This creamy red skin potato salad is so delicious and easy to make! Loaded with crispy bacon, cheese, green onions and more it is always a hit at any party or picnic! If you love a loaded baked potato you’ll love this refreshing salad version that is perfect for hot summer days!
Summer means warm weather, cookouts and barbeques! One of my staples for any outdoor meals or gatherings is potato salad! It is one of those dishes that everyone loves, creamy, well seasoned, and loaded with amazing toppings this recipe is the best potato salad to serve up with almost anything! I love it more than traditional potato salad because it has more flavor (& it is easier to make!) It is always a crowd pleaser, everyone will be asking for the recipe!
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What to serve with this red potato salad –
This delicious potato salad recipe goes with pretty much anything! It is the perfect side dish, for hot dogs, burgers, grilled chicken, steak or even grilled salmon. It is a great addition to a potluck or summer picnics because it goes well with pretty much anything! If you would serve a classic potato salad recipe, you can serve this one instead!
How far ahead can I make this potato salad-
I love a recipe that I can make a day or two ahead especially when I am planning a summer party. There are so many things to get taken care of it is nice to make some side dishes ahead of time! Thankfully this potato salad is one of those dishes that is just as tasty (if not tastier) the next day! If you are making potato salad ahead I suggest not mixing in the bacon until you are ready to serve the salad, that way it stays nice and crispy. After storing the salad for a day or two the bacon will still tasty good but it softens so it is best to add it at when you are ready to serve. Store the potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
What variations can I make?
While I love this recipe just the way it is, there are some delicious variations you can make for a different flavor or a fun twist! You can use your favorite kind of cheese, I like to use sharp cheddar cheese, but mild cheddar is great, or you could add a little spice with some pepper jack! You can also add extra cheese, or extra bacon if those are your favorite loaded baked potato toppings! Another great addition is ranch dressing instead of mayo. It adds more flavor, and is perfect for ranch lovers! You can try other dressings for other combinations, blue cheese, creamy Italian, or any other creamy dressing can add another layer of flavor. Want to use turkey bacon, or a vegetarian bacon? Go ahead! The bacon adds a delicious flavor and alternative bacons will do that perfectly!
You can also make some tasty additions to this red potato salad recipe. Finely chopped crunchy celery adds great texture. Hard boiled eggs add another layer of flavor. Another delicious addition is fresh herbs like fresh dill, fresh parsley, or fresh chives!
You can also swap out the sour cream for Greek yogurt if you prefer. You can also add a bit of spicy mustard or Dijon mustard to the dressing for a little bit of spice!
Why use red potatoes in this potato salad?
For this recipe, and most other potato salad recipes I like to use small red potatoes. They are my favorite for several reasons, they have a nice thin skin so there is not need to peel them before using them, they are easy to chop into bite size pieces, and their texture is creamy and soft and not too starchy. A bonus is that their skin adds some nice color to the potato salad.
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Here’s what you’ll need for this easy red skin potato salad
3 lbs (about 10 small/med) Red Skinned Potatoes
1 lb Package of Bacon cooked
1 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
5 Green Onions
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Smoked Paprika
Salt & black pepper to taste
Here’s how to make red potato salad
The first thing we’re going to do is get the potatoes cooking. You’ll want to thoroughly scrub your potatoes (& peel them if you’re not using red skinned potatoes) and chop them into bite size pieces.
Place the potatoes in a large pot of water with a pinch of salt, you need just enough water to cover the tops of the potatoes. Place the pan on the stove top. Turn the heat on high and heat until the water boils. Turn the heat down to medium/low to simmer. Allow to simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and immediately rinse the warm potatoes with cold water. By rinsing the potatoes you’ll stop the cooking process so that they stay firm enough to hold their shape in the salad. Once they are cooled off set them aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
In a large bowl combine mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, stir until well combined.
Next, finely slice your green onions, cut the white part and about half way up the green part. Crumble your cooked bacon into small pieces.
Now place your cooled cooked potatoes into the large bowl with the mayonnaise mixture, stir to coat the potatoes completely. Next place in your bacon bits, shredded cheese, and sliced green onions. Gently stir until the toppings are well distributed throughout the salad. Give it a taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
You can serve this immediately or cover it with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Delicious Red Skin Potato Salad
This potato salad is the perfect addition to any summer meal! Loaded with toppings like bacon and cheddar cheese it has all the flavor of a loaded baked potato in a delicious salad!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (about 10 small/med) Red Skinned Potatoes
- 1 lb Package of Bacon cooked
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 5 Green Onions
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Smoked Paprika
Instructions
- First cut the potatoes into bite size pieces and place them in a
large pot of lightly salted water. Place the pot on the stove and heat over
high heat to boiling. Once boiling reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until fork tender. - Once the potatoes are done cooking place them in a colander and
rinse with cold water to cool completely. Set aside and let drain. - While the potatoes are cooking slice the green onions into
thin pieces, cutting about halfway up the green part. Crumble bacon into small pieces. - Next in a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, onion
powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika and stir until well mixed. - Add the potatoes to the mayonnaise mixture and stir to
coat. Add in green onions, bacon, and shredded cheese, fold until everything is evenly mixed. Taste and add in salt and pepper if desired. - Cover tightly and chill until ready to serve.
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