Some days it's all about the sides at our house and dishes like this Loaded Baked Potato Salad top the list of fan favorites. Tender new potatoes, smoky bacon and green onions are tossed with a tangy Ranch seasoned homemade dressing. Complete the flavor palate by throwing in a heaping helping of sharp cheddar cheese that practically turns this salad into a meal all on it's own. Serve it warm or chilled as the featured side dish with your next grilled steak, chicken or pork then sit back and prepare for the "oohs" and "aahs."
Easy Loaded Baked Potato Salad Recipe
It's not surprising how much we all love potatoes. Much like rice, they're a blank slate that can be transformed in so many ways. Checkout these fun facts about potatoes from the North Carolina Potato Association:
- The average American eats 142 pounds of potatoes a year or almost 365 potatoes per person--that's an average of a potato a day.
- Potatoes are grown commercially in every state from Florida to Alaska, yielding over 30 billion pounds of potatoes each year.
- One serving of potatoes provides 45% of the recommended Daily Value of vitamin C.
- The potato is the second most consumed food in the U.S.--trailing only after milk products.
- Contrary to the common misconception, potatoes are not high in calories. One medium sized potato contains 110 calories, while a one-cup serving of rice has 225 calories and a cup of pasta has 155.
- Many doctors recommend bananas to patients who require a good source of potassium. One potato supplies 610 mg. of potassium while a banana contains 450 mg.
- Eat your potatoes with their peels on--a wealth of vitamins; minerals and fiber are found in the peel. The peel also contains the flavonoid, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid--antioxidants that may protect the body against certain types of cancers and heart disease.
- One medium potato with skin contains three grams, or twelve percent of the recommended daily intake for fiber.
How to Make the Best Loaded Baked Potato Salad Recipe
This scrumptious loaded baked potato salad gives us one more amazing way to celebrate our love of this awesome tuber. Whether you enjoy them baked smashed, mashed, or fried they're always a happy sight to see on the dinner table.
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Loaded Baked Potato Salad: 3 pounds red potatoes and salt. Cook together in a large saucepan until fork tender. Drain well.
- To make the dressing you'll need: Mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dry Ranch salad dressing mix, (i.e. Hidden Valley Ranch) lemon pepper and black pepper. Whisk everything together and toss with the drained red potatoes until fully combined.
- You'll also need cooked and crumbled bacon, sliced green onions and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Once the potatoes are fully combined with the dressing add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Kitchen gadgets you'll need: A large pot to cook the potatoes, a colander, sharp knife and chopping board, a skillet to cook the bacon, measuring cups and spoons, cheese grater, a whisk, a mixing bowl and large silicone spatula or spoon to mix everything together.
- You can serve this Loaded Baked Potato Salad warm or chilled.
- Store leftover potato salad chilled in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Southern Style Potato Salad Recipes to Make
You may also like to try my recipe for Southern Potato Salad and BLT Potato Salad which is a flavor fusion of two favorites. Skip the mayonnaise dressing and whip-up a batch of German Potato Salad with a sweet and tangy dressing. An Italian flavor twist is featured in my recipe for Rosemary Parmesan Potato Salad recipe. The family will love my Green Bean and Potato Salad during garden season. You may also like this recipe for Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad from Barefeet in the Kitchen.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lb small red potatoes quartered
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup real mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream or unflavored Greek yogurt
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 0.4-oz package dry buttermilk Ranch dressing mix (i.e. Hidden Valley)
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 cup green onion thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place the quartered new potatoes in a medium-size saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes or until fork tender.
- Drain in a colander and allow to cool for 5 minutes while you make the dressing.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dry Ranch salad dressing mix, lemon pepper and black pepper.
- Add the potatoes, bacon and green onion. Toss to coat. (Reserve 2 tablespoon each of bacon and green onion for garnishing)
- Chill for about 20-30 minutes then add 1 ¼ cup shredded cheese. Mix well.
- Serve warm or chilled garnished with reserved bacon, green onion and shredded cheese.
Nutrition
PK
Always such a great side dish
Melissa C
I have made this recipe before and absolutely LOVE it:) With that said Im trying to lose weight and be healthier any ideas what the nutritional info is on this recipe. Thanks
Melissa
I'm glad you love this one. Please run it through one of the free calorie counters available online.
Heather
Simply, delicious. I didn't have any green onions, so I substituted chives from my garden.
Melissa
I'm so happy you enjoyed this, thank you!
Stacey Williams
Baking forothers day 2018
Melissa
Wonderful, enjoy!
street view
Delicious! Thanks for sharing this
Karen
Can't wait to try this. Sounds absolutely yummy.
Gentle Joy Homemaker
Wow, that looks wonderful! It sounds tasty and the beautiful additions to the top make it look so delicious and appealing. 🙂
Melissa
Thank you!
Pat
Sounds really yummy to me! Anxious to try it!!
Melissa
Thanks Pat, I'm a bit biased but, it's mighty tasty!