Loaded Baked Potato Salad

All of the toppings you love on a classic baked potato get combined in this Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe. It’s the perfect side dish for summer!

This Loaded Baked Potato Salad post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Spiced!

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This recipe is a combination of two all-time favorites – the classic loaded baked potato and a tasty red potato salad. We start with a red potato salad, but add in all of the delicious toppings that you might find on a loaded baked potato – bacon, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and chives. The result is a side dish that’s perfect for summer picnics and backyard parties!

As I was cooking the bacon for this potato salad, my 9-year-old son walked through the kitchen with a smirk on his face. He’s been into riddles lately, and he asked:

“Why is bacon called bacon and cookies called cookies when you cook bacon and bake cookies?”

I stopped and thought for a moment, laughed and said, “I dunno. You got me there.” The former Latin teacher in me wanted to talk about how the English language makes absolutely no sense in so many ways, but I refrained. I just went on cooking the bacon.

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

Turning back to this Loaded Baked Potato Salad, this recipe is definitely a fun way to mix things up a bit. Since we’re heading into the summer heat, the last thing I want is a big loaded baked potato. Don’t get me wrong – I love baked potatoes. But I typically save those for cold winter nights. Summer is coming! The grill is fired up. The yard games are set up. I want to be outside!

Let me tell ya – this potato salad is perfect alongside grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. I can’t imagine Memorial Day or July 4 festivities without at least one type of potato salad on the menu. A good potato salad is one of my favorite summer recipes – and this version with all of the loaded baked potato toppings is mouthwatering. It’s definitely going to be a staple around our house this summer!

Best Potatoes for Potato Salad

When it comes to what type of potato to use in potato salad, I always lean towards waxy potatoes – namely red potatoes or Yukon Golds. While Russet potatoes are certainly the standard for loaded baked potatoes, they don’t hold their shape as well in potato salad form. Russets can be used for this recipe – just know that the result will be a much creamier mixture. It’s really a personal preference, but I always recommend red potatoes. And since the skin on red potatoes is really thin, I usually don’t peel ’em.

Loaded Baked Potato Toppings

Just like a comforting loaded baked potato, this potato salad includes sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions and of course crumbled bacon. While I do like mayonnaise in potato salad, I’m not a fan of using too much mayonnaise. I often substitute a little bit of sour cream for the mayo when making the dressing for potato salads. For this Loaded Baked Potato Salad, I leaned into that sour cream taste even more. The mayonnaise brings the flavor of classic potato salad while the sour cream brings the loaded baked potato vibes.

When it comes to using cheddar cheese, we always (always!) use Cabot cheese. Whether it’s just slicing the cheddar to eat with crackers or shredded it for use in a recipe, Cabot cheddar is our #1. There’s a reason why Cabot has won awards and awards (and more awards) for their cheeses! I used Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar cheese in this recipe, but any of Cabot’s cheddars would work. Looking to save a bit of time? Use shredded Seriously Sharp instead of grating a block – either method would work for this recipe!

What Makes Cheddar Cheese Sharp?

Here’s a fun fact to know and share at your next backyard barbecue – you know, the one where you serve this Loaded Baked Potato Salad. Cheddar cheese typically takes anywhere from 2 months to 1 year to age. The longer that cheese ages, the sharper it becomes. As cheddar cheese ages, the lactose in the cheese transforms into lactic acid. Lactic acid is known for its tart flavor (think about yogurt), so the more lactic acid in that cheese, the sharper the taste.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover potato salad should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing potato salad. And as a reminder, potato salad should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is higher than 90°F, the time limit is only 1 hour.

As we head into the warmer months of the year, there will be plenty of opportunities to gather with friends and family in the backyard. There will be lots (and lots) of burgers and hot dogs. And of course there will be lots of delicious side dishes, too. I hope you include this potato salad recipe in your next grill-out. This received rave reviews here in our house – and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Cheers!

Did you make this Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me (@Spicedblog) and Cabot (@CabotCreamery) on Instagram – we’d love to see your version!

Loaded Baked Potato Salad

All of the toppings you love on a classic baked potato get combined in this Loaded Baked Potato Salad recipe. It's the perfect side dish for summer!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 329kcal

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Ingredients

• 3 pounds red potatoes scrubbed and cut into ¾” pieces
• ½ pound thick-cut bacon cut into 1” pieces
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1½ Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1½ Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ¾ tsp celery salt
• 2 celery stalks finely chopped
• ½ cup diced red onions
• 1 cup shredded Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar cheese
• 4 hard-boiled eggs coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh chives

Instructions

• Place potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer (uncovered) for 10 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
• Meanwhile, using a large skillet, add bacon and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and pat dry with paper towels.
• Using a large bowl, add cooked bacon, sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, vinegar, pepper, celery salt, celery, onions and shredded cheese; stir until well combined.
• Add warm potatoes and eggs; toss until well combined.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until cold.
• Sprinkle chopped fresh chives on top before serving.

Looking for more summer side dish recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: