Loaded Ranch Potato Salad is a creamy potato salad full of bacon, cheddar cheese, and Ranch seasoning. You can’t go wrong with that flavor combination. It’s the perfect side for you next cookout or potluck.

Loaded Ranch Potato Salad in a serving bowl.

Warm weather isn’t too far away and that means it’s time to start thinking about picnics and potato salads. Every picnic and cookout needs a good potato salad and this one is one of the best potato salads.

And some Corn on the Cob. See my recipe for The Best Way To Cook Corn on the Cob.

Ranch Potato Salad Recipe

I’m a huge fan of potato salad but often find it to be bland and boring. I’ve experimented with making potato salad loads of different ways and along with Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad, this is one of my favorites. Loaded Ranch Potato Salad is super creamy and rich and has tons of flavor thanks to a packet of Ranch seasoning mix. I’m obsessed with anything ranch so this is my favorite potato salad.

Potato salad in a bowl with potatoes and green onions in background.

Reader Comment

Anna wrote- “Ok this was bomb! I will add a half packet more of ranch seasoning and some green onions but SO good how it is too! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐”

A mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise makes this the creamiest potato salad ever.

In addition, there’s also chopped green onion, cheddar cheese, and lots of crumbled bacon.

Who can resist anything with cheddar cheese and bacon? Not me.

Ingredient Notes

Potatoes– I use red potatoes and I like to leave the skin on. Yukon Gold would be my second choice. Depending on how large they are, halve them or quarter them before boiling.
Sour Cream– I use full-fat, but you could use light sour cream or you can substitute with Greek yogurt.
Mayonnaise– use a good quality mayonnaise like Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
Ranch Seasoning– I use a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch. You can use a homemade seasoning mix if you prefer. You will need approximately 3 tablespoons.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese– I use sharp cheddar. It will taste better if you buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself on a box grater rather then using pre-shredded.
Bacon– I use 6 slices. You can use a few more if you want a lot of bacon flavor.

How To Make

Plan on making potato salad at least a few hours before you want to serve it.

(More detailed instructions in recipe card below.)

Cook the potatoes. Boil in salted water until a knife easily pierces them.
Make dressing. In a bowl stir together sour cream, mayonnaise, and Ranch seasoning.
Add remaining ingredients. Mix in potatoes, cheese, and green onions. Then sprinkle bacon on top.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

How To Boil Potatoes For Potato Salad

Salt the water well. You want the potatoes to soak up the salt and get seasoned while they cook. I think to little salt in the water is the number one cause of bland potato salad.
Start with cold water and cover the potatoes with at least an inch of water. This will help the potatoes cook evenly.
Bring water to a boil but then reduce to a simmer. You don’t want to cook them at a rolling boil.
Cook them until a knife or fork slides easily in. Don’t cook them so long that they start to bread apart or crumble when you pierce them.

Recipe Tips

I like to use red potatoes for this recipe. They have a texture that is perfect for potato salads and I love the fact that there’s no need to peel them. Huge timesaver! I think the skin actually makes the potato salad more visually appealing.

Make it spicy. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to make this recipe a little spicy.

Try These Other Potato Salad Recipes

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