Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad

This Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad is basically a loaded baked potato in salad form. We love how this recipe incorporates making your own ranch dressing—which is less processed than most bottled versions (although they can be a timesaver in a pinch!). We keep the skin on the potatoes to increase the fiber and nutrient content, and cook them until the flesh becomes almost creamy. Then we use just enough succulent, crispy bacon to add that salty, porky flavor. Besides that sharp Cheddar tang, the cheese also adds calcium and protein to this salad. This is a great side dish to bring to your next potluck or BBQ—it can easily be doubled or tripled, depending on the size of your guest list. Keep reading for cooking success tips, like how to make sure your bacon doesn’t end up limp and gummy.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• To avoid soggy potatoes, let the boiled potatoes drain well in either a large bowl or colander, so they can steam away excess moisture.
• You can prepare this recipe ahead of time. We recommend keeping the bacon separate until right before serving to prevent it from becoming soggy. The remaining ingredients can be covered and refrigerated for up to 12 hours. Since the potatoes will absorb some moisture from the dressing, it's a good idea to make a little extra and add it just before serving.

Nutrition Notes

• While the poor spud often gets a bad rap for its carb content, potatoes are linked to some impressive health benefits. For example, the fiber in potatoes can improve gut health and help you poop more regularly. And you may have better blood pressure due to the potassium in potatoes. Keep the skin on for added fiber and nutrients.  
• OK, so bacon isn’t something you want to eat a lot of frequently due its saturated fat and sodium content. However, it's so flavorful that a small amount can provide a nice boost to dishes. It provides selenium, a mineral that’s important for fertility and thyroid function, per the NIH. For this recipe, we call for center-cut bacon, which tends to be leaner than its regular-cut counterpart. Since it’s hard to truly mimic the taste of bacon, use it sparingly and enjoy it.
• Cheese is packed with nutrition and provides protein, calcium and probiotics. This means that cheese may help improve gut and oral health. There is even evidence that the type of saturated fat in cheese may not be as harmful as other types of saturated fat. Regular cheese eaters may even experience improvement in their cholesterol levels. 
• The ranch dressing in this potato salad is made with mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, herbs and spices. And since we’re making it from scratch, it’s less processed than most options you’ll find at the store, and you can control the sodium and fat content. The herbs and spices in the dressing add antioxidants and can contribute health benefits of their own, including reduced inflammation and risk of disease.