Loaded Baked Potato Salad
If you ask me, no backyard BBQ or church potluck is complete without a good potato salad on the table. But y’all, let me tell you, this isn’t your regular potato salad. This is a delicious Loaded Baked Potato Salad that’s creamy, cheesy, and full of all the favorite toppings that make a baked potato so good. We’re talking crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, and a creamy dressing that pulls it all together.
And if you’re looking for other potato salad recipes, you must try my German potato salad and mashed potato salad!
The great thing about this version? Instead of peeling and chopping pounds of potatoes, I take a little shortcut with frozen hash browns. It cuts the cooking time way down, but the end result tastes every bit as comforting as a batch made from scratch. It’s hearty, it’s easy, and if it’s your first time trying it this way, I think you’ll be hooked.
Before You Get Started
- Choose your potato style. Frozen hash browns are my shortcut here, but you can swap in red potatoes, russet potatoes, Yukon Golds, or even baby potatoes if you’d rather boil your own. Just cut into bite-sized pieces and cook until fork-tender.
- Don’t overcook. Boil the hash browns for just 2–3 minutes. You’re looking for tender potatoes, not mush.
- Mix while warm. Adding cheese to the warm potatoes helps it melt slightly into the potato mixture, making the whole salad extra creamy.
- Chill before serving. Like any good potato salad, this one needs a couple of hours in the fridge for the flavors to come together. Cold potato salad always tastes better the next day.
- Personal preference. Feel free to add favorite toppings like green onions, fresh chives, or even a little creamy sour cream if that’s your style.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern hash browns
- 3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
- 5 bacon strips, cooked crispy and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or sharp cheddar cheese for more bite)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- ⅓ cup sweet pickle relish or diced sweet pickles
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make Loaded Baked Potato Salad
1. Cook the Potatoes
Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 2–3 minutes, until just fork-tender. Drain well in a colander. Tip: Don’t boil the potatoes too long! 2 to 3 minutes is plenty. You want them tender but not falling apart, since they’ll soak up dressing as they chill.
2. Mix the Base
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Stir in cheddar cheese so it melts a little into the potato mixture. Add mayonnaise, mustard, and relish, stirring until combined.
3. Add the Good Stuff
Stir in eggs, crispy bacon, salt, and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
4. Chill
Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. The flavors deepen as it rests, so the next day it tastes even better.
Variations
- Garnish: Add chopped green onion or freshly chopped chives.
- Mustard: Use whatever mustard you have on hand. Yellow mustard, honey mustard, and Dijon mustard would all work.
- Make it creamy: For extra creaminess, add 3/4 cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
- Bacon swap: Substitute the bacon for turkey bacon.
- Relish swap: If you’re not a fan of sweet relish, try dill relish, chopped dill pickles, or even chopped bread-and-butter pickles for a tangier bite.
- Extra tang: Add extra tang with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice.
- Cheese swap: Substitute the cheddar cheese for sharp cheddar cheese or something completely different like crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese.
- Add heat: Add a touch of heat with a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
- Add crunch: Add extra crunch with a cup of chopped celery.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover potato salad in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Potato salad doesn’t freeze well, as the creamy dressing separates. Stick to fridge storage for best results.
- Make-ahead tip: Now if you REALLY wanna make it in a hurry, leave out the bacon and boiled eggs or make them the day ahead of time. But this whole recipe is assuming you’re pressed for time so that kinda defeats the point. Bacon and boiled eggs are really good in it though!
Recipe FAQs
Can I use fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns?
Yes, just peel and cube russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, then boil until fork-tender. The frozen hash browns are simply a time-saver.
Can you make loaded baked potato salad ahead of time?
Absolutely! This potato salad will last in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can make it multiple days in advance and let those flavors marry together in the fridge.
What do you serve with loaded potato salad?
Homemade potato salad can easily be the start of the show as a side dish, so I recommend serving it with a more simple main meal, such as:
- Grilled Chicken Tenders (No Grill Needed)
- Chicken Planks (Like Chicken Fingers, Only Better)
- Crock Pot Beef Ribs
- Butter Roasted Chicken Recipe
- 3-Ingredient Ritz Cracker Chicken
- Maple Glazed Pork Chops
- Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket in the Oven
Check out these other potato recipes:
- Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes (Freezer Friendly)
- 2 Ways With Broasted Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Skins With Candied Bacon and a Spicy Basil Cream Sauce
- Fried Potatoes Recipe
- Loaded Potato Soup Recipe
- Loaded Sweet Potatoes With Marshmallows
Ingredients
- 1 32-ounce package frozen Southern hash browns
- 3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
- 5 bacon strips, cooked crispy and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish or diced sweet pickles
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place cubed hash browns in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once potatoes reach a boil, boil them for two to three minutes and then drain in a colander.1 32-ounce package frozen Southern hash browns
- Place in a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Add mayo, mustard, and relish, and stir again. Add in bacon, eggs, salt, and pepper. Stir.3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped, 5 bacon strips, cooked crispy and crumbled, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish or diced sweet pickles, salt and pepper to taste
- Refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.
Christy, I believe I have that same colander. I got mine from my mother-in-law. It’s my go to colander in the kitchen even though I have newer ones.
I love mine too Alice!! I am not sure why I think this one works better than the newer ones, but in my mind it does!!
Christy, I have made a quick potato salad by using a couple of cans of diced potatoes. Pretty cost effective as they are usually on 50 cents a can. after it all marinates it is yummy. I have had people brag on it before and I think if you only knew what I used.
I love the idea of using hash browns. I look forward to using this recipe, except I really prefer dill pickle relish when I make potato salad. Thanks for this.
I never heard of adding cheese to potato salad but you’ve got my taste buds yearning for some now. I prefer using dill relish in my potato salad but have also used sweet relish. I love all the helpful tips people submit. I use onion, celery and only Hellman’s original mayo in mine
I use dill relish also. When I was a kid, the only type of potato salad we made was the mashed kind. That type looks just beautiful, and we always made it in the shape of meat loaf. All the beautiful colors you put into it makes it look like a work of art.
If you are having trouble with your potatoes turning to mush, add just a tiny splash of vinegar to the water as you cook them. Seals the outside of each potato cube , but they are tender and fluffy inside.
Thanks Christy for recipe. Can’t wait to make!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Southern style hash browns…. I LOVE that! My husband’s favorite is potato salad, but it often gets replaced with macaroni salad because of all the scrubbing, peeling, chopping involved… Is he ever gonna be happy when I make this!! Thank you Christy! Thanks to your mama for asking for a short-cut… LOVE it!!
Cristy, I am surprised your are still advertising for Wal mart after their poor choice to sever their business contract with Paula Deen. I didn’t watch the woman’s TV show because her southern drawl gets on my nerves, however, having said that, I have also said many times that I have no doubt she is the top chef on Food TV which I have silenced forever since their decision was made. I don’t know of anyone, at anytime, that has been judged on something they said thirty years ago.
I don’t have a prejudiced bone in my body. I have always respected all people and always will. I actually have only heard the n word from a young man who worked with my father who happened to be black, and on some music recordings. I didn’t like the sound of the word, it just sounds dirty. It’s sort of like buck which is the only other word I hate. When people talk about bucks in terms of money, it makes my skin crawl. I think of the word in totally different terms, as an animal resisting ,or something jerking. Last night I went to the computer to look the meaning of the n word and while it wasn’t nice, I couldn’t imagine it could cause such a furor. I also heard whiles called a cracker the other day, but was not offended by that either. I just consider the source of any comment and move on. There are some people I like better than others, but it is because of their likes and dislikes. I think we are all pretty much the same. I am drawn to anyone who loves to cook since that has been a lifelong passion of mine. The same goes for music. I love and appreciate all kinds of music with few exceptions and enjoy having a dialogue with those who happen to have the same interest.
I have pledged personally to never spend a penny with any company who I fell has used faulty logic in persecuting Paula Deen. I have returned two very expensive gifts I purchased from Wal Mart and Target, and they will never see one cent of my money again. I will also never buy another book published by Randon House or their associates. I have never like Smithfield products or Home Depot so that will not be a problem.
My point is, that in my own small way, I will support Paula Deen by avoiding any Company that has judged her (in my opinion) terribly unfairly. I thought the statute of limitations ran out after eight years on anything other than murder. I certainly would not want to be judged on anything thirty years ago because life is a learning experience and I’m sure there would be room for criticism. I spend every day trying to know more, and be a better person than the day before.
The only way I know to suppost Paula is to avoid those who have judged her unfairly. If I believe in a cause, I will go out of my way to defend a position, and I intend to exercise that right in this situation.
Get over it Ann! Who cares if shes using a bag of Walmart potatoes! Find a hobby besides nitpicking!