Loaded Potato Salad
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Meet your new favorite side dish: loaded potato salad! Packed with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and zesty green onions, this creamy delight is like a fully-loaded baked potato in salad form. Perfect for barbecues, potlucks, or anytime you need a little comfort food magic, this recipe is sure to steal the spotlight.
Make it a meal and serve this recipe with burgers, hot dogs, steaks, or chicken hot off the grill.
Why You’ll Love This Baked Potato Salad
- Perfect for Gatherings: Ideal for barbecues, potlucks, and picnics, making it a great dish to share.
- Versatile Side: Complements a wide variety of main dishes, from grilled meats to vegetarian options.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and zesty green onions in a creamy dressing are sure to impress.
- Easy to Prepare: Simple to make, with ingredients that are easy to find and assemble.
- Make-Ahead: Can be prepared in advance, saving time on the day of your event.
I am obsessed with this potato salad. We tested the recipe at the beginning of the season and I’ve made it over a dozen times since. It’s the first to go at our family parties and the most requested for grilling hangouts. Why? Because it is insanely delicious.
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Imagine all the best parts of a fully-loaded baked potato—crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and zesty green onions—mixed into a creamy, dreamy salad. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or any meal that needs a little extra magic. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll never look at plain old potato salad the same way again.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: Russets or Yukon Gold work well. Boil the potatoes until they are just tender, not mushy. This usually takes about 10-15 minutes.
- Mayonnaise: Start with a smaller amount and add more as needed to achieve your desired creaminess.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds tanginess and creaminess. Mix it with the mayonnaise for a balanced dressing. For a lighter version, use low-fat sour cream or substitute with Greek yogurt.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use sharp cheddar for a more pronounced flavor. Shred the cheese yourself instead of using pre-shredded to avoid added fillers and get a fresher taste.
- Salt and Pepper: Season the potatoes with salt and pepper while they are still warm to enhance the flavor. Taste the salad before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed for the perfect balance.
- Bacon: Cook the bacon until crispy and then crumble it. This adds a crunchy texture to the salad.
- Green Onions: Slice the green onions thinly, using both the white and green parts for added color and taste.
Loaded Potato Salad Recipe
- Prepare the Potatoes: Rinse and scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
- Boil the Potatoes: Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. To check doneness, insert a fork into the largest potato. If it goes in easily, they are done.
- Cool the Potatoes: Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly until they are comfortable to handle. Peel the potatoes by gently rubbing off the skins with your hands or using a paring knife to remove any stubborn parts. Once peeled, cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks and let them cool completely.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream. Mix until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and thinly sliced green onions.
- Combine the Ingredients: Add the cooled potato chunks to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss the potatoes until they are evenly coated with the dressing. Mix until all ingredients are well distributed throughout the salad.
- Final Seasoning: Taste the potato salad and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the potato salad for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled and enjoy!
Helpful Tools
Here are some helpful tools for making a loaded baked potato potato salad:
- Large Pot: (affiliate) For boiling the potatoes.
- Colander: (affiliate) To drain the boiled potatoes. This one is my favorite because it lays flat when storing.
- Mixing Bowls: (affiliate) A large mixing bowl for combining the potato salad ingredients and smaller bowls for mixing the dressing and holding prepped ingredients.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: (affiliate) For accurately measuring the mayonnaise, sour cream, and other ingredients.
Expert Recipe Tips:
- Let the potatoes cool completely before mixing with the dressing to avoid a watery salad and help the potatoes hold their shape.
- Mix the mayonnaise and sour cream together before adding to the potatoes. This ensures a well-balanced, creamy dressing. Light Option: For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt in place of some or all of the sour cream.
- Season the potatoes with salt and pepper while they are still warm to allow the flavors to penetrate better. Always taste the salad before serving and adjust the salt, pepper, and other seasonings as needed.
- Let the salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together and improves the overall taste.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use Yukon Gold or red potatoes. They have a creamy texture and hold their shape well, making them great alternatives to russet potatoes.
Absolutely! In fact, making it a day in advance allows the flavors to meld together. Just keep it covered and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should stay fresh for up to 3-4 days.
The potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork. Be careful not to overcook them, as they should be tender but still hold their shape.
More Summer Sides To Try
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Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes (6 cups cubed)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup bacon (cooked and crumbled)
- 1/2 cup green onions
- 1 teaspoon salt (more or less as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Rinse and scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Place the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt to the water.
- Bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. To check doneness, insert a fork into the largest potato. If it goes in easily, they are done.
- Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly until they are comfortable to handle. Peel the potatoes by gently rubbing off the skins with your hands or using a paring knife to remove any stubborn parts. Once peeled, cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks and let them cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream. Mix until smooth. Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and thinly sliced green onions.
- Add the cooled potato chunks to the bowl with the dressing. Gently toss the potatoes until they are evenly coated with the dressing. Mix until all ingredients are well distributed throughout the salad.
- Taste the potato salad and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the potato salad for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld together. Serve chilled and enjoy!
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
This was the one I’ve been looking for. Reminds me of childhood. No eggs, which was a win all by itself! (For a garlic/dill version I added 5 Klausen sandwich slice pickles, diced small, 1 tbls fresh dill, chopped lightly, and 1 tsp garlic powder.) This is a light tasting potato salad with tons of simple flavors that work really well together! Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
I’m so glad to hear this recipe hit the spot and brought back those childhood memories! Love your garlic/dill twist—that sounds like a flavor bomb. Thanks for sharing your tips, and I’m thrilled it worked out so well for you!
One of our new favorite summer sides.