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    Home » Real Food » Side Dishes

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

    June 16, 2022 | By Kristen Chidsey | 40 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Seasoned with ranch and filled with red potatoes, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese, this Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is sure to become your new favorite pot-luck go-to!  

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is a flavor-packed spin on classic potato salad. Seasoned with ranch and filled with red potatoes, crispy bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese, this Ranch Potato Salad is sure to become your new favorite pot-luck go-to!  

    Bowl of bacon, ranch, cheddar potato salad topped with chives and bacon.

    While I love my Instant Pot Potato Salad that features the flavor of classic potato salad, this Bacon Ranch Potato Salad may just be my favorite potato salad recipe of all time.

    Made with creamy red potatoes, salty, crispy bacon, sharp cheese, and flavorful ranch seasoning, this potato salad is so packed with unique flavor and texture, that it stands out among other recipes.

    And who doesn't love bacon? Throw in ranch and cheese, and you know you have a winning recipe. I am telling you, everyone loves this Bacon Ranch Potato Salad.

    Notes on Ingredients

    Ingredients for bacon ranch potato salad labeled on counter.
    • Potatoes: Small red potatoes are best for this ranch potato salad, as their texture and flavor hold up well to the ranch-flavored dressing.
    • Bacon: I prefer to make homemade bacon bits, by baking bacon and then crumbling it into small bits myself. However, you can use pre-made bacon bits to save yourself a bit of time.
    • Vinegar: Vinegar is a necessary ingredient for potato salad, as it balances out the richness of the creamy dressing and really flavors the potatoes. I recommend using white vinegar in this Bacon Ranch Potato Salad.
    • Ranch Seasoning: Instead of relying on a package of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning, that is full of preservatives, I opt to make homemade ranch seasoning, which is simply made with dried parsley, basil, salt, garlic, and onion powder.
    • Mayonnaise & Sour Cream: I use a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise in this Potato Salad Recipe. The mayonnaise adds a rich undertone, while the sour cream adds a tangy finish. The combination of the two is perfect for this recipe.
    • Cheese: Use shredded sharp or regular cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese to add an irresistible cheesy bite.
    • Chives: Chives really add freshness and flavor, making this Ranch Potato Salad exceptional in flavor. However, feel free to omit them if you do not have them on hand.

    How to Make Ranch Potato Salad

    Step One: Prepare Bacon

    Instead of using prepared bacon bits, I much prefer the flavor of preparing the bacon myself. I recommend baking bacon, rather than pan-frying, as not only is it easier, but it is hands-off.

    • Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack on the cooking sheet.
    • Lay the strips of bacon evenly across the baking rack, so that they are not overlapping.
    • Bake the bacon until crispy, 13-16 minutes.
    • Once the bacon is crispy, remove the bacon from the oven and let cool.
    • Once cooled, crumble the bacon into tiny bits.
    • Store the bacon bits in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve the potato salad. The bacon is added to the salad right before serving, which keeps the bacon nice and crispy.
    Bacon before and after cooking.

    Step Two: Cook the Potatoes

    • Place the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and generously salt the water. It is essential to begin cooking the potatoes in cold water so that they cook evenly.
    • Bring the water to a rapid boil, over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
    • Once tender, drain the water off the potatoes, and return the potatoes to the hot pan. Toss the potatoes around in the pan, until the water is evaporated from the potatoes. Don't skip this step. Removing the excess water from the potatoes will allow the flavors of the potato to shine through and the potato salad to not be watered down.
    • Spread the potatoes out onto a sheet pan to allow them to cool to room temperature quickly.
    Boiled Red potatoes on baking sheet cooling after cooking.

    Step Three: Prepare Potato Salad Dressing

    While the potatoes are cooling, use this time to whip up the dressing for the potato salad.

    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, salt, basil, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder.
    • Whisk everything together until the spices are evenly combined in the dressing.
    Side by side bowl before and after mixing together ranch dressing for potato salad.

    Step Four: Assemble Potato Salad

    Once the dressing is made, the potatoes should be cooled enough to toss with the dressing.

    • Add the potatoes to the prepared dressing, along with the shredded cheese.
    • Gently toss the potatoes with the remaining ingredients to evenly coat the potatoes with the cheese and dressing.
    Side by side photo with potato salad before and after mixing with dressing.

    Step Five: Chill & Serve

    For best results, you want to plan for at least 2 hours, 24 hours is best, to chill the potato salad before serving. This will allow time for the potatoes to absorb the flavor of the creamy, ranch dressing.

    • Cover the potato salad tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 2 hours up to 24 hours.
    • Right before serving, add the prepared, crumbled, bacon and minced chives to the potato salad and toss to combine.
    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad topped with cheese, chives, and bacon.

    Tips for Entertaining with this Potato Salad

    This Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is a fabulous dish to bring to a potluck or for entertaining, as it is not only a dish everyone loves but can be safely left at room temperature for up to 1 hour and can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.

    • To Prepare in Advance: As I stated, this ranch potato salad can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just wait to mix the cooked bacon and chives into your salad until right before serving, so that the bacon stays crisp and the chives stay fresh.
    • To Serve: If you need to leave the potato salad out of refrigeration for longer than an hour, or you are serving the dish in a hot environment, such as outdoors in the summer, the potato salad should be kept chilled. To do this, place a bowl filled with ice on your serving table and nestle your serving dish with the potato salad on top of the bowl of ice. This will keep your potato salad at a safe temperature until the ice melts. Just be sure that your serving dish is larger than the ice bowl, so it won't get water in the potato salad as the ice melts.

    More Picnic-Worthy Side Dishes

    • Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
    • BLT Pasta Salad
    • Antipasto Pasta Salad
    • Creamy Cucumber Salad 
    • Tabbouleh Salad

    If you tried this recipe for Bacon Ranch Potato Salad, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Bowl of Bacon Ranch Potato Salad topped with chives.

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is loaded with bacon, cheese, and ranch seasoning to create one outrageously delicious recipe for potato salad.
    5 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 306kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 6 strips bacon or ⅓ cup of bacon bits
    • 3 pounds red potatoes scrubbed and quartered
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt for cooking potatoes
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon dried basil
    • 1 tablespoon minced chives
    • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    Homemade Bacon Bits

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack on the cooking sheet.
    • Lay bacon evenly across the baking rack, so that it is not overlapping. Bake the bacon until crispy, 13-16 minutes.
    • Remove the bacon from the oven and let cool. Once cooled, crumble the bacon into tiny bits. Store the bacon bits in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve the potato salad.

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

    • Place the potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with cold tap water and season with 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring the water to a rapid boil over medium-high heat and boil until the potatoes are just fork-tender, but not falling apart.
    • Drain the potatoes and then return the potatoes to the hot pan and gently toss the potatoes around in the pan, until any excess water has been evaporated from the potatoes. Spread the potatoes out onto a sheet pan to allow them to cool quickly. The potatoes just need to cool until slightly warm, not hot, to the touch.
    • While potatoes are cooling, mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and basil in a large mixing bowl until combined.
    • Cover the potato salad and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, overnight is best, before serving.
    • Right before serving, stir the chives and bacon into the potato salad.

    Equipment Needed

    • Baking Sheet with Rack

    Notes

    For Ranch Seasoning: In place of the parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, and ½ teaspoon salt, use 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix. 
    Storage: This ranch potato salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days after preparation.
    To prepare in advance: Prepare the potato salad up to 3 days before serving. But keep in mind that it is best to mix the cooked bacon and chives into your salad right before serving so that the bacon stays crisp and the chives stay fresh.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 393mg | Potassium: 715mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 217IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This post was originally published in 2018 but was updated in 2022 with new tips and a video.

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    Categorized Under: Allergy Friendly Recipes, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Real Food, Seasonal, Side Dishes

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Kristyn

      June 29, 2022 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      I love potato salad, but adding the bacon, takes it to a whole new level! Love the flavor of this too! I'll be eating this all summer long!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 30, 2022 at 7:22 am

        YAY! It is so delish! I am glad to hear you enjoy this Bacon Ranch Potato Salad as well.

        Reply
    2. Dave

      June 27, 2022 at 11:05 am

      5 stars
      I combined your other potato salad idea -- cubed potatoes in the IP with eggs nestled on top -- with this (plus olives), and it was just like I remembered from my mother's wonderful salad. Yummy and easy

      Reply
    3. Amy Anderson

      June 20, 2022 at 9:02 am

      5 stars
      The flavor of this potato salad is AMAZING! My husband loves potato salad and he couldn’t say enough about how good it tasted. Thank you for the tip on getting the potatoes cooled.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 20, 2022 at 9:14 am

        YAY! Thanks for sharing, Amy! I love hearing you all enjoyed it so much!

        Reply
    4. Laura Reese

      June 27, 2020 at 12:49 pm

      5 stars
      The bacon and ranch in this potato salad makes this amazing! It adds so much to the flavor.

      Reply
    5. Natalie

      June 25, 2020 at 10:10 pm

      5 stars
      This is such an easy & delicious recipe for potato salad! I love that your recipe has bacon pieces. It is so flavorful & a summer favorite!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 26, 2020 at 7:41 am

        I am so glad you enjoyed Natalie!

        Reply
    6. Kara

      June 25, 2020 at 8:03 pm

      5 stars
      Such a yummy twist on potato salad! At my house, you can't go wrong with bacon and ranch! 🙂

      Reply
    7. Jessica

      May 09, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds delicious! My only issue is that my husband detests anything with mayo in it. Can I use just Greek yogurt instead?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 10, 2019 at 5:27 am

        YES!!! I typically end up using all Greek yogurt myself and even my mayo loving husband enjoys 🙂

        Reply
    8. Heather Kinnaird

      May 24, 2016 at 10:03 am

      this sounds like the perfect side to our memorial day BBQ!! I cannot wait to try it

      Reply
    9. Courtney Lopez

      April 29, 2016 at 8:53 am

      Yum!! Wish I could eat this for breakfast!! If it was in the fridge, I would haha!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 30, 2016 at 9:20 am

        I think it is acceptable for breakfast 😉

        Reply
    10. Beverley Press

      April 28, 2016 at 3:57 am

      5 stars
      Kristen this is the best tasting Ranch Dressing thank you !!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 28, 2016 at 9:45 am

        Thank you Beverley!

        Reply
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