This warm Baked Potato Salad brings a delightful twist to the classic summer side dish. Instead of boiling the potatoes, they’re roasted to golden perfection, creating deeper flavors and irresistible crispy edges.
At just 233 calories per serving, it’s a lighter take on traditional potato salad that doesn’t sacrifice taste. The creamy, protein-rich dressing coats each tender chunk, making this the perfect accompaniment for backyard gatherings or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients for Creamy Baked Potato Salad
- Russet Potatoes: 2 pounds (6 medium), perfect for their fluffy texture
- Creamy Base: 1 cup each of sour cream and mayonnaise for rich consistency
- Bacon: 8 slices, cooked and chopped for savory crunch
- Green Onions: 5 stalks, finely chopped for fresh flavor
- Cheddar Cheese: 1 cup shredded for delicious melt-in goodness
- Seasonings: Salt and freshly ground pepper to enhance flavors
Cooking Instructions
- Potato Preparation: Heat oven to 400°F. Pierce cleaned potatoes with fork and bake for 50-60 minutes until tender
- Cooling Phase: Let potatoes cool completely for easier handling
- Potato Processing: Optional to peel all or half the potatoes, then cut into bite-sized pieces
- Sauce Creation: Mix sour cream and mayonnaise in a bowl until well combined
- Seasoning: Place potatoes in large bowl, season generously with salt and pepper
- Final Assembly: Add sauce to coat potatoes, then fold in most of the bacon, onion, and cheese
- Finishing Touch: Top with reserved bacon, onions, and cheese for extra appeal
Storage Tips
Hey there! This potato salad stays fresh in your fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better after a day! Just give it a gentle stir before serving, and if it seems a bit dry, mix in a spoonful of sour cream. For the best taste, let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Make-Ahead Tips
Want to prep this ahead? You can cook and cube the potatoes and cook the bacon up to 2 days before. Keep them separate in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, just warm the potatoes slightly in the microwave, then mix everything together. This way, your salad will be fresh and the bacon will stay nice and crispy!
Tasty Variations
Love spice? Add a dash of paprika or cayenne pepper. Want it extra cheesy? Try mixing in some crumbled blue cheese with the cheddar. You can also swap the green onions for chives or red onions. For a lighter version, use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and turkey bacon works great too! Some folks like to add a handful of diced celery for extra crunch.
Serving Suggestions
This potato salad is perfect for BBQs and potlucks! It goes amazingly well with grilled meats, burgers, or hot dogs. Serve it cold or at room temperature – both ways taste great. For a pretty presentation, sprinkle the reserved bacon, cheese, and green onions on top just before serving, and add a light dusting of black pepper.
Baked Potato Salad
Equipment
- Oven
- Large Bowl
- Fork
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes about 6 medium-size
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 8 slices bacon cooked and chopped
- 5 green onions chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash potatoes and prick them with a fork or knife.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until they are fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Peel all of them, or peel half of them and leave the skin on the other half to get a real baked potato feel.
- Cut the potatoes into small pieces.
- Combine the sour cream and mayonnaise in a bowl and stir well.
- Add the potatoes to a large serving bowl. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Add the sauce (just enough to coat them well–you may not use it all) and gently stir to coat.
- Add most of the bacon, onion and cheese, reserving some for topping at the end, and gently stir to combine.
