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Creamy Loaded Potato Salad with Bacon and Cheddar

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A creamy, indulgent potato salad featuring Yukon Gold potatoes, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, and a tangy homemade dressing. Perfect for summer BBQs and crowd-pleasing gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • Salt, for boiling water
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the peeled and cubed Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender but still hold shape, about 12-15 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly.
  2. While potatoes cook, heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon slices until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble once cooled. Save a bit of the bacon grease for flavor, discard excess.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. In a large bowl, gently fold the warm potatoes with the dressing, ensuring each cube is coated but not mashed. Add the crumbled bacon (reserve a small handful for garnish), shredded cheddar, green onions, diced celery, and chopped hard-boiled eggs if using. Mix gently but thoroughly.
  5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and the salad firm up. Just before serving, sprinkle the reserved bacon bits and extra cheddar on top.

Notes

Do not overcook potatoes to avoid mushy texture. Mix salad while potatoes are warm for better flavor absorption. Cook bacon until very crisp and add most bacon just before serving to maintain crunch. If salad is dry after chilling, add a splash of milk or reserved bacon grease. Make salad a few hours ahead but not more than a day to prevent dryness.

Nutrition

Keywords: potato salad, creamy potato salad, bacon potato salad, cheddar potato salad, summer BBQ, picnic side dish, loaded potato salad

Find it online: https://novanosh.com/creamy-loaded-potato-salad-with-bacon-and-cheddar-easy-recipe-for-summer-bbqs/