Description
A chunky, creamy potato salad featuring Yukon Gold and red potatoes, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and a warm garlic-butter dressing. It holds its shape well, travels easily, and tastes even better after chilling overnight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 pounds (1.8kg) potatoes (mix of Yukon Gold and red potatoes), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 pound (450g) thick-cut bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
- 2 cups (200g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream
- ½ cup (120g) mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 stalks green onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Wash potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Do not peel.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 12-15 minutes until tender but firm.
- Drain potatoes immediately and spread them on a baking sheet to cool for 15-20 minutes until warm, not hot.
- While potatoes cool, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne. Let cool for 2 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, and the warm butter-garlic-spice mixture until smooth.
- Add the cooled potatoes to the dressing and gently toss to coat.
- Fold in the crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and sliced green onions.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-4 hours, to allow flavors to meld.
- Garnish with fresh chives and extra bacon bits before serving cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Do not add hot potatoes to the dressing as it can cause the mayo to separate. Use full-fat sour cream for best texture. Shred cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded to avoid anti-caking agents. This salad tastes better after sitting in the fridge overnight.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
Keywords: loaded baked potato salad, labor day side dish, potato salad recipe, summer BBQ sides, make ahead potato salad, bacon potato salad