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Cheesy Ranch Potatoes are roasted in the oven and tossed with cheddar cheese and bacon. This easy potato side dish recipe is loaded with everyone’s favorite flavors, but you don’t need a bottle of Ranch dressing or seasoning packet. Yet you won’t believe how simple it is to make this amazing dish!
Originally published on October 24, 2016. Updated on March 17, 2021.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Roasted Potatoes
This is a super simple, super delicious side dish the whole family will love. Roasted potatoes may seem simple. But when you add all of the herbs and spices from Ranch dressing, they become extra savory and extra flavorful.
Now if that’s not enough, while they are still hot, add smoky bacon, then toss them with cheddar cheese to make them gooey, irresistible perfection.
But what I love most is that you get that unmistakable taste of everyone’s favorite Ranch dressing without using any dressing from a bottle or seasoning packets.
That doesn’t mean that it’s any more time-consuming or difficult to make, though. See how I do it!
Why This Recipe Works
Instead of a bottle of dressing or tub of dip or packet of seasoning that might be loaded with extra ingredients you don’t want or need (and you might also have to watch out for sneak gluten if you are gluten free like me), you just need the basic ingredients for my Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing.
That recipe was created to be a healthy alternative to Ranch but made with just ingredients from your pantry, so you don’t have to worry about whether you’ve run out of fresh herbs or if you have buttermilk or fresh lemon on hand.
I did have to double up on the seasonings to make the Ranch flavor really stand out against the cheese and bacon. But it’s still super quick, and by doing that, you can really taste it without overwhelming the other ingredients.
All you have to do is boil some potatoes. While they are cooking, stir together Greek yogurt and a few herbs and spices. Pour it over the potatoes and toss it in the oven. As they bake, shred some cheese, cooked a few slices of bacon. Then when it is still hot, mix in the bacon and cheese till it is all melty and delicious.
This may be an easy side dish, but it’ll be the star of your meal!
Ingredients
It might look like a long list, but it’s mostly just dried herbs and spices you can grab quickly from your spice cabinet. You’ll mix together the homemade Ranch in a few minutes while the potatoes parboil.
- Small white potatoes: You’ll want to use small white or red potatoes with a waxy skin. The skin on these is more tender, so there is no need to peel them. Just cut them into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Apple cider vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Dried parsley
- Dried dill
- Paprika
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Cabot Seriously Sharp is my personal favorite, but use what you love.
- Bacon: Cooked until crispy, then crumbled
How to Make Cheesy Ranch Roasted Potatoes
Just a few simple steps and you’ll be digging into a pile of cheesy potatoes. All the details are in the recipe card below, but here are the bsics.
- Preparations: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Parboil the potatoes: Fill a large pot with water and add potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly tender. Drain and return to the pot.
- Make the Ranch coating: While the potatoes are cooking, stir together the yogurt, vinegar, dried herbs, and spices.
- Toss and bake: Pour the Ranch mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat. Then transfer for the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes. While still hot, mix in the cheddar cheese and bacon.
Then serve right away while still warm and melty and delicious!
Make it a Meal – What to Serve with Ranch Potatoes
This kid-friendly side dish will be perfect with all of your family’s favorite dinners!
Kid-Favorite Dinner
- Easy Homemade Sloppy Joes – you can even skip the bun and spoon the meat on top of the potatoes.
- Buttery Carrots and Peas – complete the meal with something simple.
BBQ Chicken Dinner
- BBQ Chicken – you can just slather a rotisserie chicken with your favorite barbecue sauce, or stay tuned for my baked barbecue chicken breasts recipe coming soon.
- Healthy Coleslaw with Greek Yogurt – a scoop of slaw completes a barbecue meal.
Steak and Potatoes Dinner
- Grilled Flank Steak – this has a simple balsamic marinade, but even just a basic grilled steak will do.
- Bacon Green Beans – while you are cooking bacon, you might as well make some extra for these tasty beans
Cheesy Ranch Potatoes with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb small white potatoes cut into about 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
- 4 slices bacon, cooked until crispy, then crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Fill a large pot with water and add potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook 10-12 minutes, until slightly tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, vinegar, oil, parsley, salt, onion powder, dill, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper.
- Drain potatoes and return to pot. Stir in yogurt mixture until the potatoes are coated.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until browned.
- While still hot, mix in the cheddar cheese and bacon.
- Serve warm.