This delicious and creamy Loaded Baked Potato Salad is the perfect side dish for any meal! Quick and easy to prepare, it features a mix of tender potatoes, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and tangy pickles. You can easily customize it with common ingredients, making it a flexible and crowd-pleasing favorite!
Ingredients Needed
- 4 lb. Russet potatoes
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill pickles, plus ¼ cup pickle juice
- 1 1/4 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. ranch seasoning
- 2 tsp. yellow mustard
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- 8 slices cooked bacon, chopped (reserve 2 tbsp for garnish)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (plus extra for garnish)
How To Make Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Prick each potato with a fork. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork-tender. Let the potatoes cool for 15-20 minutes, until they can be handled comfortably.
- Prepare the potatoes: Peel the cooled potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with pickle juice, and let sit for 1 hour to cool completely.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped pickles, ranch seasoning, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully combined.
- Combine the salad: Pour the sour cream mixture over the cooled potatoes. Add the chopped bacon (reserve 2 tbsp), shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions. Gently stir to combine.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the potato salad until ready to serve. Before serving, top with the remaining green onions and reserved bacon.
Recipe Tips
- Use russet potatoes for the best texture: Russet potatoes are starchy and will give your salad a fluffy and creamy texture, perfect for this recipe.
- Cool the potatoes completely: Let the potatoes cool completely before mixing with the dressing. This helps them absorb the flavors better and keeps the salad from getting too soggy.
- Reserve some bacon for garnish: Set aside a little bacon to sprinkle on top right before serving. It adds extra crunch and flavor.
- Add pickle juice while potatoes are still warm: Drizzling the pickle juice over the warm potatoes helps them soak up the flavor, making the salad more delicious.
- Customize with your favorite cheese: Feel free to swap the sharp cheddar for a cheese you love, like mozzarella or Monterey Jack, to give it a personal twist.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Allow leftovers loaded baked potato salad to cool to room temperature. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers loaded baked potato salad in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat it in a covered dish in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, but be aware that the texture may change slightly.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 280
- Total Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sodium: 640mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 20g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 2g
- Protein: 12g
More Pioneer Woman Recipes:
Pioneer Woman Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Description
This delicious and creamy Loaded Baked Potato Salad is the perfect side dish for any meal! Quick and easy to prepare, it features a mix of tender potatoes, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and tangy pickles. You can easily customize it with common ingredients, making it a flexible and crowd-pleasing favorite!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Prick each potato with a fork. Bake for 1 hour, or until fork-tender. Let the potatoes cool for 15-20 minutes, until they can be handled comfortably.
- Prepare the potatoes: Peel the cooled potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with pickle juice, and let sit for 1 hour to cool completely.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped pickles, ranch seasoning, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully combined.
- Combine the salad: Pour the sour cream mixture over the cooled potatoes. Add the chopped bacon (reserve 2 tbsp), shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions. Gently stir to combine.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate the potato salad until ready to serve. Before serving, top with the remaining green onions and reserved bacon.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for the best texture: Russet potatoes are starchy and will give your salad a fluffy and creamy texture, perfect for this recipe.
- Cool the potatoes completely: Let the potatoes cool completely before mixing with the dressing. This helps them absorb the flavors better and keeps the salad from getting too soggy.
- Reserve some bacon for garnish: Set aside a little bacon to sprinkle on top right before serving. It adds extra crunch and flavor.
- Add pickle juice while potatoes are still warm: Drizzling the pickle juice over the warm potatoes helps them soak up the flavor, making the salad more delicious.
- Customize with your favorite cheese: Feel free to swap the sharp cheddar for a cheese you love, like mozzarella or Monterey Jack, to give it a personal twist.
Pioneer Woman Loaded Baked Potato Salad