a lid on the pot and turn the heat on to high. Bring the pot to a boil, then continue to boil the potatoes until they are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork (12-15 minutes, depending on the size).

Cooked bacon pieces in a skillet.

While the potatoes are boiling, cook 4 oz. of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet. Leave the bacon fat in the skillet as it will be used to cook the onions and make the dressing.

Sautéed onions in the skillet.

Add one diced yellow onion to the skillet with the bacon fat. Continue to cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. The moisture from the onions should dissolve all the browned bits of flavor stuck to the bottom of the skillet from the bacon.

Dressing ingredients added to the skillet with the onions

Once the onions are soft, reduce the heat in the skillet to low and add 1 Tbsp grainy mustard, 2 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper, and ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar.

Onions and vinaigrette being whisked in the skillet.

Whisk the ingredients in the skillet until they form a light sauce, then turn the heat off.

Sliced potatoes on a cutting board.

Once the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander and let them cool for just a few minutes or until they are cool enough to handle. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick half-moons.

Sliced potatoes, parsley, and bacon added back to the skillet.

Roughly chop the cooked bacon and ¼ cup of fresh parsley. Add the sliced potatoes, bacon, and parsley to the skillet with the dressing.

Finished German Potato Salad in the skillet.

Toss the ingredients together until everything is evenly coated in dressing and parsley. Give the potato salad a taste and adjust the salt or other ingredients to your liking.

Overhead view of German Potato Salad in a bowl.

Serve hot and enjoy!

The post German Potato Salad appeared first on Budget Bytes.