Loaded Baked Potato Salad captures everything you love about a fully loaded baked potato in a fresh, summery potato salad. Tender cubes of potato are tossed in a simple sour cream dressing, folded with shredded Cheddar, chopped green onions, and plenty of crispy bacon. For potato salad lovers, this is a dream dish.
My thirteen-year-old is obsessed with potatoes in every form—mashed, fries, tots, roasted—so it’s no surprise that a loaded baked potato is one of his favourite meals. Sour cream, bacon, and cheese together make this salad a family favourite.
This recipe yields a generous batch, perfect for a crowd or for keeping in the fridge for quick lunches. If you have kids (or adults) with “bottomless” appetites, you’ll want to double it. The good news: it’s almost embarrassingly easy to prepare.
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Russet potatoes are the classic choice to recreate the baked potato flavour in this salad. Scrub them well and you can leave the skin on once they’re baked and chilled. If russets aren’t available, gold or red potatoes work nicely as substitutes.
To keep the kitchen cool while “baking” potatoes, try the slow-cooker method: after scrubbing, pierce each potato a few times with a fork, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Place them in a slow cooker and cook 3–4 hours on HIGH (depending on size) or 6–8 hours on LOW, until a skewer or knife passes through the thickest part with no resistance. Leftover baked potatoes also work well here.
The full recipe calls for 5 pounds of potatoes. If that sounds like too much, halve the amount—but don’t be surprised if you find yourself making it again soon.
You can serve this as a warm potato salad by chopping the potatoes right away and mixing while still toasty, but I prefer it chilled. Cooling the potatoes makes them easier to handle and keeps the cheese from melting into the dressing.
Crispy bacon is key: it adds both texture and that smoky, salty bite that defines a loaded baked potato. I avoid mayonnaise intentionally—this salad is meant to taste like a baked potato, and I don’t put mayo on my baked spuds. Instead, sour cream gives the tang and creaminess while keeping the flavour authentic. As a bonus, sour cream generally has fewer calories and less fat than mayonnaise.
Cheese-wise, extra-sharp Cheddar gives the best punch of flavour, but sharp or mild Cheddar are fine if you prefer something less assertive. Green onions add a bright, oniony snap that balances the richness of bacon and cheese.
Loaded Baked Potato Salad is delicious right away, but the flavours deepen if it rests in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. It keeps well for up to two days—if you can manage to hide a container from hungry family members.
If your batch has been in the fridge a day and seems a little dry, refresh it with a spoonful of sour cream and a quick taste to adjust the seasoning.
Connect with Foodie with Family
facebook | pinterest | instagram | twitter
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 5 pounds russet gold, or red potatoes, baked and chilled, cut into bite sized pieces
- 3 cups sour cream
- 1 pound bacon cooked ’til crisp and crumbled
- 4 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
- 4 green onions trimmed of the root ends, halved, and thinly sliced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Reserve 2 tablespoons each of the crumbled bacon and grated cheese, plus 1 teaspoon of the sliced green onions for garnish.
-
In a large bowl, stir together the potatoes, sour cream, remaining bacon, Cheddar, green onions, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to two days, adding reserved garnish right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition with the exact ingredients you use if needed.
did you make this recipe?
Tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so the author can see your creation.