Loaded Baked Potato Salad: fresh crunch, bright dressing, and balanced textures that work as a side or a light main.
All the Good Bits of a Baked Potato, Tossed Into a Salad
Roasted russets, a tangy yogurt-cottage cheese dressing, crisp turkey bacon and cheddar add up to a salad that eats like a satisfying, lighter loaded potato.
If you love the contrast of a loaded baked potato—crispy edges, pillowy center, a melt of cheddar—this salad gives you all of that in a bowl you can serve warm, at room temperature, or chill for later. Roasting 3/4-inch cubes of russet at high heat builds the caramelized edges while keeping the inside tender, so every bite has texture instead of the mushy potato salad you might be used to.
The dressing is where this recipe keeps things bright and protein-forward: nonfat Greek yogurt blended with low-fat cottage cheese, a hit of Dijon and garlic gives tang and creaminess without the heaviness of mayo. Fold in coarsely chopped hard-boiled eggs and sharp cheddar for richness, and crumble in crisp turkey bacon for smoky crunch—cook the bacon in the skillet and don’t wipe it out if you want a little extra pan flavor folded into the warm potatoes.
This salad is a great weeknight solution and a useful make-ahead: roast the potatoes and hard-boil the eggs earlier in the day (or the day before), crisp the bacon just before serving, then toss everything together. It holds up well, so it can be a side at a cookout or the centerpiece of a light dinner with a green salad or sliced grilled chicken.
Finish with a shower of scallions, a few extra cracks of black pepper and an extra sprinkle of cheddar for that classic loaded look. Serve it warm to highlight the roasted edges, or at room temperature so the dressing sings through every bite—either way, it tastes like comfort with a fresher, leaner twist.
Ingredients
How to Make Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes; pat dry.
- Toss the potato cubes with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until edges are golden and potatoes are tender.
- While the potatoes roast, cook the turkey bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel, then crumble when cool. Reserve the skillet (no need to wipe it) for extra flavor if desired.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the eggs and cook 9–10 minutes for hard-boiled. Cool in an ice bath, peel and chop coarsely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Dijon, minced garlic, smoked paprika and the remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper until fairly smooth; taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt if needed (the recipe already uses low-sodium bacon).
- When the potatoes are roasted, add them hot to the yogurt-cottage cheese dressing and toss gently to coat. Fold in the chopped eggs, 2/3 of the crumbled bacon, and all but 1/4 cup of the shredded cheddar. Stir in the sliced scallions.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x9-inch or similar baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar and the reserved bacon pieces. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes, until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through and bubbling at the edges.
- Let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with extra sliced scallions and serve warm-family style. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Card
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Loaded Baked Potato Salad: fresh crunch, bright dressing, and balanced textures that work as a side or a light main.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Scrub the potatoes and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes; pat dry.
- Toss the potato cubes with the olive oil, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and roast for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until edges are golden and potatoes are tender.
- While the potatoes roast, cook the turkey bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6–8 minutes; transfer to a paper towel, then crumble when cool. Reserve the skillet (no need to wipe it) for extra flavor if desired.
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the eggs and cook 9–10 minutes for hard-boiled. Cool in an ice bath, peel and chop coarsely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, Dijon, minced garlic, smoked paprika and the remaining 1/4 tsp black pepper until fairly smooth; taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt if needed (the recipe already uses low-sodium bacon).
- When the potatoes are roasted, add them hot to the yogurt-cottage cheese dressing and toss gently to coat. Fold in the chopped eggs, 2/3 of the crumbled bacon, and all but 1/4 cup of the shredded cheddar. Stir in the sliced scallions.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x9-inch or similar baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar and the reserved bacon pieces. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes, until cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through and bubbling at the edges.
- Let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with extra sliced scallions and serve warm-family style. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 42
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Sodium
- 870
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 10
- Protein
- 26
- Fat
- 17
- Cholesterol
- 108
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 435
- Sugar
- 5