This Loaded Potato Salad is such a crowd-pleaser! You’ll be serving it on repeat this summer!
The loaded baked potato is a classic steakhouse side, and there’s good reason for that. Topping a hot buttery baker with sour cream, bacon, shredded cheddar, and green onions is a perfect companion to a great, sizzling steak. But just wait until you see what happens when you take those ingredients and transform them into a loaded potato salad.
I will never forget the first time I heard of the concept of a loaded potato. It wasn’t at a steakhouse, and the dish wasn’t a baked potato with toppings. It was at the restaurant TGI Fridays, and it was their iconic appetizer, the loaded potato skins (crunchy shells of baked potatoes filled with bacon and cheese and then served with sour cream and green onions). I’d never had anything like it, and it became my go-to order every time we went to “Friday’s” and, really, anytime I saw it on a menu.
But now my favorite thing is to take all those ingredients and combine them in this creamy (sour cream and mayo), tangy (sharp cheddar and white vinegar), crispy (bacon and fresh green onions) loaded potato salad that is not only packed with bold, wonderful flavors but is easy to make and one of those dishes that can easily be made ahead of time.
Tips For The Perfect Loaded Potato Salad
Start by cutting your potatoes into cubes that are all the same size to ensure even cooking. Place the potatoes in cold water, and when it begins to boil, add a generous handful of salt. Now comes a very important part: you definitely don’t want to overcook your potatoes. Since they are in small cubes, that can happen before you know it; so, to ensure the perfect texture, check their tenderness at the eight-minute mark. You want the fork to easily penetrate the potato but not break it apart. So that this salad achieves its maximum flavor potential, we recommend getting your bacon to its crispiest by cooking it in a hot oven, shredding your own sharp cheddar, using full-fat mayo and sour cream, and a high-quality white vinegar.
FAQs & Tips
Can I Prep This Ahead?
Loaded potato salad is a great make-ahead dish—the longer the flavors meld, the better it tastes. You can make the dressing up to 48 hours in advance, and the finished product can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. We don’t recommend freezing this salad, as the texture of the potatoes can deteriorate upon thawing.
Will Other Kinds Of Potatoes Work In This Recipe?
Sure. You can use Yukon Golds, fingerlings, or white potatoes, if you like. Just be sure not to overcook them!
What Can I Substitute For Bacon?
Depending on your reasons for not wanting to use bacon, you can substitute it with crispy pancetta, cubes of smoked turkey, or even a plant-based bacon. Leaving it out altogether is also an option.
Serving Suggestions
Like any great potato salad, loaded potato salad is the perfect accompaniment for all of your backyard BBQ mains. It’s great with burgers, such as The Best Hamburger Ever or these meat-free Black Bean Burgers. Loaded potato salad is so versatile that it goes with Texas Tommy Dogs And Cheeseburger Sliders and Grilled BBQ Chicken as well as it does with a fancy Grilled Filet Mignon. I love to round out these summertime meals with a Fresh Corn Salad, and since the barbecue is already on, these Delicious Grilled Green Beans.
But you don’t have to save this salad for summer. It’s yummy anytime of year and truly a brilliant side to many things. A favorite menu of mine when my book club comes over for lunch is Tuna Salad, loaded potato salad, Cucumber And Tomato Salad with these sweet and salty Pandesal rolls, and little side plates of Bread And Butter Pickles and sliced Pickled Red Onions.
Loaded Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds red potatoes cubed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add cubed potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, add salt, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 8-12 minutes.
- Once tender, drain the potatoes and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, white vinegar, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions to make the dressing. Add the potatoes and fold to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the potato salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve the loaded potato salad chilled, garnished with additional green onions or bacon bits, if desired.
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