Description
A creamy, budget-friendly potato salad packed with smoky bacon, crisp veggies, and ranch flavor. It stays creamy for hours, travels well, and is perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons salt (for boiling water)
- Water (enough to cover potatoes)
- 12 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 cup sweet corn, thawed and drained
- 4 stalks green onions, sliced
- 1 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 packet (1 oz) ranch dressing mix
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Dice potatoes, chop bacon, red onion, celery, and green onions. Measure dressing ingredients.
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp (5-7 minutes). Drain on paper towels, crumble, and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease if desired.
- While bacon cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and let cool until warm (not hot).
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, buttermilk, garlic powder, dried parsley, and black pepper until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine warm potatoes, crumbled bacon, red onion, celery, corn, and half of the green onions.
- Pour the ranch dressing over the potato mixture and gently fold until evenly coated, being careful not to mash the potatoes.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 hours or overnight, to allow flavors to meld.
- Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Top with remaining green onions and serve cold.
Notes
Use waxy potatoes like Yukon Golds or red potatoes to prevent mushiness. Ensure corn and vegetables are thoroughly drained to avoid a watery salad. The salad tastes better after chilling overnight. Do not freeze as the texture will become grainy.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 10
Keywords: potato salad, bacon ranch, labor day recipe, summer bbq, budget friendly, make ahead, picnic food, creamy potato salad