This Loaded Potato Salad is a summertime favorite, filled with all the best flavors—crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions, sour cream, and tender potatoes. It’s just like a loaded baked potato, but in chilled salad form! Perfect for barbecues, potlucks, or an easy make-ahead side for dinner.
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❤️ Sandi’s Summary
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How often do you spend a summer day running errands, at the beach, or spending time outdoors to get super hot and exhausted? This is almost a daily event for us, and my Fearless Dining family practically begged me for some homemade potato salad. I wanted to develop the perfect recipe with all of their favorites.
All ingredients in this make-ahead potato salad for summer marry together to give you the perfect loaded baked potato salad. This gluten free potato salad is a great recipe for feeding a crowd at your next cookout! This deli-style Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad is also great for a cookout!
If you love summer cookouts, don’t forget to check out more of my easy gluten free side dishes!
Allergen Information:
This homemade loaded baked potato salad is:
- gluten-free
- soy-free
- egg-free
- nut-free.
- Make it dairy-free with dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free cheese.
Ingredients Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Potatoes – You can use any potatoes. I like using red potatoes, new potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, or any baby potato variety.
- Bacon – Use applewood smoked or turkey bacon. Be sure it’s labeled gluten-free, as some brands include gluten in seasoning.
- Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar adds a bold flavor, but mild or pepper jack also work well.
- Garlic – I recommend using fresh minced garlic cloves, but jarred garlic will also work. I don’t recommend garlic powder.
- Sour Cream – Full-fat gives the best texture, but low-fat works too.
- Scallions/Parsley/Thyme – Fresh herbs and scallions add great flavor to this salad.
- Salt – This recipe can use either sea salt or kosher salt.
- Ground Black Pepper – This is optional, but it rounds out the flavors with a little spice!
How to Make a Loaded Potato Salad (Step-By-Step)
Note From The Kitchen: If you’re making this gluten-free loaded potato salad ahead of time, boil the potatoes and prep your bacon a day early. I also like using pre-cooked bacon to save time, just warm it slightly so it crisps up. And don’t skip the fresh herbs! They add such a nice brightness to balance the creamy dressing. This is one of those salads that gets even better after a night in the fridge.
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Step 1: Wash and chop your potatoes into bite-sized pieces, then boil them until fork-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large
Step 3: Gently fold the potatoes with the crispy bacon, tangy sour cream, shredded cheese, scallions, and herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. The dressing should lightly coat each piece.
👀 Sandi Says: Feel free to use 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the dressing! I like to use Trader Joe’s pre-cooked bacon as a time saver.
Step 4: Mix and serve! If you are taking them to a picnic or cookout, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place the potato salad in the refrigerator to chill. This potato salad is even better the next day because the flavors mesh together!
Flavor Variations to Try:
If you make this loaded baked potato salad, you will know it’s awesome, just as it’s written. Here are a few ideas to try out when you are looking for a change:
- Ranch Dressing – Add ranch dressing to the sauce for a summery flavor. My kids love bacon ranch potato salad!
- Eggs – Dice up a few hard-boiled eggs and toss them into the gluten free potato salad. So good!
- Celery and Red Onion – Cut up a few pieces of celery and dice a red onion to get some added crunch.
- Use caramelized onions for a fun twist!
- Add a drizzle of Sriracha for a kick of spice.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips:
This gluten-free loaded potato salad is a great option to make ahead for picnics, potlucks, or busy weeknights!
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Up to 2 Days in Advance: You can boil and chop the potatoes, cook the bacon (or use pre-cooked), and slice the scallions a day or two ahead. Store each ingredient in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Day Of: Mix everything together a few hours before serving. The flavors will have time to blend, and the salad will taste even better chilled.
- Optional Shortcut: If using pre-cooked bacon, lightly crisp it in a pan or microwave before adding it for best texture.
Storage Tips:
- Refrigeration: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
- Do Not Freeze: This salad does not freeze well because the dairy (sour cream) and potato texture change when thawed.
Serving at Events:
- Safe Sitting Time: Don’t leave the potato salad out for more than 1–2 hours on a warm day. After that, bacteria can grow quickly, and it’s best to discard any leftovers that sat out too long.
- Picnics & BBQs: Keep the salad chilled in a cooler or over a bowl of ice until you’re ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The beauty of this gluten free potato salad is that it’s completely up to you if the skin is peeled. We love the skin because that is where the tasty nutrients are. So, leave it on or take it off, depending on your preferences.
You’ll know your potato salad has gone bad if it smells off, has a watery texture, or shows signs of mold. Never let potato salad sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
This potato salad is easy to bring to camping this summer. Read my Gluten-Free Camping Guide for more fun meal ideas.
What To Serve With Potato Salad:
Here are a few ideas to serve with this fantastic loaded baked potato salad.
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💬 Did you make this loaded potato salad recipe? Drop a comment below, and let me know how it turned out! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This will help others see that this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Easy Fresh Herb Gluten Free Potato Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Wash the potatoes. Place 4 cups cooked potatoes on a cutting board and chop them into big pieces. Note: peeling the potatoes is optional. Boil them in 2-inches of water until the potatoes are soft.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside the potatoes to cool further.
- Add the cooked potatoes, 1/3 cup cooked chopped bacon, 2 teaspoons fresh scallions or chives, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme and or parsley, to a bowl.
- In a small bowl, add the 1/3 cup shredded cheese, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1 clove fresh minced garlic. Mix well and pour it onto the potato mixture. Stir to incorporate all ingredients.
- Chill for one hour in the refrigerator. Serve cool.
Nutrition
Notes
- You can bake or boil the potatoes. Peeling is optional
- I prefer to use more waxy small potatoes, like red or new potatoes, in this recipe.
- Make this potato salad ahead by cooking the potatoes the day before. Toss them with the rest of the ingredients when you are ready to serve the gluten free potato salad.
- This potato salad will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- On a warm day, don’t leave the potato salad out for more than 1–2 hours. After that, bacteria can grow quickly, and it’s best to discard any leftovers that sat out too long.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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This post was updated from an older July 2019 post with more information.
I just love all of the fresh herbs you have in here, really makes the whole salad just pop with flavour, and makes it so much fresher than the traditional potato salad you get at some places!!
I am so glad, thank you so much Donna :-).
This is one of my favorite potato salad recipes. I love the fresh herb flavor!
Wow, thank you so much Renee!