Busy moms need easy sides that taste like you spent hours in the kitchen. This potato salad comes together with minimal fuss and huge flavor, so you can bring something crowd-pleasing to picnics, weeknight dinners, or potlucks without stress.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Potato Salad Recipe
This salad mixes classic comfort with a few steakhouse-style upgrades. Red potatoes hold their shape, so you get creamy bites without mush.
The dressing uses mayo, sour cream, Dijon, and a splash of apple cider vinegar for tang. Bacon and cheddar add salty, savory hits that kids and adults both reach for.
Prep is simple. Boil the potatoes, make the dressing, toss, and chill. No fancy equipment. No long ingredient list. It works as a main-side for leftovers or a hearty side for grilled meals.
How to Make Steakhouse Potato Salad
Ingredients
2 lbs red potatoes, cubed, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 small red onion, chopped, 5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup chopped parsley, ¼ cup chopped dill pickles, Salt and pepper, to taste, Optional: chives or green onions
Directions
- Place the cubed red potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and let cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- Add cooled potatoes, red onion, bacon, cheddar cheese, parsley, and dill pickles to the dressing. Stir gently to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Garnish with chives or green onions before serving.
Steakhouse-Style Potato Salad
A creamy and flavorful potato salad with steakhouse-style upgrades, perfect for picnics and potlucks.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lbs red potatoes, cubed
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 5 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup chopped dill pickles
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: chives or green onions
Instructions
- Place the cubed red potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and let cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
- Add cooled potatoes, red onion, bacon, cheddar cheese, parsley, and dill pickles to the dressing. Stir gently to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Garnish with chives or green onions before serving.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving if it firms up too much after chilling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Traditional
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
How to Serve
Serve chilled or slightly chilled. It pairs perfectly with grilled steak, burgers, or roasted chicken.
For a quick weeknight combo, serve this potato salad alongside 3-ingredient orange chicken and steamed veggies. The mix of textures keeps everyone satisfied.
Top with extra chives or a bit more crumbled bacon for a finished look before bringing it to the table.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dressing firms up when chilled, so the texture gets creamier after a few hours.
If it looks tight after refrigerating, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. Stir gently to refresh the salad.
Do not freeze. The potatoes and dressing separate and get watery after thawing.
Tips and Variations
Cook potatoes until just fork-tender to avoid mush. Cool completely before dressing to keep it thick.
Swap bacon for diced ham if you prefer. Use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a lighter touch.
Add hard-boiled eggs for a classic twist. For extra tang, stir in a teaspoon of pickle juice.
Keep chopped pickles chunky for texture or mince them for more uniform flavor.
FAQs
Q: Can I make this a day ahead? A: Yes. Make it the day before. Chilling improves the flavor.
Q: Can I use yellow potatoes? A: You can, but red potatoes hold their shape better for this salad.
Q: Is there a dairy-free option? A: Substitute mayo for a dairy-free version and skip the sour cream or use a dairy-free sour cream alternative.
Q: How do I keep potatoes from turning mushy? A: Start with cold water, boil gently, and test with a fork. Remove as soon as they are fork-tender.
Conclusion
This steakhouse-style potato salad saves time but still feels special. It comes together fast, stores well, and feeds a crowd. Try it this week and pin it for your next cookout or family meal.
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