Description
This Loaded Potato Salad is a hearty and flavorful side dish featuring tender cubed potatoes coated in a creamy mayonnaise and mustard dressing, mixed with shredded cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, hard-boiled eggs, dill pickles, and green onions. Perfectly chilled to meld the flavors, this classic comfort food is ideal for picnics, BBQs, and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 4 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Add-ins
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
- 3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1/2 cup diced dill pickles
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Cook the Potatoes: Place the peeled and cubed potatoes into a large pot. Cover them with cold water and add salt to season the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they are fork-tender, which typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Dressing: While the potatoes are cooking, in a large mixing bowl combine the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk these ingredients together until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Combine Potatoes with Dressing: Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them well and let them cool slightly so they don’t break apart. Add the warm potatoes to the dressing mixture and gently stir to coat all the potatoes evenly with the dressing.
- Add Other Ingredients: Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced dill pickles, and sliced green onions gently into the potato mixture, ensuring an even distribution without mashing the potatoes.
- Chill the Salad: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the potato salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly.
- Season to Taste and Serve: Before serving, stir the potato salad again and taste it. Adjust seasoning by adding more salt, pepper, or mustard as desired. Garnish with additional sliced green onions and fresh chives on top for extra flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Use russet potatoes for a fluffier texture or Yukon golds for a creamier bite.
- Ensure the potatoes are cooled slightly before mixing to prevent the dressing from separating.
- Hard-boiled eggs add both flavor and texture; don’t skip them!
- Refrigerate the salad for at least an hour to enhance flavor melding and chilling.
- Customize the recipe by adding extra bacon or cheese according to taste.
- This salad can be made a day ahead to save time and improve flavor.
