I’m Making This Ranch Potato Salad All Summer Long

Potato salad and I have not always been friends. You see, I have hated raw onions since childhood. And unlike the other foods I hated as a kid and now love, raw onions are still on my “absolutely not” list.

For me, crunching into a raw onion is very unpleasant. Its flavor overtakes everything else, and then I have the flavor in my mouth for hours. Because of this, potato salad is almost always off the table. Every single barbecue or potluck has been an incomplete experience. I pass by the potato salad longingly, knowing that it’s likely chock full of the one ingredient I can’t stand to eat.

This year I’ve made a resolution. I am taking over potato salad duties at every single summer gathering so I can make it exactly the way I want: raw onion-free.

I developed this recipe to be a crowd-pleaser (and me-pleaser), using one of the most beloved flavors—ranch—and a hefty dose of pickles plus their brine for a little puckery pizzazz. Plenty of crunchy bacon provides a savory saltiness, a handful of celery adds crunch, and dill brings its fresh, summery aroma to the party.

The main thing to remember about this particular potato salad is that almost every ingredient is “to taste.” Add more pickles or celery if you love those flavors or go wild with the dill or substitute for another herb. You can even add some raw onion if you really can’t help yourself. I’ll look the other way.

Quick Tips for Making Ranch Potato Salad

• I used Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning (the packet that says “salad dressing”). If you want to use a different brand, such as Trader Joe’s ranch seasoning, add it to taste. Remember that the sour cream and mayonnaise mixture should taste very flavorful and maybe even a little too salty. Once it’s tossed with the potatoes its flavor will be toned down quite a bit.
• Handle the potatoes gently. Don’t let them boil too vigorously or they can break apart.
• Letting the potatoes cool and drain in the colander for 5 minutes helps ensure that all excess liquid drains off, but it also lets the potatoes cool slightly so they’re a little firmer when you transfer them to the bowl.

Recipe Variations

• Add chives, green onion, or pickled onion. 
• Add cilantro and/or parsley instead of or in addition to the dill.
• Use any kind of pickle that you like. Dilly beans would work, as would pickled asparagus. You’re mostly after the pickle flavor, not the cucumber itself.
• Instead of ranch seasoning, you can substitute Trader Joe’s Seasoning In a Pickle (it’s a seasonal item, so snag it while you can!) for a pickle potato salad. You’re welcome.

Make It Ahead

Although this potato salad comes together in just 45 minutes, you can prepare some of the components ahead of time.

To cook the potatoes ahead, leave them whole instead of cutting them into 1-inch pieces and simmer them for about 20 minutes, or until easily pierced with a skewer or knife. Drain, cool, and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then cut into chunks and prepare the salad as directed.

The bacon can be cooked ahead of time, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.

Summer Sides

• Copycat KFC Coleslaw
• Green Goddess Pasta Salad
• Simple Summer Tomato Salad
• Easy Cucumber Salad

Cook the potatoes:

Add the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of fine salt to a large saucepan or small pot. Add enough cold tap water to cover the potatoes. Place the pot over high heat and cover. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to maintain a very slow, steady simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and add pickle brine:

When the potatoes are tender, gently pour them into a colander and let drain for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a large bowl. Add the pickle brine and toss gently to coat, then set aside to let the potatoes cool completely.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon:

While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, cook the bacon. In a large skillet over medium heat, arrange the bacon slices in a single layer (if they overlap a little that’s OK—they will shrink as they cook and you can rearrange them so they aren’t touching each other). Once the bacon starts to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, flipping the bacon occasionally, until browned and most of the fat has rendered, about 15 minutes. 

Transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

Make the dressing:

Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning in a small bowl.

Assemble the potato salad:

Once the potatoes have cooled, crumble the bacon and divide the crumbles in half. Add half the bacon to the bowl with the potatoes along with the sour cream mixture, celery, pickles, most of the dill (reserve a little for garnish), and black pepper to taste. Toss well but gently, with a silicone spatula, to combine all the ingredients. Taste, adding salt if needed.

Serve right away at room temperature or cover and refrigerate the potato salad until chilled, at least 2 hours. Right before serving, garnish with the reserved crumbled bacon, remaining dill, and a few grinds of black pepper.

Store leftovers (without the garnishes) for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

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