Loaded Potato Salad
This delicious Loaded Potato Salad is full of crowd-pleasing flavors and great for an everyday side dish or at a party, potluck, or cookout. Bacon, cheddar cheese, chives, and a bit of ranch seasoning take this potato salad from ordinary to extraordinary! I love to serve this alongside meat off the grill, and it’s always a hit at a summer barbecue. Plus, it’s surprisingly lightened up at just 261 calories or 4 WW Points per cup (or 8 Points if following the diabetic WW plan)! To view your current WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app, click here!
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes: I use russet potatoes in this Loaded Potato Salad and they work perfectly. Make sure you wash your potatoes off before using. No need to peel or remove the skins! Make sure to check the tenderness of your potatoes when cooking. You don’t want to over-cook or they can get mushy! Make sure to chill them before mixing with he other ingredients so that they mostly stay together. It’s okay if some get a bit mushed.
- Bacon: I generally always use center cut bacon. It’s just a leaner cut of regular bacon, so it tastes just as delicious with less fat. I buy Oscar Mayer brand and it always crisps up perfectly!
- Ranch Seasoning: You’ll want to look for the powdered ranch seasoning mix, which can be found in packets or a shaker. I use Hidden Valley Original Ranch Seasoning Dressing & Recipe Mix and recommend it! This is great to keep on hand anyway. It makes delicious veggie dip when mixed with Greek yogurt or sour cream, and it’s tasty on potatoes.
- Dressing: To make the dressing, I used a combination of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and mayonnaise. The Greek yogurt keeps it a bit lighter, while the sour cream and mayonnaise add flavor and richness. Together with the ranch seasoning and a bit of vinegar, it’s a perfect combination for a creamy, tasty dressing!
- Cheese: I think cheddar cheese works perfectly in this Loaded Potato Salad, but if you have another kind on hand or want to try something else, feel free. Colby Jack or Pepper Jack would be tasty.
- Chives: I love the freshness and mild onion flavor a sprinkle of chives adds, but you can substitute scallions if you prefer them or have them on hand.
More Lightened Up Tasty Side Dishes
For more tasty, lightened up side dish recipes like this Loaded Potato Salad, check out my Bacon Broccoli Side Skillet, Skillet Breakfast Potatoes, Zucchini Corn Fritters, Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad, Easy Slow Cooker Carrots, Air Fryer Ranch Corn on the Cob, Corn and Tomato Salad, Broccoli Salad, Apple Coleslaw, Broccoli Cheddar Twice Baked Potatoes, Stovetop Green Beans with Almonds, and many more in the side dish section of my recipe index!
Loaded Potato Salad
This Loaded Potato Salad is loaded with cheddar, bacon, and ranch flavor, perfect for an everyday side or to bring to a cookout!
Ingredients
- 3 lbs russet potatoes, cut into 1” cubes
- 8 slices center cut bacon, (I use Oscar Mayer)
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup light mayonnaise, (I use Hellmann’s)
- ⅓ cup light sour cream
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch seasoning, (I use Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing and Seasoning mix)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 oz shredded 2% milk sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons sliced chives
Instructions
- Place the potato chunks in a dutch oven or soup pot and add water until it fills to about an inch over the tops of the potatoes. Add a few sprinkles of salt, cover the pot, and place on a burner over high heat until boiling. As soon as the water starts boiling, uncover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook uncovered for 10-14 minutes until *just* fork-tender. Check a potato with a fork at 10 minutes to check tenderness!
- Drain the potatoes into a colander. Transfer the drained potatoes to a large bowl full of ice water to stop them from continuing to cook, and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes. Drain the potatoes again and transfer back into the empty mixing bowl. Refrigerate until needed.
- While the potatoes are cooling, cook the bacon to crisp according to package instructions (I always bake mine at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes), and then set on paper towels to drain any excess grease. Chop the bacon and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, ranch seasoning, salt, and pepper and stir until well combined.
- When the potatoes are cool and dry, add the bacon, shredded cheddar, chives, and dressing (I reserved a bit of bacon, cheese, and chives for topping) and then stir together to fully coat and combine. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until using.
Notes
To view your current WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app, click here!
WW Points per (1 cup) serving: 4* (SP calculated using the recipe builder in the WW app)
*or 8 Points if following the diabetic WW plan
Nutrition Information per (1 cup) serving:
261 calories, 34 g carbs, 2 g sugars, 9 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 13 g protein, 2 g fiber, 420 mg sodium (from myfitnesspal.com) Weight Watchers Points Plus:
7 per (1 cup) serving (PP calculated using a Weight Watchers PointsPlus calculator and the nutrition info) Adapted from The Kitchen Girl and Carlsbad Cravings
261 calories, 34 g carbs, 2 g sugars, 9 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 13 g protein, 2 g fiber, 420 mg sodium (from myfitnesspal.com) Weight Watchers Points Plus:
7 per (1 cup) serving (PP calculated using a Weight Watchers PointsPlus calculator and the nutrition info) Adapted from The Kitchen Girl and Carlsbad Cravings
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