This loaded potato salad has all the best parts of a loaded baked potato, in a big-batch cold salad that’s perfect for picnics and barbecues. In this recipe, red potatoes are boiled until tender, cut and dressed with a combination of sour cream, mayonnaise and chives. Then Colby jack cheese and crispy bacon are mixed in to make this loaded potato salad spectacular.

An image of loaded potato salad served in a large white bowl and garnished with bacon, cheese, and chives.

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Ingredients

2 pounds Red Potatoes (small or medium)
¼ cup Mayonnaise
¼ cup Sour Cream
2 teaspoons Chives, chopped (plus a little extra for garnish)
1 teaspoon Salt (plus 1 tablespoon to cook the potatoes)
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
¼ cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese, plus a tablespoon or two for garnish, if desired
4-6 Bacon Slices, cooked crispy and chopped (4 slices for the potato salad and 2 slices for garnish if desired)

Boil the potatoes

Add the potatoes to a large pot and cover them with water by 1-2 inches. Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a full boil, this will take about 8-10 minutes.
When the water is boiling vigorously, add 1 tablespoon of salt.
Boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes until they’re fork tender. A fork or knife should slide right in and out of the potato with no resistance. The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. Choose potatoes that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
Try to not overcook the potatoes. If they’re too tender, they’ll break apart when sliced and won’t hold their shape for the potato salad. Although, a smashed potato salad will be just as delicious, so don’t sweat it too much if they overcook.
Drain the potatoes completely using a large strainer and let them cool. This is a cold dish so there’s no need to hurry and handle the potatoes hot.

While the potatoes cook and cool make the bacon and the dressing.

Cook the bacon

I’m a big fan of making bacon in the oven, but since we’re only making 4-6 slices here making it in microwave or stovetop works well too.

Oven preparation: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet, without overlapping. Cook the bacon for approximately 20-30 minutes, or until it’s cooked and crispy. Remove from the oven, transfer to a pan or plate lined with a paper towel.

Cooked bacon on a baking sheet lined with brown parchment paper.

Microwave preparation: Line a large, microwave safe plate with 2 (good quality) paper towels. Arrange the bacon slices on the plate and place 2 paper towels on top. Microwave for 3-4 minutes on high heat. Then check on it by carefully lifting the paper towel. Give the bacon an additional 1-2 minutes and check it again. Continue until it's cooked crisp. Be very careful removing the plate from the microwave it will be very HOT!

Stovetop preparation: Add the bacon to a large skillet, without overlapping. Cook the bacon on medium heat until it’s cooked and crispy, turning occasionally. Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer to a pan or plate lined with a paper towel to drain.

When the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop it into small pieces.

Instructions

Cut the potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size, and add them to a large bowl.

Cooked small red potatoes cut into quarters on a wood cutting board.

Make the dressing for the potato salad: Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped chives, salt, and pepper to a medium bowl. Stir vigorously with a fork or small whisk to combine the ingredients and make it smooth and creamy.
Pour the dressing over the potatoes.
Then, add the bacon and cheese. Gently stir and toss until the ingredients are combined and the potatoes are coated with the dressing. Use a rubber spatula to toss the potatoes to prevent tearing.

A collage of six images showing how to put together the loaded potato salad.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the potato salad is cold. Garnish with extra chopped chives, bacon and shredded cheese, if desired and serve.

A close up image of the finished potato salad garnished with bacon, cheese, and chives.

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