The Best Loaded Potato Salad – Old Fashioned Recipe (Easy!)

If you love loaded potatoes, you’re going to fall in love with Loaded potato salad this summer! This Potato Salad is so loaded with good stuff it can definitely be considered a meal in and of itself…. But it’s also a favorite summer side dish!

However you decide to eat it, this will quickly become one of your favorite summer dishes too!

Loaded Potato Salad Ingredients

• 6-8 Boiled Potatoes
• 8 Boiled eggs
• 1 pound BACON
• One and a half cups sour cream
• Bunch of green onion
• A small red onion
• 3-4 stalks celery
• One tablespoon Powdered Mustard Seed
• salt & pepper to taste
• chives
  

What Kind Of Potato

I live in Fruitland Idaho where we grow lots of potatoes… You can use any variety of potato, but I love the creamy ness of the Yukon Gold.

Small Red potatoes are also very creamy and add a pretty color with the skin on. And russet potatoes have a great flavor and texture too. So you can choose your favorite!

How I Prepare Bacon For Potato Salad:

How to Make Loaded Potato Salad

The first thing I do when making loaded potato toe salad is wash my potatoes really good. I scrub them with a sponge scrubber under warm water.

Place your potatoes on the bottom of a large stock pot, abd place your eggs gently on top of them. Cover with water and boil till potatoes are soft. About 30 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces them.

Remove pit from stove, pour off hot water, and fill with cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes so that potatoes and eggs cool.

Peel and chop eggs, then add to your large salad bowl.

Chop cooled potatoes into 1 inch squares. Add to bowl.

Chop celery and red onion very small and add to bowl.

Chop green onions and add to bowl.

Line a cookie sheet with brown paper bags.

Spread raw bacon slices on brown bags evenly, and bake at 375 for 10 minutes or till brown and crispy.

Remove bacon from cookie sheet, reserve 3 slices, and crumble remaining bacon into potato salad bowl.

Add sour cream and mustard seed powder.

Stir salad to mix well.

Add salt and pepper to taste, making sure to stir well.

Pour salad into serving bowl.

Chop chives and garnish potato salad with chopped chives and reserved 3 slices of crispy bacon.

Enjoy!

To Peel or Not To Peel… That Is The Question

I do not peel Yukon Gold or Red potatoes … But I do peel russet potatoes, because their skin is thicker and not as pretty.

However, my mother in law is a farmers daughter, and she will tell you to always peel potatoes because of dirt or herbicides.

Potatoes skins have lots of good nutrition… So I keep them on!

Tips

To prevent eggs from breaking while boiling, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the water!

I like to cut eggs small so the blend in well with the soft potatoes.

Make sure to save 3 pieces of cooked bacon to crumble on top with the chives before serving!

Safety Note:

Don’t leave potato salad out for over 4 hours… Especially if you’re serving it outside. Potato salad can grow bacteria that will really make people sick if left out too long.

How To Store Potato Salad

Refrigerate in covered container. I keep my bowl of loaded potato salad covered with plastic wrap in the fridge… (It’s actually the best leftovers to have as flavors meld together.) Potato salad stays good in the fridge for 5 days!

Serve Loaded Potato Salad With These Summer Dishes!

• BBQ!!!
• Grilled Chicken
• Roasted Chicken
• A bowl of sliced Melon!
• Jello Salad
• Pulled Pork
• Chicken Salad Sandwiches
• Green Salad
• Pasta Salad
• Lemonade
• Corn on the Cob
• Don’t forget dessert! I LOVE this perfectly moist Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake!

What Can I Add To Bland Potato Salad? What to add to store bought potato salad to make it taste homemade?f

There are a lot of things you can add to store bought or plain potato salad to make it more flavorful, including:

• BACON pieces!!!
• Red Onion diced small.
• Green Onion sliced into small pieces.
• Olives sliced up.
• Red Pepper Flakes for HEAT.
• A splash of pickle juice works miracles.
• Fresh Dill Garnish for beauty and flavor!

Do You Cut Potatoes Before Boiling For Potato Salad?

NO… It is better to boil potatoes whole than cut up! Boil your potatoes whole so they hold together nicely. If you cut potatoes before boiling, they break down and get a bit too soft for potato salad.

How Do You Boil Russet Potatoes for Potato Salad?

First scrub potatoes, then place in a large pot. Cover with water at least 1 inch over top of potatoes. Then boil for about 30-40 minutes! Do not under-cook your potatoes… You can fix a lot of things with potato salad, except under-cooked potatoes. Make sure they are soft all they way through before removing from heat.

You will know your potatoes are done cooking when you can easily poke through them with a fork. If you see potatoes splitting and skin coming off in just a few spots then they are well done. Drain potatoes, and let them cool enough to handle.

How Many Potatoes Do You Need For Potato Salad?

The answer to this question entirely depends on how many people you’re cooking for! This recipe serves up to 16 people, depending serving size. If you want to serve this for a big pot luck, double it and use 16 potatoes. If you only want to make enough for your small family, you can cut the recipe in half and only use 4 potatoes!