A creamy and flavorful potato salad recipe filled with freshly cooked bacon, ranch dressing mix, green onions, and sour cream. It's the perfect combination for a summertime side dish to take to picnics and BBQs!
COOK + BAKE | Published May 16, 2019
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I find myself making more pasta and potato salads in the summer months. It's nice to have something to serve that doesn't require turning on the oven or standing over the stove when the weather is warm. And salads pair so well with typical summer fare like hamburgers and hot dogs. They are perfect for serving at parties with a crowd.
Turning to the same couple recipes over and over for months on end can get a little boring, though, so I like to find different recipes to change up the basics. As a lover of the bacon and ranch combo, I've been playing around with a few different recipes that include the two ingredients in a potato salad.
I believe I've finally ended up with something creamy and flavorful that I hope you'll love as much as I do.
One reason why I love making potatoes salads is because it is a good way to use up potatoes before they go bad, which happens at a faster rate in the hot weather. It's nice to have some recipes you can turn to in a pinch that help reduce food waste (and money waste!).
SOME MORE RECIPES YOU MIGHT ENJOY
A few things to note:
THIS POTATO SALAD RECIPE CAN SERVE ONE OR SERVE A CROWD
This recipe is perfect to cut in half for a small portion or double for a party. When cooking for one or two, there are recipes I shy away from because I know they will make way to much that I'll either have to eat for days or throw away. (This handy kitchen printable helps you easily divide measurements like the 3 Tablespoons of Ranch Dressing Mix when cutting recipes in half.)
If you are preparing this salad to take to a summer picnic, you may want to invest in an iced salad bowl. Leaving mayonnaise or sour cream based salads sitting on a hot table for too long isn't a good idea. These bowls have a base you fill with ice that keep the salads cold and safe for longer periods of time.
YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE THIS SALAD BASED ON YOUR PREFERENCES
Salads like this are easily customizable.
- You're welcome to adjust the amount of ranch seasoning or sour cream and mayo to make it more suitable to your liking.
- While the recipe calls for peeled Russet potatoes, you can leave the peels on if that is your preference. Or you can try using red potatoes.
- And if onions aren't your thing, feel free to leave those out, although, as someone who actually doesn't like them, I must say that the green onions do enhance the flavor.
Speaking of the green onions, I've found that a pair of kitchen shears works so well for slicing the onions thinly. (These Martha Stewart shears are what I am using.)
BACON RANCH POTATO SALAD
Makes about 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
HOW TO PREPARE BACON RANCH POTATO SALAD
STEP 1: Add chunks of potatoes to a large pot of cool salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil for about 12 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool.
STEP 2: Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing mix together in a small bowl until fully blended.
STEP 3: In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, bacon, cheese, and green onions. Gently fold in the ranch mixture until the potatoes are well coated. Add a little more mayonnaise if the salad seems too dry.
STEP 4: Refrigerate salad for at least two hours before serving.
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