• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Fork's Tale
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Reviews
  • Projects
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Reviews
  • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Reviews
    • About Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salad

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad Recipe

    August 19, 2020 Updated: December 9, 2020 By Katie Crenshaw 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Follow these easy steps for delicious, creamy bacon ranch potato salad! It is the perfect side dish for a cookout, potluck, or family meal. #potatosalad #baconranchpotatosalad #potatoes
    Follow these easy steps for delicious, creamy bacon ranch potato salad! It is the perfect side dish for a cookout, potluck, or family meal. #potatosalad #baconranchpotatosalad #potatoes
    Bacon and Ranch. Need I really say more? This Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is delicious, easy, simple, and soon to be one of your favorite potato salads. It is the perfect side dish for a cookout, potluck, or family meal. Eat with caution. One bite leads to many more.

    Follow these easy steps for delicious, creamy bacon ranch potato salad! It is the perfect side dish for a cookout, potluck, or family meal.

    ranch potato salad in brown bowl with wooden spoon to the side

    Cooking tips

    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, and 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.

    Ranch potato salad video

    ingredients for ranch potato salad

    Ingredients

    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- use real bacon. Do not use precooked bacon bits.
    • Mayonnaise- do not use low fat. I prefer Dukes for this recipe.
    • Sour cream-do not use low fat
    • Dry ranch seasoning mix
    • Chives- chives really taste the best with this, but you can substitute for green onions
    step by step how to make bacon ranch potato salad

    Step by step instructions

    Follow these easy steps to make homemade bacon ranch potato salad.

    • Boil potatoes until cooked. Do not over cook and undercook. Potatoes should be tender enough to cut easily with a fork, but not mushy. (photo 1)
    • Rinse potatoes in cold water and dry potatoes. Refrigerate potatoes for 30 minutes or more until completely cold. (photo 2)
    • Slice cold potatoes. (photo 3)
    • In a small mixing bowl, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, and dry ranch season mix. (photo 4)
    • Carefully mix in ranch dressing mix with potatoes making sure each potato is fully covered in dressing. (photo 5)
    • Add in bacon crumbles and mix well. (photo 6)
    Bacon and Ranch. Need I really say more? This Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is delicious, easy, simple, and soon to be one of your favorite potato salads. It is the perfect side dish for a cookout, potluck, or family meal. Eat with caution. One bite leads to many more.

    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.

    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.

    easy bacon ranch potato salad

    Look at that! A perfect bite! Enjoy!

    For more delicious Southern sides, try:

    • Instant Pot Fried Cabbage
    • Ambrosia Fruit Salad
    • Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Collard Greens
    • Slow Cooker Green Beans and Potatoes
    • Spicy Tomato Grits

    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!

    ranch potato salad in brown bowl with wooden spoon to the side

    Bacon Ranch Potato Salad Recipe

    Bacon & Ranch. Need I really say more? Follow these easy steps for delicious, creamy bacon ranch potato salad! It is the perfect side dish for a cookout, potluck, or family meal.
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Save Recipe Saved! Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 396kcal
    Author: Katie Crenshaw

    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 over cook and 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 12 oz bacon until crispy. Drain grease from bacon and crumble.
      12 ounces bacon
    • Mix ¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup chives, and 3 tbs 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.

    Video

    Notes

    Note: If you want to make the ranch dressing mix from scratch, try my DIY Ranch Seasoning Mix recipe. 
    Note: It is important to chill potatoes before slicing. Cold potatoes keeps the dressing from melting into the potatoes and you have a perfectly dressed, creamy potato salad.
    Note: Use real bacon. Do not use bacon bits!

    Nutrition- Nutrition info is based on estimation only.

    Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 724mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1.2mg
    Tried this recipe? I want to see it!Mention @aForksTale or tag #aForksTale!

    More Salad

    • Italian pasta salad in a brown bowl with spoon out to the side
      Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
    • mediterranean quinoa salad in white bowl
      Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
    • tomato cucumber onion salad in a white bowl
      Tomato Cucumber Onion Salad
    • bacon pea salad
      Bacon Pea Salad Recipe

    Primary Sidebar

    Katie Crenshaw-A Fork's Tale

    Hi, I'm Katie!

    Thanks for stopping in!! I am a foodie and I LOVE to eat. I am so excited to share my recipes and adventures with you! My recipes are simple and easy for the modern cook.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy

    Subscribe

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Katie Crenshaw is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to A Fork's Tale at www.aforkstale.com to Amazon.com.

    creator expertise banner  for a fork's tale

    Copyright © 2020 A Fork's Tale