Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

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Cool, creamy, and full of flavor, Ranch Potato Salad is perfect for your next summer cookout! Made with Greek yogurt instead of mayo, it’s lightened up but still rich and tangy thanks to savory herbs and crispy bacon. It’s naturally gluten-free and easy to make for backyard barbecues, picnics, or potlucks in no time.

A bowl of ranch potato salad topped with bacon.
  • Cuisine Inspiration: American
  • Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
  • Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option
  • Skill Level: Easy

What You’ll Love About This Ranch Potato Salad

My ranch potato salad is a BBQ staple, with good reason. It swaps Greek yogurt for mayonnaise to make a lighter but still creamy dressing. And let’s talk about all the deliciousness, from the seasonings to be cheddar to the… BACON! Plus, you don’t even need a Ranch dressing seasoning packet – a few pantry herbs come together to recreate those Ranch flavors we all adore. Like my Blue Cheese Potato Salad, this is not your ordinary potato salad recipe!

Add a big scoop of ranch potato salad alongside grilling favorites like slices of Honey Balsamic Grilled Flat Iron Steak, juicy Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak, or crunchy Street Corn Salad, and you’ll be the star of the next backyard party. Here are a few more highlights:

  • Fresh. Find all the familiar flavors of Ranch seasonings here without preservative-packed bottled dressing or seasoning packets.
  • Unexpected additions. I’ve dressed up this potato salad a bit with some extras like chopped bacon, halved cherry tomatoes, and shredded cheddar cheese to make it stand out.
  • Perfectly cooked potatoes. No mushy potatoes here. See my tips below on how to cook your potatoes correctly.
  • Elevates a basic dish. While I love Instant Pot Potato Salad, which is a more traditional potato salad recipe, I also love to branch out with extra flavors and ingredients.
A spoonful of ranch potato salad is lifted up.

What You’ll Need

You don’t need a seasoning packet to make this recipe: Just add the same dried herbs and spices as you’d do for this easy Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to make it, with the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the end of this post.

  • Potatoes: I use small white potatoes, and you don’t need to peel them.
  • Bacon: Use freshly cooked bacon rather than purchased bacon bits.
  • Greek Yogurt: You can use full-fat, low-fat, or non-fat Greek yogurt, just make sure it’s a plain variety.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can substitute white vinegar.
  • Olive Oil: I like extra-virgin olive oil. It adds the richness you get from mayo, but you only need a little.
  • Salt and Pepper: I use Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Ranch Seasoning: A mix of onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, and dried dill.
  • Tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes work fine.
  • Cheddar Cheese: I prefer to shred my own cheese because pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents.
  • Garnish: Scallions or parsley.
The ingredients for ranch potato salad are labeled and portioned out.

Boiling Potatoes: How to Do It Correctly

Start with the right kind of potatoes—choose waxy potatoes so that they hold their shape better when cooked. I like to use small creamer potatoes that you only have to wash, then halve or quarter. But you can use larger white or red potatoes, cut into about 3/4-inch pieces. These potatoes all typically have a tender skin, so it isn’t necessary to peel them (although you can if you like).

Start with a large pot of cold, salted water. Add the potatoes, making sure they’re fully submerged. Bring the pot to a boil and cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 8-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes, or they will break apart and get mushy.

After draining the water, return the potatoes to the hot pan; this will allow some of the excess moisture to evaporate from the heat of the pan. Cool the potatoes completely before mixing them with the dressing.

How to Make Ranch Potato Salad

You can see how easy it is to make this salad in the photos below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

  • Cook the potatoes. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender, then drain and cool.
  • Cook bacon. As the potatoes cool, cook the bacon until crisp, then drain.
  • Make dressing. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Add dressing. Pour the dressing over the cooled potatoes and toss to combine, then add the grape tomatoes, cheddar, and bacon.
  • Mix. Fold and mix the salad ingredients to combine, then serve topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, and scallions or parsley.
Crisp bacon tops a bowl of ranch potato salad.

Tips and Variation Ideas

  • How to cook the bacon: You can cook the bacon in a pan, microwave, or oven (see my tips for How to Cook Bacon). You’ll want it to get nice and crispy to add a bit of texture to the potato salad.
  • Make ahead. While I recommend serving the salad on the same day you make it, you can prepare the potatoes up to 2 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
  • Go simpler. If you like a more traditional-tasting potato salad, you can leave out the tomatoes and cheese (and the bacon if you like).
  • Make it vegetarian. Skip the bacon or use veggie bacon to make this into a vegetarian potato salad.
  • Dairy-free. Use dairy-free Greek yogurt or swap it for mayo and omit the cheese to easily turn this salad dairy-free

How to Store Extras

Transfer any leftover potato salad to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you serve it again, you may need to add a bit more yogurt or vinegar to moisten it. I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the texture will change and become mushy when it’s defrosted.

A spoon sticks out of a bowl of ranch potato salad.

Make It a Meal

More Easy Side Dishes

Ranch potato salad topped with bacon is served in a grey bowl.
5 from 1 vote

Ranch Potato Salad

Ranch potato salad is a lightened-up version of a summer side dish made with Greek yogurt and all of your favorite savory flavors.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds small white potatoes , halved or quartered
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ cup halved grape tomatoes
  • ½ cup coarsely shredded cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • sliced scallions or minced parsley , for garnish

Instructions

  • Place 1 ½ pounds small white potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes, or until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes, place in a bowl, and cool completely.
  • While the potatoes cool, cook 4 slices bacon in a pan until crispy, and drain well on a paper towel. Crumble the bacon and set aside, reserving some to sprinkle on top, if desired.
  • In a small bowl, combine the 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon dried dill, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and stir until well-mixed.
  • Pour the Greek yogurt mixture over the cooled potatoes, and toss gently, then gently stir in the bacon, ½ cup halved grape tomatoes, and ½ cup coarsely shredded cheddar cheese (setting some of the cheese aside for sprinkling on top, if desired).
  • Transfer the potato salad to a serving bowl and garnish with reserved bacon and cheddar cheese, and sliced scallions or minced parsley, if desired.

Notes

If you are preparing the potato salad in advance, hold back a little of the ranch or add another tablespoon or so of vinegar before serving
Nutrition Facts
Ranch Potato Salad
Amount Per Serving (0.75 cup)
Calories 156 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 218mg9%
Potassium 506mg14%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 165IU3%
Vitamin C 23.6mg29%
Calcium 98mg10%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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12 Comments
  1. Janet Vinyard

    Hi Brianne, This potato salad sounds so delicious! I’ve never put grape tomatoes in potato salad but I think that would be a great addition to the basics! Thanks for sharing this recipe! Blessings, Janet

  2. Put the words “cheddar, bacon and ranch” next to each other and the recipe is probably going to be a hit. Thanks for sharing it and hope you come back to the party again next week! #HomeMattersParty

  3. Vicki Sinclair

    Thankyou for this!!! I saw it at I should be mopping the floor link party! Id love it if you added mine to your list!

  4. This looks so good. I’m thinking you just gave me my Memorial Day Salad recipe. Thanks! I really love how well greek yogurt swaps in recipes that usually have mayo. Great recipe idea.

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