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Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Bacon ranch potato salad is a loaded potato salad with tender cubed red potatoes, smoky bacon, and shredded cheddar. Tossed with a creamy ranch dressing and finished with green onions and chives for a party side that’s ready after chilling.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potato base
  • 3 lb red potatoes
  • 10 slices bacon Cooked and crumbled.
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese Shredded.
Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 salt To taste.
  • 0.5 pepper To taste.
Fresh toppings
  • 0.25 cup green onions Sliced.
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil, drain, and cool
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil, then add cubed red potatoes and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Visual cue: the cubes should pierce easily with a fork.
  2. Drain the potatoes in a colander and cool them until they’re no longer hot, about 10 minutes. Visual cue: steam should stop when you move the potatoes.
Build the potato mixture
  1. Add the cooled potatoes, cooked and crumbled bacon, and shredded sharp cheddar cheese to a large bowl and gently toss to combine. Visual cue: the cheese should be evenly distributed throughout the potatoes.
Make and add the ranch dressing
  1. In a bowl, stir ranch dressing and sour cream together with salt and pepper. Visual cue: the mixture should look smooth and creamy with no sour-cream streaks.
  2. Pour the ranch dressing over the potato mixture and toss well until every bite looks coated. Visual cue: potatoes should have a glossy, creamy finish rather than dry spots.
Finish and chill
  1. Top with sliced green onions and chopped fresh chives, then fold once or twice to spread them through the salad. Visual cue: you should see bright green flecks across the surface.
  2. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving to let the flavors meld. Visual cue: the salad should look slightly set and chilled when ready to eat.

Notes

For best texture, fully cool the potatoes before mixing so the dressing doesn’t thin out. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the salad can be frozen only if needed (texture may soften after thawing). For a lighter option, use low-fat ranch dressing and reduced-fat cheddar while keeping the same method.