Last Updated May 21st, 2023 at 11:53 pm by Lisa
A BBQ Potato Salad recipe with yummy flavors from your favorite bbq sauce, crumbled bacon, buttermilk ranch, crunchy celery, and cheddar cheese. Made with secret ingredients in place of mayo, this super creamy potato salad is inspired by one of America's favorite recipes, a loaded baked potato!
A great recipe that uses any kind of potatoes, and is a fresh new twist on a classic. Mix up a double batch, and watch people gobble it up at your next cookout...
Barbeque Potato Salad Recipe
This cookout simple side dish comes together so fast for home cooks and is the perfect potato salad to make a day ahead, it tastes even better!
- 4 pounds Russet potatoes 6-8 medium potatoes
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (your favorite brand)
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (not hot)
- 4 whole green onions sliced thin
- 1 cup crumbled bacon 10 strips of bacon
- 4 ribs celery diced
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
How To Make BBQ Potato Salad
- Wash the potatoes, and cut potatoes into 1" pieces leaving the skin on. Put a large pot on the stove, and place potatoes in the pot, pour cold water to cover the potatoes. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of table salt in the pot. Salted water helps to season the potatoes in the boiling water.
- Boil potatoes at a rolling boil for about 20 minutes over high heat until fork tender. Drain and place the hot potatoes into a large bowl. Your boiling time can vary, depending on the size of your potato pieces, the amount of water in the pot, and the heat level. Large chunks of potato will take longer to cook. Also, be sure to remove the potatoes from the hot water as soon as they are cooked, or they can get too soft.
- While the potatoes are boiling, mix the sauce. In a medium bowl, mix BBQ sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Toss the sauce in with the cooked potatoes, then add the chopped green onions, diced celery, crumbled bacon, and grated cheddar cheese.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated, and it tastes even better the next day!
Homemade Potato Salad Best Results FAQ
Did you know there are three ways to cook potatoes and no one right way? Whether your favorite potato salad recipe is a traditional potato salad recipe or a Southern potato salad, mix it up and bake, boil, or grill your potatoes!
Boiling Potatoes: takes about 20 minutes, assuming the potato pieces are cut small, about 1 inch. A lot of people prefer this classic way to cook potatoes this way.
Baking Potatoes: use a greased baking sheet and roast your cut potatoes for your recipe. This is one of the best ways to get a lot of flavor into the potatoes without overcooking them in water. Cut and toss in olive oil, and bake at 425 degrees for 35 minutes until fork tender.
Grilling Potatoes: Set a grill tray over your grill grate and spray it well with cooking spray, then set your cut potatoes on the grill which adds amazing flavor, and grill for about 25 minutes until fork tender. This might become your new favorite way!
The simple answer is any type of potato work for potato salads.
If you choose starchy potatoes they break down more easily when cooked. Large potatoes like Russet, Idaho potatoes (any potatoes grown in Idaho), and Yukon gold potatoes have a high-starch content, and the starch granules swell as they boil for a fluffier creamy salad.
In contrast, waxy potatoes hold their shape when cooked and are the better choice when you want the potatoes to hold up and be a little firm. Look for these waxy potatoes like New Potatoes, French fingerling, Red Bliss, baby potatoes, creamers, Red Adirondack, and Russian Banana.
-Red bliss are perfect for red potato salad recipes!
-French fingerling potatoes are great to grill and make it fancier!
-White potatoes come in round white and long white whole potatoes.
Flavorful Additions & Mix-Ins
A classic potato salad recipe is one of the most popular bbq side dish recipes to have with sizzling grilled hot dogs and juicy burgers. Here are some great ways to customize this delicious recipe!
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- spice it up - add some celery seed, a sprinkle of kosher salt, or celery salt
- make it tangy - add some lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, yellow mustard, or Dijon mustard
- fresh herbs - chopped parsley, thyme, or fresh dill
- creamy dressing additions - miracle whip, Greek yogurt, or homemade mayonnaise
- crunchier additions - chopped dill pickles - try my quick pickle recipe, chopped sweet pickles, or sweet pickle relish. Or add some chopped pickled red onion - ready in 20 minutes!
- make it heartier, and add some chopped hard-boiled eggs - fast 12-minute steamed eggs!
More Cookout Side Dishes
For cookout season, take a look at my collection of 30+ Cookout Side Dish Recipes that will inspire you. Create the yummiest food for family gatherings, summer picnics, outdoor cookouts, backyard barbecues, or church potlucks. Also, take a look at my entire 60+ Cookout Menu ideas full of absolutely everything you will need with party planning checklists and more!
Creamy Bacon Potato Salad is one of the best BBQ side dishes. Loaded with crispy bacon and blue cheese. The best potato salad recipe for summer cookouts and potlucks. This is one of the best picnic food ideas because it has no eggs or mayo.
Cowboy Baked Beans have crispy applewood smoked bacon and hamburger cooked in a slow cooker or in the oven with a little brown sugar and other delicious ingredients. This perfect side dish recipe is one of the best cookout sides to make ahead for a large hungry crowd or for your next family dinner.
Put this easy 7 Layer Salad Recipe together up to a day ahead, it has fresh tomatoes, boiled eggs, and veggies. Make it the night before, and have it ready to go to your party chilling with the dressing on top.
The BEST creamy summer sides, this Macaroni Salad recipe has chopped eggs, creamy mayo, pickles, and pickle juice! A favorite old-fashioned beloved recipe that some people eat as their main course it's that good.
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BBQ Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Russet potatoes 6 medium potatoes
- ½ cup BBQ sauce your favorite brand
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika not hot
- 4 whole green onions sliced thin
- 1 cup crumbled bacon 10 strips bacon
- 4 ribs celery diced
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes, and cut potatoes into 1" pieces leaving the skin on. Put a large pot on the stove, and place potatoes in the pot, pour cold water to cover the potatoes. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of table salt in the pot. Salted water helps to season the potatoes in the boiling water.
- Boil potatoes at a rolling boil for about 20 minutes over high heat until fork tender. Drain and place the hot potatoes into a large bowl. Your boiling time can vary, depending on the size of your potato pieces, the amount of water in the pot, and the heat level. Large chunks of potato will take longer to cook. Also, be sure to remove the potatoes from the hot water as soon as they are cooked, or they can get too soft.
- While the potatoes are boiling, mix the sauce. In a medium bowl, mix BBQ sauce, sour cream, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika.
- Toss the sauce in with the cooked warm potatoes, then add the chopped green onions, diced celery, crumbled bacon, and grated cheddar cheese.
- Keep leftover potato salad refrigerated, and it tastes even better the next day!
Notes
Flavorful Additions & Mix-Ins
A classic potato salad recipe is one of the most popular bbq side dish recipes to have with sizzling grilled hot dogs and juicy burgers. Here are some great ways to customize this delicious recipe!
- spice it up - add some celery seed, a sprinkle of kosher salt, or celery salt
- make it tangy - add some lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, yellow mustard, or Dijon mustard
- fresh herbs - chopped parsley, thyme, or fresh dill
- creamy dressing additions - miracle whip, Greek yogurt, or homemade mayonnaise
- crunchier additions - chopped dill pickles - try my quick pickle recipe, chopped sweet pickles, or sweet pickle relish. Or add some chopped pickled red onion - ready in 20 minutes!
- make it heartier, and add some chopped hard-boiled eggs - fast 12-minute steamed eggs!
This BBQ potato salad is so easy and tastes really good loved it with grilled hamburgers!