Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

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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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?

• 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!

• 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
• German 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!!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hidden Valley Ranch Remix. The opinions and text are all mine.