Print

Ultimate Loaded Baked Potato Salad: The Best BBQ Side Dish

A bowl of loaded baked potato salad topped with melted cheddar cheese, crispy bacon bits, and green onions.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

You need this ultimate Loaded Baked Potato Salad for your next cookout or potluck. It captures all the comfort of a fully loaded baked potato—creamy dressing, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh green onions—in one satisfying, chilled salad. This recipe is easy to make ahead and is a true crowd-pleasing favorite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs Russet potatoes, scrubbed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling
  • 1/2 lb bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
  • 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
  • Optional: 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork. Rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
  2. Bake the potatoes directly on the oven rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Let them cool slightly.
  3. While the potatoes bake, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon and set it on paper towels to drain. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease if desired for extra flavor, otherwise discard.
  4. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the skins into a large bowl, discarding the skins. Mash the potato flesh lightly with a fork; you want some texture remaining, not a smooth paste.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper until smooth. This is your creamy dressing.
  6. Add the shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions to the mashed potatoes. If using, add the chopped hard-boiled eggs now.
  7. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture. Gently fold everything together until the potatoes are evenly coated. Do not overmix.
  8. Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper if needed.
  9. Cover the bowl and chill the Loaded Baked Potato Salad in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. This allows the flavors to blend.

Notes

  • Baking the potatoes instead of boiling gives them a deeper, more authentic baked potato flavor.
  • You can prepare the bacon and chop the green onions a day ahead of time to save time.
  • For a tangier dressing, substitute half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
  • This make-ahead potato salad tastes best when chilled for several hours.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://yumdrizzle.com/baked-potato-salad/