Easy Ranch Potato Salad
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Jul. 30, 2026
This Easy Ranch Potato Salad is the perfect side dish. Make it for 4th of July BBQs, sports tailgates, or as an awesome side dish for delicious weeknight dinner. From start to finish, you’ll be able to enjoy it in just 15 minutes.
Amy’s Notes
If there’s a side dish that constantly gets requested at cookouts, it’s this one. It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser that keeps everyone coming back for seconds…and thirds; I’m not complaining one iota!
- Feeds a Crowd: Easily double or triple this for big summer get-togethers without breaking a sweat.
- Make-Ahead: You can easily prep and have this simple salad ready to serve. In fact, I love making it early and having all the flavors mesh together longer.
- Easy Comfort Food: There’s just something about potatoes and bacon that are a match made in side dish heaven.
- Versatile: Even though I’m hooked on this recipe the way it is, you can mix and match or swap ingredients with ease. Swap in extra herbs or try our reader-favorite tangy Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette if you want a mayonnaise-free twist!
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Baby Red Potatoes: These have the best flavor and are easy to slice and cook. Just clean well before using.
- Green Onions: I love using this type of onion because they add flavor without any spicy heat or aftertaste. Just slice and add.
- Garlic Powder: This is the main seasoning, along with the added salt and pepper.
- Ranch Dressing: Choose your favorite brand and add.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are some of our favorite ways to change up this simple bacon ranch potato salad:
- Protein: Adding bacon is a great flavor enhancer, but you could also add diced ham, shredded chicken, or even ground turkey for added protein.
- Seasonings: Make this ranch potato salad recipe a bit spicy by adding some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. You can also use lemon pepper seasoning, or even some onion powder. This Homemade Ranch Seasoning would also work!
- Salad Dressing: Try other flavors of Ranch to see how different the dish tastes. And if you want, try another dressing and see if you like it better.
Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
- Slice the potatoes and add them to a pot of boiling water. Boil until fork-tender.
- Remove the potatoes and add them to a colander. Rinse the potatoes.
- Add the ranch dressing and sliced green onions to the cooked potatoes and stir carefully.
- Top with cooked bacon, and serve.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How to Prep Ahead
- Cook your potatoes and let them chill in the fridge.
- Cook the bacon and drain any grease. Store the cooked bacon in its own container in the fridge.
- Slice the green onion and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Don’t combine all the ingredients too soon, but a few hours ahead of serving is about perfect.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. For the best flavor, eat within 2-3 days of making. This recipe does not freeze well, so eating fresh is best.
Watch Us Make This Recipe
Easy Ranch Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 pounds small red potatoes, skin on, washed and cut into 1-inch quarters
- 3 stalks stalks green onions, thinly sliced
- 24 ounces your favorite ranch dressing
- ½ cup real bacon crumbles
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place potatoes into a large heavy pot filled with water. Generously salt the water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or to desired tenderness. Do not overcook, or end results may turn mushy.
- Once potatoes are just-tender, immediately remove from heat and drain. Rinse potatoes thoroughly with cold water to halt the cooking process. Drain again and let potatoes cool completely.
- Gently fold in in some of the ranch dressing, to desired consistency. Fold in remaining ingredients until just combined, including kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- Stir carefully when combining ingredients so that you don’t break up the potatoes. They should keep their shape.
- Pair this bacon ranch potato salad with Mexican Cheeseburgers or Grilled Lemon Chicken.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. For the best flavor, eat within 2-3 days of making. This recipe does not freeze well, so eating fresh is best.
Nutrition (per serving)
What to Serve with Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
Chicken Mains
- Grilled Lemon Chicken: The bright, citrusy notes of lemon chicken cut right through the creamy potato salad for a balanced summertime meal.
- Huli Huli Chicken: Hawaiian-style sweet and smoky grilled chicken with a savory/sweet glaze that is delicious at any summer backyard cookout.
Beef
- Steak with Chimichurri Sauce: Juicy grilled steak topped with a bright, herbaceous green chimichurri sauce that cuts through richer side dishes.\
- BLT Burgers: A summer hybrid featuring crisp bacon, fresh lettuce, juicy seasonal tomatoes, and a grilled burger patty.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can! Yellow and Russet potatoes are two options, but I really do think that Red Potatoes offer the best flavor. You will have to cut Russet potatoes into smaller pieces, which can make them more fragile to use in the rest of the recipe.
Absolutely. It’s an easy dish that would pair well with so many other foods. Plus, you can make it ahead of time so that it’s ready and waiting to serve.
If you want to make this potato salad in a larger quantity, you just need to triple the recipe (or more) by literally tripling the amount of ingredients needed. It’s as simple as that.
Don’t stress! If they get a little too soft, you’ll just end up with an extra-creamy, mashed-potato style salad that still tastes fantastic. Next time, keep an eye on them around the 8-minute mark and pull them off the stove as soon as a fork pierces through.
Toppings are always so much fun to add! Diced jalapeños are a great choice, or even some shredded cheese.
More to Cook and Eat
- Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad – This is a great way to use sweet potato with a fun texture.
- Southwestern Barley Salad – Hearty and one of my favorites to make during fall months.
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad – This is a light and flavorful recipe that kids and adults love.