Loaded Baked Potato Salad

A fun version of a classic potato salad has all the fun flavors of a loaded baked potato. Loaded Baked Potato Salad is packed soft red potatoes, crispy bacon, fresh green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, mayo, sour cream, and dill weed. It will be your favorite barbecue side dish from the first bite! 

You can’t have a backyard barbecue without some delicious sides. If potato salads are your favorite, make sure to try my Southern Potato Salad and Parmesan Dill Potato Salad. 

BAKED POTATO SALAD

Potato salads are by far our favorite side dish for barbecues and potlucks. It taste great whether you serve it warm or cold, it’s comforting, compliments all meats, and so easy to make. As much as we love it though, we definitely don’t treat them the same. 

We have favorites…

I love the Southern Potato salad because there are pickles and eggs in it and I’m a huge sucker for pickles. My husband would climb mountains for this Loaded Baked Potato Salad though. It could be all the bacon packed into this dish but it could also be the fact that it tastes like a laded baked potato…but better!

You have all the best flavors you would see in a loaded baked potato: the crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream. Soft, tender red potatoes with smooth and creamy mixture of mayo and sour cream plus crispy bits of bacon create a combination of textures and flavors everyone will love.

INGREDIENTS IN BAKED POTATO SALAD

Potatoes – I prefer to use red potatoes because they are soft and tender but also have enough starch to hold potato cubes in shape after it’s cut. Skin of red potatoes is also a lot thinner than Russet potatoes so it’s barely noticeable if you leave the potato skin on.

Bacon – the best way to get crispy bacon without the mess is to make it in the oven. Make it ahead of time or at the same time as potatoes to save some time. 

Shredded cheese – shredded sharp cheddar will add some more flavor into this delicious potato salad.  

Green onion – use fresh green onions or substitute chives. 

Sour Cream – provides the best finishing flavor touch to bring together the loaded potato flavors.

Mayo – sour cream alone is a little thin on flavor so I like to combine it with mayonnaise to make it creamier and fuller. 

Dill Weed – a couple of tablespoons of fresh dill weed is the perfect touch on this potato salad. 

HOW TO MAKE LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

Cook Bacon In The Oven: 

Preheat the oven to 400° and line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, covering it entirely and up the sides. Place a wire rack in the baking sheet and lightly spray it with cooking spray.

Lay bacon strips on top of the wire rack side by side and cook for 15-25 minutes. (Time will depend on the thickness of the bacon. The thicker the bacon slices, the longer it will take.) Keep an eye on it to make sure it’s crispy but not over-done. 

Cool cooked bacon until it’s easy to handle and crumble or cut into small pieces. 

Boil potatoes:

To peel or not to peel? If that’s the question on your mind, the answer is “it’s up to you.” You can choose to leave the skin on and that will make it easier to chop potatoes and mix into the salad. Potato skin is also where a lot of potato’s nutrients are stored. 

Rinse potatoes and place them in a pot. Fill the pot with cold water, enough to cover all the potatoes, and season with salt. Bring the pot to boil and lower the heat to medium. Cook until potatoes are tender. (You can stick a fork into the middle of a potato to test it.) Drain off water and let potatoes cool to room temperature.

When potatoes cooled enough to handle, chop them into about 1/2-inch cubes. 

Mix the Salad:

Combine chopped potatoes, crumbled bacon, diced green onion, shredded cheese, dill weed, mayo, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together until evenly combined. 

Cover air-tight and store potato salad in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until ready to serve.

CAN I MAKE IT AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, absolutely! You can make the whole potato salad ahead of time or just cook the bacon and potatoes. 

Cook potatoes, strain all the water, and let it cool to room temperature. Cover the pot with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to prepare the salad. 

For bacon, cook it completely and crumble to chop it when it’s cooled enough. Transfer bacon bits into an air-tight container and refrigerate until ready to use.

You can also prepare potato salad completely the day before you need to serve it. Just make sure to store it in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, until ready to serve.

HOW TO STORE IT

Store this baked potato salad in a closed food storage container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to keep the container air-tight either with the lid or plastic wrap. If using plastic wrap, make sure to use a new sheet after each time you open it.

To minimize exposure to bacteria and extend life of potato salad, use a clean spoon each time you take out some potato salad.

MORE BARBECUE SIDES TO TRY

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Tortellini Salad

Italian Tortellini Salad

Avocado Corn Salad

Cucumber Broccoli Salad

Easy Macaroni Salad

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Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on May 23, 2013. Updated May 4, 2020.