This loaded potato salad with bacon and eggs just makes sense! It's got a creamy dijon and mayonnaise dressing, crunchy celery, red onion and scallions and Yukon Gold potatoes for the best old fashioned potato salad you've had.
I like to cook bacon in the oven because there's no splatter and it yields a perfect strip of crispy pork. To do it in the oven, preheat to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on top of the cookie sheet. Lay the bacon on the wire rack and cook for about 20-25 minutes until crisped.
Cut the potatoes into 1" pieces (no need to peel them). Fill a large pot halfway with water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
Add the potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes. Test the potatoes for doneness by piercing one with a paring knife. If they slip easily off the knife and back into the pot, they're done. If they stick, they need more time.
Using a spider or slotted spoon remove the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle the hot potatoes with the vinegar and toss to coat.
To boil the eggs in the same water as the potatoes, add the eggs to the pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for another 5 minutes. While the eggs rest, fill a small bowl with ice and water and transfer the boiled eggs to the ice bath to cool.
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Stir to combine.
Add the celery, onion and scallions to the dressing. Pour the dressing over the potato salad.
Peel and chop the eggs and add them to the potatoes. Chop or crumble the bacon into bite-sized bits and add to the potato salad. Add the chopped parsley. Toss gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Sprinkle with a little extra paprika and the parsley. Serve.