This easy loaded baked potato salad is the perfect side dish. Packed with bacon, cheese and green onions, this potato salad is everyone’s favorite.
While a classic potato salad is always a good choice, it’s hard for me to stick to the classics for long. You see, I like playing with food and that’s why you can find many variations of potato salad here including spicy potato salad, avocado potato salad and summer potato salad.
Loaded baked potato salad
I love a good potato salad and this is definitely one of my favorites. If you love the classic steakhouse loaded baked potatoes, you’re going to enjoy this recipe very much. It has all the good flavors, but in a new form, perfect for potlucks alongside some grilled chicken or steak.
The potatoes are baked instead of boiled which makes them very fluffy and light. Then they’re mixed with green onion, cheddar and of course, some bacon, and finally finished with a creamy dressing that brings the salad together. Give this loaded potato salad a try and you’ll see what I mean.
Ingredients
Potatoes – Like all the times we make a baked potato, we are going to use russet potatoes. That’s because they have the right amount of starch and they get very fluffy when baked.
Cheddar – Yellow cheddar works best for this recipe. I always prefer to get a block of cheddar and shred it myself as it tastes so much better when shredded right before use.
Green onions – You can also use chives or scallions, these add so much flavor to the salad.
Bacon – I used turkey bacon but pork bacon works perfectly as well.
Mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, salt and pepper – You’ll use these ingredients to make an easy yet creamy dressing that’ll bring all the components together.
How to make loaded baked potato salad
Bake the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and scrub the potatoes until clean and then dry them well. Rub the potatoes with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes to one hour until they are fully cooked. Let the potatoes cool to room temperature.
Prepare the ingredients
While the potatoes are baking in the oven, wash and dry the green onions and slice them thinly. Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat (no need to use oil) and then chop them into small pieces. If using a block of cheddar, shred it and set it aside. Finally, make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.
Assemble the potato salad
Once the potatoes are cool, peel them and discard the potato skin. Using a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into chunks and place them in a large bowl. To the potatoes, add the bacon, green onions and shredded cheese. Mix well using two large spoons.
Add in the dressing and stir to combine. Make sure all the components are covered in dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes for the flavors to combine. Serve cold.
Loaded baked potato salad dressing
What brings a potato salad together is the dressing. You want it to be creamy enough so nothing is dry or bland. But also not too rich so you can taste every ingredient. The key to a good dressing for this loaded potato salad is to use sour cream and mayonnaise together. Since there’s a lot of flavor going on already, the only spices you need to use are salt and pepper. A splash of vinegar would lighten up the dressing and add a little bit of zing, so I suggest you don’t skip it.
How long does this potato salad keep?
You can keep loaded baked potato salad in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure it’s stored in an airtight, preferably glass container.
Tips to make the best loaded potato salad
- Use plain yogurt (Greek or regular) instead of sour cream if that’s what you have on hand.
- There is no need to wrap the potatoes in foil before baking them.
- Going extra? Add a combination of shredded cheddar and pepper jack to your salad.
- If you’d like to prepare this loaded potato salad ahead of time, bake and chop the potatoes, cook and chop the bacon, and prepare the green onions, cheese and dressing. Mix everything 30 minutes before serving.
More baked potato recipes
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 green onions chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 strips turkey bacon
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and scrub the potatoes then dry them completely.
- Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes to one hour until they're completely cooked.
- Let the potatoes cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, chop the green onions and set them aside.
- Cook the bacon strips in a pan over medium heat. There is no need to use oil to cook the bacon. Once cooked, chop the bacon into small pieces.
- Peel the cooled potatoes and discard the skin. Chop the potatoes into small chunks and place them in a large bowl with green onions, bacon and cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.
- Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, pepper and white vinegar in a bowl to combine.
- Add the dressing to the salad and mix well to combine. Cover and let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- You can use pork bacon instead of turkey bacon if desired.
- For a lighter option, use plain yogurt (Greek or regular) instead of sour cream.
- It’s best to shred the cheddar cheese right before using.
- If you’d like to prepare this loaded potato salad ahead of time, bake and chop the potatoes, cook and chop the bacon, and prepare the green onions, cheese and dressing. Mix everything 30 minutes before serving.
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