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Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Bacon ranch potato salad with tender cubes of red potato, crunchy crumbled bacon, and shredded cheddar folded into a creamy ranch-sour cream dressing. Loaded with green onions and chives, then chilled until thick and spoonable for a party side.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Red potatoes
  • 3 lb red potatoes Cubed for even cooking.
Bacon
  • 10 bacon Cook and crumble before mixing.
Cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese Shredded.
Ranch dressing
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
Sour cream
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Green onions
  • 0.25 cup green onions Sliced.
Chives
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives Chopped.
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Boil and cool the potatoes
  1. Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil, then add the cubed red potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Visual cue: a fork should slide in and out easily without resistance.
  2. Drain the potatoes, then spread them on a sheet pan to cool. Visual cue: the cubes look matte and room-temperature rather than steaming hot.
Build the potato mixture
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled potatoes with the cooked and crumbled bacon and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Visual cue: cheese starts to lightly melt on the warm potatoes and coats the surfaces.
Make the ranch dressing
  1. Stir ranch dressing, sour cream, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined. Visual cue: the mixture looks uniform with no streaks.
Assemble and chill
  1. Pour the ranch dressing mixture over the potato-and-bacon mixture, then toss well until every piece is coated. Visual cue: the salad looks creamy and cohesive, not dry at the bottom.
  2. Top with sliced green onions and chopped fresh chives, then gently fold to distribute. Visual cue: green flecks are evenly visible across the top layer.
  3. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Visual cue: the salad firms up slightly and holds shape when spooned.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, cool the potatoes fully before adding the dressing so they don’t break down or turn watery. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freezer is not recommended due to texture changes. For a lighter option, use low-fat ranch dressing and reduced-fat cheddar to cut calories while keeping the loaded ranch flavor.