Description
Creamy loaded baked potato salad combines classic comfort with picnic-perfect flavors. Crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and green onions mingle in this crowd-pleasing side dish you’ll want to share at summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (237 ml) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) mayonnaise
- 1½ cups (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1 cup (125 g) bacon, finely chopped (approximately 5–7 slices)
- 3 lbs (1.4 kg) gold or red potatoes
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Meticulously dice potatoes into uniform, bite-sized cubes for consistent texture and even cooking.
- Submerge potato cubes in salted water, boiling for 10-12 minutes until fork-tender, ensuring they’re soft but not mushy. Drain completely and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Crumble crisp bacon into small fragments, preparing it as a textural garnish for the salad.
- In a spacious mixing vessel, gently fold together the cooled potatoes, crumbled bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, tangy sour cream, creamy mayonnaise, finely sliced green onions, and freshly chopped parsley.
- Delicately season the mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to personal taste preferences.
- Thoroughly incorporate all ingredients, ensuring each potato piece is generously coated with the creamy dressing.
- Transfer the salad to a chilled serving dish, covering and refrigerating for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and intensify.
- Serve cold, garnishing with additional green onions or parsley if desired, creating a visually appealing and delicious side dish.
Notes
- Choose waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Red Bliss for the best texture and ability to hold their shape during boiling.
- Cook bacon until extra crispy to provide a delightful crunch and prevent sogginess in the potato salad.
- Allow potatoes to cool completely before mixing to prevent melting cheese and separating mayonnaise.
- Swap regular bacon with turkey bacon for lower fat content, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for protein boost, and opt for low-fat mayonnaise to reduce calories.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 357 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg