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Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Bacon ranch potato salad with tender cubes of red potatoes, crunchy bacon, and a creamy ranch-sour cream dressing. Loaded with cheddar and finished with green onions and chives for a party side that’s easy to serve chilled.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
  • 3 lb red potatoes Cubed into bite-size pieces for even cooking.
  • 10 slices bacon Cooked and crumbled.
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese Shredded.
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup green onions Sliced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.
  • 1 salt To taste.
  • 1 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and cool the potatoes
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil, then add the red potatoes and cook until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Visual cue: a fork should slide in easily through a cube.
  2. Drain the red potatoes and spread them on a sheet pan to cool until no longer hot, about 5 minutes. Visual cue: steam should stop and cubes should look intact, not mushy.
Build the loaded potato base
  1. In a large bowl, combine the red potatoes, bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese. Visual cue: the mixture should look evenly speckled with bacon and melted-cheese bits.
Make the ranch dressing
  1. Whisk together ranch dressing, sour cream, salt, and pepper until smooth and pourable. Visual cue: the seasoning should be fully blended with no streaks.
Assemble and chill
  1. Pour the ranch dressing over the potato mixture and toss until every cube is coated. Visual cue: the surfaces should look glossy and creamy.
  2. Top with green onions and fresh chives. Visual cue: green and herb bits should be visible on top for garnish.
  3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving to let the flavors meld. Visual cue: the salad should thicken slightly and feel cold throughout.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the boiled red potatoes before mixing to keep the cheddar from clumping and the salad from becoming watery. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze is not recommended for best texture. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat ranch dressing and sour cream while keeping the bacon and cheddar.