Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
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Posted: 08/11/19
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Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is creamy, delicious and full of flavor. It’s a great twist on your favorite homemade potato salad to mix it up with this summer! Bring it to your next backyard party, picnic or potluck and everyone will be raving about it! What’s not to love about creamy potato salad with extra flavor from crispy bacon and ranch seasoning?
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Delicious Bacon Ranch Potato Salad!
There’s nothing like a creamy potato salad loaded up with bacon and ranch seasoning!
I have a confession to make: I avoided making potato salad for a long time because I thought it was too complicated! I’m going to go ahead and blame this on my mom again just like my baking with yeast fear. She always made it sound so hard.
Once I learned potato salad doesn’t have to be all complicated I started making it all the time for all the summer things like potlucks, BBQs and picnics. Now I’m hooked!
If you are looking for the easiest potato salad ever make sure to try my Instant Pot Potato Salad!
Easy Potato Salad Recipe!
So, I’ve got another easy potato salad for you today! This is a super simple Bacon Ranch Potato Salad recipe that comes together in no time flat. Now, maybe, just maybe, other potato salads are a little more time consuming I’ll give my Mom that, but hey if it can be made simple I’m all for it.
This salad is stocked full of a creamy dressing made with Hidden Valley dressing mix, tons of bacon bits and of course potatoes! My family loves all things ranch-flavored and this potato salad is always a hit!
Who can resist bacon, potatoes, and a creamy cool dressing? I know I can’t, so if you are looking for a yummy twist on your Potato Salad at your next grill out this would be perfect!
I am all about the side dishes at BBQs and potlucks and it’s almost impossible to pick a favorite, but this Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is definitely at the top of the list!
You don’t need a ton of ingredients or time to make it – once the potatoes are prepared it’s as simple as mixing up the dressing and tossing it all together. Trust me, you’re going to love it!
What do I need to make Ranch Potato Salad?
If you’d rather skip my (very helpful, I think) tips and tricks, essential cooking info, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to this delicious easy Bacon Ranch Potato Salad recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.
- red potatoes
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix
- crumbled cooked bacon
How do I make Ranch Potato Salad?
Prepare the potatoes:
- Clean and cut the potatoes into chunks. Place the potatoes in a pot with cold water and bring it to a boil. It’s better to start with the potatoes in cold water so that they cook evenly. Boil the potatoes for 7 to 10 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes otherwise they’ll be too mushy and won’t keep their shape.
- Drain the potatoes and rinse them in cold water. Place the potatoes in the refrigerator until they are completely cooled. You want to make sure the potatoes are cold when you mix them with the dressing. Warm or hot potatoes will break down the dressing, which will make your dressing runny. Cold potatoes with dressing = creamy potato salad!
Make the dressing:
- Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, seasoning mix, and crumbled bacon in a bowl. Once the potatoes are cooled, combine them with the dressing and serve!
Bacon Ranch Potato Salad FAQs!
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to making potato salad. If you have more questions please comment below and we will do our best to answer them!
What potatoes are best for potato salad?
The best potatoes for potato salad are waxy potatoes. I used red potatoes because I like the color, but you can also use Yukon gold potatoes. Waxy potatoes hold their shape better than other varieties which make them great for potato salad.
Starchy potatoes, like russets, tend to break down more as they cook which can make your potato salad mushier.
Why does my potato salad get watery?
There are a couple of reasons why a potato salad ends up watery. First, it’s important to thoroughly drain your potatoes after you drain and rinse them to remove the excess moisture. You don’t want it in your potato salad!
Also, mixing warm or hot potatoes with the dressing will break down the mayonnaise, which will make your dressing runny or watery. Be sure to fully cool your potatoes before mixing them with the dressing! The colder the better.
Can you make potato salad the day before?
I prefer to make and serve potato salad right away, but you can make it up to a day in advance. Just keep the potatoes separate from the dressing and then toss them together before serving. I wouldn’t let the cooked potatoes sit too long in the refrigerator beyond a day because they will start to brown.
Also, the bacon won’t be as crispy if it sits in the dressing for too long. If you make it ahead of time I would recommend on adding the bacon right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
How do you store fresh potato salad?
You can store fresh potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. As it sits, the potatoes may absorb some of the dressing so it may not be as creamy.
How long can potato salad sit out at room temperature?
It all depends on the temperature of the room, but the FDA suggests that potato salad can sit out at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Of course, a lot of times we serve potato salad outside for BBQs and potlucks so that time-frame is even shorter if it’s hot out.
Not to be all scientific-y, but the “danger zone” for bacteria growth starts at 41°F so once a mayo-based potato salad hits that temperature its shelf life is very short-lived.
My recommendation? Don’t put the potato salad out until you are ready to serve it and, once everyone gets their share, put the leftovers back in the fridge or cooler with ice. If there are any leftovers, that is!
Another great option is to put the bowl of ice under your bowl of potato salad to keep it cool while it sits out!
How Long will homemade potato salad last?
Stored properly in an airtight container homemade potato salad will last three to four days in the refrigerator.
What do I serve with Potato Salad?
You can serve almost any of your favorite summer main dishes with potato salad but here are a few of our favorites!
- Balsamic Steak Skewers
- Smoked Ribs
- BBQ Chicken
- Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
- Buttermilk Chicken
- Crock Pot Ribs
More Potato Salad Recipes!
- Instant Pot Potato Salad
- The BEST Potato Salad
- Roasted Red Potato Salad
- Southwestern Sweet Potato Salad
WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO FOR THIS RANCH POTATO SALAD RECIPE BELOW:
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Try it and love it? Rate it, please!!! ? Seriously though a five-star rating below will make my day! If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your delicious potato salad!!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Bacon Ranch Potato Salad Recipe
Bacon Ranch Potato Salad recipe is easy and full of flavor from bacon and ranch seasoning!
Ingredients
- 5 lbs red potatoes
- 1 1/4 c. mayo
- 1 1/4 c. sour cream
- 4 Tbsp Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix
- 1/2 c. cooked and crumbled bacon
- green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Clean and cut potatoes into chunks. Place in a large pot of cold water and boil for 7-10 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Do not overcook them!
- Rinse potatoes in cold water. Place potatoes in fridge until completely cooled.
- Mix mayo, sour cream Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix, and bacon together in a small bowl.
- After the potatoes are cold mix with dressing. Serve immediately.
Video
Nutrition Information
Calories: 408kcal (20%), Carbohydrates: 34g (11%), Protein: 8g (16%), Fat: 27g (42%), Saturated Fat: 7g (44%), Cholesterol: 33mg (11%), Sodium: 754mg (33%), Potassium: 949mg (27%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 183IU (4%), Vitamin C: 16mg (19%), Calcium: 49mg (5%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hidden Valley Ranch Remix. The opinions and text are all mine.
ellen brehne says
Super awesome! all my neighbors clamoured for more. Thanks for sharing!
Julie says
Excellent! I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Samantha says
Bacon and ranch are two of my favorite things, so I figured this potato salad would be amazing. And I was right…it was the first dish to disappear at our Labor Day BBQ last weekend! Thanks for the recipe.
Julie says
Awesome! So glad it was a hit!
Ashley says
We made this potato salad for a party this weekend and everyone raved about it!
Julie says
That’s great to hear! So glad everyone loved it!
Sue says
Your missing the best of this recipe – don’t chill the potatoes, mix all and serve warm – delish.
Julie Evink says
Serving this warm is a great option!
Kelly @ Semi Homemade Mom says
Wow this looks delicious! I love trying new potato salad recipes and this one is on my definite list. Thanks for linking up to Show & Share Wednesday, hope to see you there again tomorrow morning!
Karyn - Pint Sized Baker says
Oh, yum!! This looks yummy.Thanks so much for sharing it on Two Cup Tuesday at Pint Sized Baker . I hope to see you again on Monday night.
madge | the vegetarian casserole queen says
Potato salad is kind of a pain to make, but its totally worth it in the end. I do love this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Megan {Country Cleaver} says
Potato salad just screams summer to me – I can’t wait for the sunshine!! And with bacon? Sold!
Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says
Your potato salad looks great! I love that you used a ranch packet for flavor!!