You'll be ready for every summer bbq and cookout with this festive red, white, and blue cheese potato salad recipe. A gorgeous medley of red-skinned, white-skinned, and purple potatoes is tossed with blue cheese dressing, sour cream, and herbs, and is crowned with crispy bacon. It's the potato salad of my dreams, and the best news is that it's even better the next day, so it's the perfect make-ahead side dish.
To me, potato salad screams summertime, and the patriotic theme of this version makes it ideal for your Memorial Day cookout, fourth of July celebration, and Labor Day get-together. That said, this delicious potato salad is great really anytime of year. You can also use just red potatoes, yellow potatoes, white potatoes, or purple potatoes exclusively instead of the mix.
Looking for more perfect side dish recipes for the summer? I've got a lot of great recipes to get you summer cookout ready! Try this delicious Green Bean Salad. My Roasted Beet and Watermelon Salad with Goat Cheese is another delicious salad to bring to the neighborhood potluck. It's a gorgeous salad with juicy watermelon, red and yellow beets, arugula, goat cheese, and pepitas--a show-stopper for sure.
My Carolina Caviar can double as a dip or a side dish--it's a zesty blend of field peas, black beans, corn, and peppers all held together with a tangy cilantro vinaigrette. Finally, my Savory Green Tomato Pie is another delicious side dish recipe that's an ode to summer and can be served as a side or a meatless main dish. It's got all the flavors of fried green tomatoes, but in flaky pie form. It's a favorite for sure.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this recipe:
- baby red skin potatoes, white skin potatoes, and purple potatoes (look for different varieties often labeled as "gourmet blend")
- kosher salt and black pepper
- thick-cut bacon
- blue cheese dressing
- sour cream
- green onions
- celery
- fresh parsley
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Season heavily with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Drain, and cool completely.
- Next, cook the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Chop.
- Then, cut the cooled potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Finally, add the blue cheese dressing, sour cream, celery, green onions, parsley, and bacon. Toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: For the best results, it's super important to salt the water the potatoes cook in. If you don't it will be very difficult to season it properly.
Substitutions
Need to make some ingredient changes? Here are some ideas:
- Potato Medley - instead of the blend of golden potatoes, red-skinned potatoes, and blue potatoes, use another baby potato mix or just one type of potato. Waxy potatoes work best because they hold their shape, so be sure to choose those.
- Sour Cream - use yogurt instead of sour cream if you'd like.
- Vegetarian - to make this recipe vegetarian, just omit the bacon.
Variations
Here are some other variations to change things up:
- Spicy - stir a little cayenne pepper into the dressing to make this potato salad a little on the spicier side.
- Eggs - add chopped hard-boiled eggs to make this potato salad even more decadent.
- Super Blue Cheese - are you a blue cheese fanatic? I love the mild hint of blue cheese from the flavorful dressing, but if you're a blue cheese lover, I say go for it. Sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles to take this potato salad over the top.
Equipment
To make this recipe, you'll need the following:
- chef's knife
- paring knife
- dry measuring cups
- medium saucepan
- colander
- large bowl
- large skillet
- metal tongs
Storage
Let me tell you a little secret: This potato salad is actually better the next day, so I recommend making it a day in advance. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This potato salad does not freeze well.
Tasty tip
Allow the potatoes to cool completely before cutting them into chunks. If you don't you'll end up with mashed potato salad instead.
Frequently asked questions
You certainly can peel the potatoes for potato salad, but since I used small potatoes, that would've taken forever. Plus, I love the added texture and color the peel gives to the potato salad. If you want to use large potatoes, cook them in the skins, and then peel them if you'd like to.
The trick is to let them cool completely before cutting them into chunks. You can even boil them a day ahead of time and then cut them.
I recommend boiling the potatoes whole. They'll keep their shape better and you won't end up with mashed potato salad.
Waxy potatoes are the best types of potatoes for potato salad. The potato medley I use in this recipe are all waxy potatoes. Yukon Golds are another great potato option.
Yes. This ensures even cooking. If you were to start the potatoes in boiling water, then the skins and outsides would cook way too fast. The potatoes would be at risk of falling apart and causing a mushy potato salad.
Salting the water is probably the most important step for this recipe. Because waxy potatoes are dense, it's harder for seasonings to penetrate them. Cooking them in heavily salted water ensures that the salt will reach the centers of the potatoes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Even more
These are more of my favorite recipes:
🍽Get the recipe
Red, White, and Blue Cheese Potato Salad with Bacon
Equipment
- chef's knife
- dry measuring cups
- medium saucepan
- colander
- paring knife
- large skillet
- metal tongs
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 3 lb baby red-skin, white-skin, and purple potatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- ¾ cup blue cheese dressing
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Season heavily with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until a paring knife can easily pierce through the center of the potatoes, about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Chop.
- Once the potatoes are cooled, cut into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the blue cheese dressing, sour cream, celery, green onion, and parsley. Fold in the bacon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature or in hot weather for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
Krystle says
I love the sour cream and bleu cheese combo in the dressing.We make this for all our summer picnics
AshleyFreeman says
It's so good! You'll be set for this summer!
Amy says
I was clearly the most popular guest at a friend's Memorial Day cookout. Everyone loved it and have been told to make it again for next year lol
AshleyFreeman says
Woohoo! I'm so glad!
Nora says
Yummy, patriotic salad recipe! Can't wait to make it again!
AshleyFreeman says
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
Jeri says
This potato salad was a hit! My family loved it, and the combination of red, white, and purple potatoes was stunning! It was super easy to make ahead, and it tasted even better the next day. This recipe is definitely a keeper for all our summer cookouts!
AshleyFreeman says
So glad it turned out well, Jeri! Thanks so much for your note!
Gloria says
Who doesn't love a great potato salad. This is perfect for any BBQ party. It will be a hit with my guests for sure.
AshleyFreeman says
Yes! Perfect for summer cookouts!
Kathryn says
This salad is so fun and festive for the 4th of July! Love the blue cheese dressing and the colored potatoes. Made a fun side dish, thanks!!
AshleyFreeman says
Thanks so much Kathryn!
Bernice says
In the summer, there is always some kind of potato salad on the table at every family BBQ. I've tried many different recipes but this one is the one my father in law loves the most... and it's because of the blue cheese!
AshleyFreeman says
Same with my husband! Well, that and the bacon 🙂
Jacqueline. says
This is hands down my new favourite potato salad recipe! Loved the addition of blue cheese dressing.
AshleyFreeman says
Hooray! I'm so glad you liked it!
Leslie says
Potato salad is one of those things I crave every summer! This is such an amazing recipe! Perfect textures and flavors for this classic dish!
AshleyFreeman says
Me too, Leslie! Glad you enjoyed it!
Tammy says
What a fun way to add a little festivity to a summer barbecue. I love potato salad and the blue cheese and sour cream dressing is a great idea in place of mayo!
AshleyFreeman says
It's a favorite flavor combo in our house!
Veronika says
I brought this to a family BBQ and it was a hit, thank you for the recipe! Loved the idea of three kinds of potatoes!
AshleyFreeman says
Yay! I'm so glad everyone loved it!
Molly Kumar says
The salad was do easy to make and was such a hit for the weekend brunch. We loved the mix of potatoes with sour cream and bacon. Such simple ingredients but packed with flavors!
AshleyFreeman says
Sometimes simple is best! Thanks for your note!
Moop Brown says
This potato salad seems really festive and tasty and like a perfect dish for a fourth of July cookout or get-together.
AshleyFreeman says
Yeah! Perfect for 4th of July 🙂
Jordan says
Such a knockout flavor combination. I've never tried a blue cheese potato salad until this recipe but I'm absolutely hooked now. Can't wait to share it on the 4th!
AshleyFreeman says
Woohoo! Thanks so much!