BBQ Baby Shower Loaded Salad (Printable)

Smoky baked potatoes with bacon, cheddar, fresh herbs, and tangy BBQ dressing for crowd-pleasing flavor.

# What you need:

→ Potatoes

01 - 3 lbs baby potatoes, washed and halved
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Dressing

04 - 3/4 cup sour cream
05 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
06 - 1/4 cup BBQ sauce, smoky or sweet style
07 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
08 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Mix-ins and Toppings

10 - 5 ounces smoked bacon, cooked crisp and chopped
11 - 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
12 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
15 - 1/2 small red onion, finely diced

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss halved baby potatoes with olive oil and salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and golden. Allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and black pepper until smooth and fully combined.
03 - Add cooled roasted potatoes to the dressing. Gently toss to coat all pieces evenly.
04 - Fold in chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, scallions, chives, parsley, and red onion, reserving a portion of each ingredient for garnish.
05 - Transfer the salad to a serving dish. Garnish with reserved bacon, cheese, scallions, and fresh herbs.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The smoky bacon and sharp cheddar turn an everyday side into something guests actually ask for the recipe to make.
  • You can prep it the night before, which means one less thing to stress about on event day.
  • It tastes even better the next day as the dressing soaks into those tender roasted potatoes.
02 -
  • If you add the potatoes to the dressing while they're still warm, they'll absorb too much liquid and become mushy instead of holding their shape.
  • The first time I made this, I used a sweet BBQ sauce and didn't add the vinegar—it tasted like dessert masquerading as salad, so the mustard and vinegar are non-negotiable for balance.
03 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step—it gives the dressing time to coat everything evenly and the flavors time to build depth.
  • Reserve some of each garnish to scatter on top just before serving; it looks intentional and reminds people that fresh herbs are doing heavy lifting in the flavor story.
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