Loaded Ranch Potato Salad
Creamy ranch potato salad with bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions that's perfect for BBQs, potlucks and family dinners.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 556kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 1-ounce packet ranch seasoning mix
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 4 green onions sliced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- Extra bacon optional
- Extra cheddar cheese optional
- Chopped chives optional
- Cracked black pepper optional
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them. Drain and let cool for 15-20 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, pepper and salt until smooth.
- Add the cooled potatoes, cheddar cheese, bacon and green onions to the bowl. Gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors can blend together.
- Before serving, top with additional bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions if desired.
Notes
- Salt the water generously: Once the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt. This helps season the potatoes to ensure a much more flavorful salad.
- Check the potatoes frequently: Check your potatoes every few minutes for tenderness and cook them just until a knife easily pierces through the skin. Overcooked potatoes can become too soft and fall apart when mixed with the dressing.
- Cool the potatoes before mixing: Let the potatoes cool for about 15-20 minutes after draining. Mixing them while they're still hot can cause the dressing to become runny and the cheese to melt instead of staying shredded.
- Cut potatoes into even-sized pieces: Keeping the potato pieces close to the same size helps them cook evenly and gives the salad a consistent texture.
- Drain and pat dry the bacon: The crispier, the better! Be sure to drain the bacon well on a paper towel before crumbling it and adding it to the salad.
- Chill before serving: Refrigerating the salad for at least an hour allows the ranch seasoning to fully hydrate and gives the flavors time to blend together.
- Taste before serving: After the salad has chilled, give it a quick stir and taste before serving. Add a little extra salt or black pepper if needed, since the flavors mellow as they chill.
- Garnish just before serving: Add your final garnishes right before you serve for the freshest flavor and prettiest presentation.
Nutrition
Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 619mg | Potassium: 898mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 2mg