This Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is next level delicious. It is loaded with crispy bacon, tender red potatoes, and creamy ranch dressing. It is everyone's favorite side dish for picnics, BBQs, summer cookouts, family meals, and potlucks.
"Wow!! This has to be the best potato salad I've ever had and my family agrees! So easy to make and so delicious, thanks for the recipe!!"
★★★★★- Dennis
Whenever I ask my friends what side dish they would like me to bring, this ranch potato salad is one of my most requested dishes.
Everyone loves the homemade creamy dressing. It is a delicious compliment to the fork tender potatoes. The salty bacon ties all the flavors together and adds a crunchy texture.
You seriously can't go wrong bringing this dish to a party. It disappears fast. I hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy! Xoxo-Katie.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredient for this salad.
- Small red potatoes-I used the little red potatoes for this potato salad. They have a nice flavor that doesn't get lost in the homemade Ranch Dressing.
- Bacon- You can use turkey bacon. Do not use imitation bacon bits.
- Mayonnaise- do not use low fat. I prefer Dukes for this recipe.
- Sour cream- You can substitute with a full-fat real Greek yogurt.
- Dry ranch seasoning mix
- Chives- Chives really taste the best with this, but green onions are a delicious option.
*The full recipe is located at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.
Watch how to make
Step by step instructions
Follow these easy steps to make homemade bacon ranch potato salad.
- Boil potatoes until cooked. Do not overcook and undercook. Potatoes should be tender enough to cut easily with a fork, but not mushy.
- Rinse potatoes in cold water and dry potatoes. Refrigerate potatoes for 30 minutes or more until completely cold.
- Slice cold potatoes.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, and dry ranch season mix.
- Carefully mix in ranch dressing mix with potatoes making sure each potato is fully covered in dressing.
- Add in bacon crumbles and mix well.
Potato salad tip
I am going to give you my favorite tip about potato salad that my husband's Aunt Molly taught me. She was the sweet aunt that made incredible Southern dishes like the Chicken and Pastry I shared with you…
Her trick is to boil the potatoes until perfectly cooked, then rinse them off in cold water. Next, set them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more until they are completely cold. Only after they are completely cold do you mix in the other ingredients.
Why? Because hot potatoes make the mayonnaise dressing melt and it becomes oily. Cold potatoes keeps the dressing from melting into the potatoes and you have a perfectly dressed, creamy potato salad.
Why does homemade potato salad get watery?
If you slice potatoes while they are hot and mix them with the dressing, the potatoes will sweat as they cool and make your salad watery.
This is why waiting for the potatoes to completely chill is so important. If you follow my directions precisely, you will not have watery potato salad.
Can you make potato salad the night before?
Potato salad is actually better made a day ahead! It allows the flavors to build and the potatoes to absorb the dressing.
However, because you are using cold ingredients, the potato salad is still good if you serve it immediately. I would try to refrigerate it a couple hours before serving if you have the time.
Please leave me a comment below if you make this bacon ranch potato salad and tell me what you thought about it. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your potato salad on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
Bacon Ranch Potato Salad - Your New Favorite Side Dish
Ingredients
- 3 pounds small red potatoes
- 12 ounces bacon
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup chopped chives
- 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil 3 lbs small red potatoes until cooked. Do not overcook or undercook. Potatoes should be tender enough to cut easily with a fork, but not mushy.3 pounds small red potatoes
- Rinse potatoes in cold water and dry off potatoes. Refrigerate potatoes for 30 minutes or more until completely cold.
- Meanwhile cook bacon until crispy. Drain grease from bacon and crumble.12 ounces bacon
- Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, and dry ranch season mix in a small mixing bowl.¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup chopped chives, 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning mix
- Slice cold potatoes.
- Mix in ranch dressing mix with potatoes.
- Add in bacon crumbles and mix well.
- Salt and pepper to taste. You can serve immediately, but it is best to refrigerate to allow the potatoes to soak up the dressing and time for the flavors to build.
Alicia says
This is the best potato salad! Made it last year for the 1st time. I get requests to make this for any party or gathering we have!
Mary M says
The Bacon/ ranch potato salad was awesome. I did add some diced onions. ( optional) next time I may add shredded cheese.
Megan says
Would russet potatoes work with this recipe? Unread that they absorb flavor better. I plan to try this recipe tonight for a church potluck tomorrow.
Katie Crenshaw says
Yes, you can use russet potatoes for this recipe and it will turn out delicious. I recommend mixing in the dressing after the potatoes have cooled off.
Trisha D Keen says
This one was so easy and delicious, we can't wait to make this again.
KAYLA says
I am using it for a salad recipe in my culinary class, I cant wait to see how it turns out!!!
Laura says
WOW! This is delicious. I found it made a lot of dressing, so I actually wound up making more potatoes to balance it out. That worked out just fine because I meant I had more of this amazing dish! I used green onions and the flavor was great. I can't wait to serve this. Can you clarify one thing for me? In your recipe it says 3 tbs of ranch mix. Is it teaspoons (tsp) or tablespoons (Tbsp)? Thanks for sharing!!
Katie Crenshaw says
Hi Laura, thank you for the kind words. Yes, it is 3 tablespoons of dry seasoning mix. It does seem like a lot of dressing but the potatoes actually soak most of it up if you make it ahead. Although you can serve it immediately, I recommend making it a couple hours before serving. Then you will have the full flavor of the salad. I put that in the post, but should have put that in the recipe card... I just updated it. Sorry if I confused you.
Chenée says
I love anything with bacon and ranch and this potato salad has everything I love!
Jenny says
Our favorite salad is potato. Lovely to have your recipe. It is so imaginative. I love it. It looks easy, and the ingredients are in my pantry. I will try it. Thanks so much!
Amanda Mason says
Oh my goodness....so delicious! I never would have thought to add ranch seasoning to potato salad but tasted amazing!!
Lauren Michael Harris says
This ranch potato salad recipe deserves alll the stars! It's so easy and so flavorful - everyone loved it. I will definitely be making it anytime we are entertaining this summer or need to being a dish somewhere!
Dennis says
Wow!! This has to be the best potato salad I've ever had and my family agrees! So easy to make and so delicious, thanks for the recipe!!
Amy Liu Dong says
Oh my goodness! This salad is so delicious and so easy to make. I made this last Sunday and everyone loved it! This is a potato salad that I will be making again.
Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer says
Gosh this recipes brings back such childhood memories! My Grandma would make a similar dish. Yours looks absolutely amazing! I love the tip about cold potatoes!
Megan says
This is an absolute favourite in our household. It never lasts long and is always the first salad to be requested should I ask.
Devan says
OMG! That ranch seasoning made these potatoes EPIC!! Thanks for this stellar side dish, it's made it onto our weekly dinner rotation from now on. Thanks, Katie!
Bernice says
Well...you had me at bacon! For me, either bacon or ham are a must in any potato salad. My family loved the ranch style dressing too. This is a great recipe for a summer classic.
Monica says
You had me at bacon ranch! This is such a great flavor combination and really takes an ordinary potato salad to the next level!
Amy says
You had me at bacon! Honestly this salad packs a ton of flavors and sounds so delicious! Can't wait to try it!