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If you’re tired of the boring old potato salad everyone brings to picnics and you’re looking for an addictive, irresistible twist, grab some bacon and ranch – because this bacon ranch potato salad is going to be your new summer-cookout go-to!!
I’m always looking for unique spins on classic homestyle dishes – and I designed this recipe to be simple to whip up – with my bacon and ranch-obsessed family in mind. This dish is always the first thing gone – and packed with so much flavor, you’ll want to lick the bowl!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Table of contents
Creamy Ranch Dressing Potato Salad
This potato salad is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with flavor – thanks to a generous helping of ranch dressing, and tons of crunchy crumbled bacon!
Serve alongside our famous smoked ribs or grilled ribs, the best pork tenderloin ever, whole roasted chicken, pork chops, air fried steaks, and so much more – this is one of our favorite sides for meaty dishes and picnics!
To see the web story for this recipe, click here.
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
How to Make Ranch Potato Salad
To make ranch potato salad, we will use the following ingredients:
- Red Potatoes: Red potatoes are the base of the potato salad. They have a creamy texture and a slightly sweet flavor that pairs well with the tangy ranch dressing. Red potatoes hold their shape well after cooking, making them ideal for potato salad.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds creaminess and a tangy flavor to the potato salad. It helps create a rich and velvety texture, balancing the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt contributes to the creaminess of the dressing while also adding a slight tanginess. It provides a lighter alternative to mayonnaise and complements the sour cream well.
- Ranch Seasoning: The ranch seasoning packet brings the classic ranch flavor to the potato salad. It contains a blend of herbs, spices, and dried buttermilk that infuses the salad with that familiar tangy and herbaceous taste.
- Chives: Minced chives add a fresh and mild onion flavor to the potato salad. They provide a subtle hint of sharpness and a pop of green color, enhancing the overall taste and presentation of the dish.
- Bacon: Chopped bacon adds a smoky, savory, and crispy element to the potato salad. It provides a delightful contrast in texture and brings a depth of flavor that complements the creaminess of the dressing.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese brings richness and a sharp flavor to the potato salad. It adds a creamy and slightly tangy note that pairs well with the other ingredients.
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:
- Prep. Clean and cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and add to a large pot and fill with water to about 1 inch over the top of the potatoes.
- Boil potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Mix. Drain and run cold water over the potatoes until cooled. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, and chives until combined. Add the potatoes, bacon, and cheese to a large bowl and pour the dressing over the top then toss to combine.
- Chill. Chill for 2 hours for the best flavor to let the recipe set and develop.
What Potatoes to use in Potato Salad
Choose the Right Potatoes: For potato salad, it’s best to use waxy potatoes such as Yukon Gold or red potatoes. These varieties hold their shape well after cooking and have a creamy texture. Avoid using starchy potatoes like Russets, as they tend to fall apart. We recommend the following types of potatoes for potato salad:
- Yellow Finn
- Yukon Gold
- Red Potatoes
- Fingerling Potatoes
- Small Boiler Potatoes
How to Cook Potatoes For Potato Salad
Properly Cook the Potatoes: Cook the potatoes just until they are fork-tender. Be careful not to overcook them, as they can become mushy and break apart when mixed with the dressing.
Chill the Potatoes: After cooking, allow the potatoes to cool completely before mixing them with the dressing. Chilling the potatoes helps them retain their shape and prevents them from becoming too soft.
How To Make Perfect Ranch Potato Salad
Creamy and Tangy Dressing: Use a flavorful ranch dressing as the base for your potato salad. You can use store-bought ranch dressing or make your own from scratch. To add tanginess, you can mix in some sour cream or Greek yogurt along with the ranch dressing. You can also swap for mayo if you prefer it to yogurt.
Seasonings: Along with the ranch dressing, season the potato salad with herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Fresh or dried dill, chives, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder work well in a ranch potato salad. Adjust the seasonings to your taste preferences.
Add Crunch and Texture: To add texture and crunch to the salad, consider adding diced celery, chopped green onions, or even crispy bacon bits. These additions provide a contrast in texture and add extra flavor to the potato salad.
Don’t Overmix: When mixing the dressing with the potatoes, gently fold everything together until the potatoes are evenly coated. Be careful not to overmix, as excessive stirring can cause the potatoes to break apart.
Let It Chill: Once you’ve mixed the potato salad, cover it and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Chilling allows the flavors to meld together and allows the potato salad to develop its full taste. It also gives the ingredients time to cool and ensures a refreshing and chilled salad.
Adjust Consistency: If the potato salad seems too dry after chilling, you can add a little more ranch dressing, sour cream, or yogurt to adjust the consistency. Mix it in gently until you reach the desired creaminess.
Garnish and Serve: Just before serving, garnish the ranch potato salad with fresh herbs, a sprinkle of paprika, or additional chopped green onions for a pop of color and extra flavor.
Use the right bacon. If you want the BEST bacon you can get for this recipe, be sure to follow our tips to bake bacon in the oven – it helps your bacon come out thick, crunchy, salty, and perfect for crumbling into potato salad. When adding bacon into a creamy potato salad it is important to crisp it fully – so it doesn’t go limp and soggy with all the cream and cheese. Follow our tips for the best bacon for potato salad by visiting our baked bacon post here.
Recipe FAQs
Typically, potato salad can last for up to 5 days in the fridge if stored properly in an airtight container.
While you can technically use any type of potato for potato salad, it’s recommended to use waxy potatoes like red or Yukon gold potatoes as they hold their shape better when cooked.
Yes, you can use a different type of dressing like Italian or vinaigrette for your potato salad. However, ranch dressing is a classic choice for potato salad and provides a tangy and creamy flavor that pairs well with potatoes.
Yes, you can make ranch potato salad ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve. Just make sure to keep it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
Yes, you can add other ingredients like bacon, green onions, celery, or chopped hard-boiled eggs to your ranch potato salad for added flavor and texture.
What To Serve With Potato Salad
This potato salad is amazing served with brisket, ribs, steaks, pork tenderloin, and pork loin – or any of our delicious meaty main dishes!
You can find our grilled and smoked recipe index here, and our complete side dish archives here.
To see our complete bacon dish recipe archives, click here.
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Creamy Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs red potatoes
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 1 packet ranch seasoning
- 3 tablespoons chives, minced
- 1 cup bacon, chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and scrub the potatoes to remove any dirt. Pat dry, and cut into bite-sized pieces and add to a large pot and fill with water to about 1 inch over the top of the potatoes.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- In a large colander, drain potatoes in sink, and run cold water over potatoes. Lightly toss to help potatoes cool, until potatoes are no longer hot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, and chives until combined. You can taste the dressing at this point and see if you'd like to adjust to taste – a bit of cayenne or Aleppo pepper can add a bit of a spicy kick!
- Add the cooled potatoes, bacon, and cheese to a large bowl and pour the dressing over the top then toss to combine. Chill for 2 hours for the best flavor.
Notes
- 2 lbs of red potatoes is about 7 large or 5 medium.
- For a stronger ranch flavor, the yogurt can be substituted for ranch dressing.
- If desired, additions like chopped red onion or hard-boiled eggs could be added to this recipe.
- Do not mix hot potatoes with dressing – it will weep and separate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
my family (me too) hate garlic! (tho a small amount of garlic salt is OK). And so many of you foodies use it. Any decent sub? Does onion do the trick? They’ll eat that tho not eagerly. Herbs?
I’m garlic obsessed, but it’s not a huge deal if garlic isn’t your thing. You can try shallot instead, or simply skip or lessen the garlic!