Loaded Steakhouse Potato Salad

If you are looking for the best potato salad recipe to take to your next family reunion, potluck, or Sunday dinner try my recipe for Loaded Steakhouse Potato Salad. It really is the perfect side for any occasion. 

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Why We Love This Loaded Steakhouse Potato Salad Recipe

If you are looking to make the best potato salad recipe — this is one of our go-to recipes. It can go for a steak dinner, bbq brisket, ribs, soup and sandwich night, game night, pot luck and Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. You name it… this recipe is a winner.

Dare I say it, but we love this potato salad so much… it is even better than the recipe for potato salad at Costco. 

What Types of Potato Salad Are There?

There are so many types of potato salad recipes depending on what part of the world you live in or what region you live in in North America. That’s what makes it fun.

Here is what’s in potato salad, the basics, and a few things you can add to zhoosh up your classic potato salad recipe with these recipe variations. 

Russet Potatoes: Yes, you could use russet potatoes if that is what you have on hand. Keep in mind that russet potatoes have more starch, and so the potato salad will turn out differently.
Ham Salad: Steakhouse salad recipe is great alongside ham salad at any function or Sunday brunch.
Bean Salad: You could serve bean salad along with the potato salad with just about any protein you like
Protein: Chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, fish
Bacon Bits: In a pinch…I mean a really tight pinch you can use bacon bits. It is not the same in texture or flavor. But it will do.
Light Mayonnaise: If you want to cut down on some calories, you can replace the full fat may with something a little friendlier. Otherwise, Miracle Whip, Hellmans, or Dukes will do just fine.
Egg: Depending on what part of the world you live in, hard-boiled eggs in potato salad are a must or a bust.
Celery: Celery can help lighten up your potato salad and also adds a nice crunch with almost no extra calories.
Mustard: Mustard adds a bit of tang. You can use yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, wholegrain or even German mustard if you like to change up the flavors.
Pickles / Pickle Relish: There are so many varieties and flavors of pickles. Here are a few of the ones that we use. Sliced pickles or pickle relish are a great way to change the flavor of any potato salad. You can use dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, sweet pickles, cornichons (gherkins). Or if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try sour pickles or spicy pickles.

If you want the flavor of the pickles and not the texture, you can add some of the sweet pickle juice or dill pickle juice into the potato salad. Be careful to not over do it, you don’t want your potato salad to be runny.
Celery Seed: For many, celery seed is a secret ingredient in their potato salad recipe. If you do not want the crunch of chopped celery, then celery seed and celery salt are great alternatives. You could also use the leaves of the celery in place of celery seed is not on hand.
Red Onion: If you want to add some color, you can use red/purple onions.

Ingredients Loaded Potato Salad

• 3 lbs (about 10 small/med) Small Red Potatoes
• 1 lb Package of Bacon cooked (crispy bacon)
• 1 Cup Mayonnaise 
• 1 Cup Sour Cream 
• 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese 
• 5 Green Onions
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder 
• 1tsp Onion Powder 
• ½ tsp Smoked Paprika 

TIPS

You could substitute Yukon gold potatoes, they are slightly buttery in flavor but make an excellent alternative to the red potatoes

Turning those kids into home cooks is easy with this recipe.

Making potato salad is a great way to get kids in the kitchen. The process is not too advanced. Younger kids can gather, mix and combine. While the older kids can do everything and should be able to do it independently. If they can safely boil water, that is.

While the kids are letting this potato salad cool in the refrigerator they can start on dessert. They can make an easy apple cinnamon crumb cake or a chai spiced snickerdoodle cookie

How To Make Potato Salad

Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place potatoes in a large pot of water over medium-high heat and bring to a boil to cook the potatoes. Do not peel potatoes. You should add enough water to cover the top of the potatoes.

Add a teaspoon of salt to the water when you add the potatoes.

Place the pot on the stove and heat over high heat to boiling.

When the water is boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until fork-tender. 

Once you cook the potatoes, place them in a colander and rinse with cold water for a few minutes to cool them. 

In a large saucepan, cook bacon. Low and slow is key. It will release some of the fat. Cook until the bacon is done and crispy (not burnt). Then chop slices bacon into small pieces. 

While the potatoes are cooking slice the green onion into thin pieces, cutting about halfway up the green part.

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder and smoked paprika mix thoroughly.

Add your cooked warm potatoes to the mayonnaise and sour cream mixture and stir to coat. Add in green onions, bacon, and shredded cheese. Fold until everything is evenly mixed. 

For the finishing touch, add in a few pieces of bacon to the top of the potato salad.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Keep covered and chilled until ready to serve. 

How To Keep Potato Salad From Getting Watery

Make sure that you completely cool the potatoes. Potatoes retain heat in the middle, even if the outside appears warm or cool. 

Then they will sweat, releasing water as they cool. This can cause a watery potato salad. 

Some experts say to add salt at the very end. Try to avoid adding salt to the potatoes while you cook or prepare. 

Growing up we always salted the water as well as salted during the preparation phase. 

Which one do you prefer? Let me know in the comments below.

Can you heat up loaded potato salad?

Yes, you can heat up potato salad. You can either bake the potato salad in the oven or microwave it. The key to this is the proper storage and being sure not to leave it sitting out in any temperature over 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you have hard-boiled eggs in your potato salad, I usually will not heat it up.

My Grandma’s Ultra Secret Tips

Apple cider vinegar. Not white distilled vinegar (even though you could use it in a pinch — I do not recommend it unless you are very comfortable adjusting recipes).

You can add a bit of it into the water during the cooking process of the potatoes, or you can add 1/8 of a teaspoon to the cooked potato salad. I use it in the water 1/2 tablespoon in the cooking water.

How to fix too much vinegar in potato salad

Simply add in a little sugar to balance out the tang of the vinegar. Start small 1/8 teaspoon. You can always add more if it is needed. Be sure to combine well.

Can you reheat potato salad with mayo?

Yes, you can reheat potato salad with mayo. Simple place in the fridge to thaw out. 

According to the USDA the temperature in your refrigerator should be set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

Is potato salad better the next day?

Warm potato salad is excellent the same day. But we can also reheat it the following day like mentioned above. 

Cold potato salad is great the first day or the next day.

This is always up for debate. In our house we are spilt down the middle.

Can you freeze leftover potato salad?

Yes, you can freeze leftover potato salad. Store it in a zip-top freezer bag, removing all the air. 

Since potato salad has mayonnaise and sometimes sour cream, you will want to heat the potato salad to make it a warm potato salad. 

Add it to your favorite casserole dish. Place in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven and then bake until warm. Mix to combine, then top with some extra cheese and crumbled bacon if you like and heat until cheese melts. Then serve. 

It will last in the freezer for up to 6 months.

If the potato salad had hard boiled eggs I do not freeze it. The whites of the eggs can become to watery in the potato salad. You can freeze the yolks if you want to separate them from the egg whites.

Can you freeze cooked potatoes for potato salad?

Yes, you can freeze cooked potatoes for your potato salad. 

Once cooked, allow them to cool completely before freezing. 

To freeze place on a sheet pan in a single row, allow them to freeze for about 30 minutes, this will prevent them from sticking together, and then place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag.