This Jalapeno Popper Roasted Potato Salad is like having a jalapeno popper appetizer but in a salad. It's creamy, a bit spicy, and has a nice tangy taste. The big difference is it uses roasted potatoes instead of boiled ones, which makes it extra yummy.
😍 Why You'll Love This Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad
- Perfect for Spice Lovers: If you enjoy a bit of heat in your food, this salad is perfect. The jalapenos add a spicy element that's not overwhelming but just right to spice up the dish.
- Creamy and Satisfying: The creaminess of the potato salad offers an amazing contrast to the spicy jalapenos.
- Great for Gatherings: This dish is a hit at parties, BBQs, and family gatherings. It's a fun and delicious twist on traditional potato salad that's sure to impress your guests.
If you're a fan of jalapeno poppers, be sure to check out these amazing recipes that take the classic jalapeno popper to a whole new level: Roasted Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese; Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms and Jalapeno Popper Wonton Cups for perfect party appetizers; Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball for a fun and creamy snack; Air Fryer Jalapeno Popper Wontons; and Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole for a hearty and flavorful dinner option.
✅ Ingredients & Substitutions
- Potatoes: Use 3 pounds of red potatoes with skins on. They're good because they stay firm after cooking. Coat them with olive oil, garlic, dry ranch seasoning, and pepper, and air fry them. You can also roast them. Yukon gold or fingerling potatoes work too.
- Ranch Dressing: Mix ranch dressing with mayonnaise and sour cream. It makes the salad creamy and flavorful. If you don't have any, you can make your own ranch dressing.
- Mayonnaise: Use full-fat or homemade mayonnaise for the best creaminess. Light mayonnaise is okay too, but don't use miracle whip.
- Sour Cream: Enhances the creamy texture and adds a tangy flavor.
- Red Onion: Adds crunch and a mild spicy flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This adds a tangy, sweet taste and balances the creamy flavors.
- Bacon: Cook the bacon until it's crispy, then crumble it into the salad. Baking it in the oven at 415°F for 18-20 minutes works well.
- Jalapeno Peppers: Essential for the salad! Add 2 diced peppers. For more heat, add more peppers or look for ones with white streaks.
- Cheddar Cheese: We liked it best with a cup of shredded cheddar added in, but it's still good without it if you don't have any.
- Green Onions: Used for garnish, adding a fresh, mild onion flavor. Chives or parsley can be used for garnishing too.
🔪How to Make Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad
Wash the potatoes well and cut them into small cubes of the same size. This helps them cook evenly.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with oil, garlic, ranch seasoning, and pepper.
Put the potatoes in the air fryer basket. Cook them at 380°F for 15 to 20 minutes. Halfway through, at about 8 minutes, shake the basket to cook them evenly. If your air fryer is small, you may need to cook the potatoes in batches.
After roasting the potatoes, start making your salad. Let the roasted potatoes cool for at least 15 minutes before you add them to the salad.
In a large bowl, mix together the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and pepper. Stir them well until you get a creamy mixture.
Mix in the onion, chopped bacon, diced jalapeños, and cheese, and then stir everything together thoroughly.
Fold the cooked potatoes into the salad to coat them with the dressing. Sprinkle the additional bacon pieces and green onions on top for garnish.
How to Serve Jalapeño Popper Potato Salad
You can enjoy this potato salad warm or cold. If you like it warm, serve it right after making it. For a cold salad, especially at outdoor events, put the bowl on ice or use ice packs in a cooler to keep it cool. Remember not to leave the salad out for more than a couple of hours to stay safe.
🗄️ Storage
Potato salad doesn't freeze well. If you make it ahead of time or have leftovers, just put it in a container with a lid and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
For the best potato salad, opt for waxy or all-purpose potatoes such as red potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or new potatoes. These varieties hold their shape well after boiling and have a creamy texture that pairs perfectly with dressings and other salad ingredients.
The mayo is a key part of the dressing's taste. Use your family's favorite brand. If you don't usually buy mayo, Hellman's is a common choice, and in the south, people often like Duke's mayo.
We wouldn't recommend it. Freezing and then thawing will change the texture of the salad, and the dressing won't be as creamy anymore.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! I will be happy to hear from you!
Jalapeno Popper Potato Salad
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 3 pounds red potatoes scrubbed, washed and cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons 1 packet dry ranch seasoning mix
- 2 teaspoons pepper
Salad
- ½ cup ranch dressing
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small red onion finely diced
- 8-10 pieces bacon cooked, diced, reserving some for garnish
- 2 medium jalapeno peppers diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons green onions chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Potatoes
- Rinse the potatoes thoroughly and chop them into small, uniform cubes. Ensuring they are roughly the same size will help them cook more evenly.
- Mix the potatoes, oil, garlic, ranch seasoning, and pepper in a big bowl. Make sure all the potatoes are evenly coated.
- Place the potatoes in your air fryer basket. Set the temperature to 380°F and let them cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Shake the basket well when you're about halfway through, around the 8-minute mark, for even cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to do this in batches. (You can also roast the potatoes in the oven. To do this, spread the cubed potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake them at 425°F for about 45 to 60 minutes. They should become crispy. Make sure to flip them over once, halfway through baking, which would be at around the 30-minute mark.)
- Once you've finished roasting the potatoes, go ahead and prepare your salad. It's important to let the roasted potatoes cool down for at least 15 minutes before adding them to the salad.
Salad
- In a big bowl, combine the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, and pepper. Stir everything together until it becomes a creamy mixture.
- Add in the onion, bacon, jalapeno, and cheese. Then stir everything together well.
- Gently mix the warm potatoes into the salad so they get a nice coating of the dressing. Then sprinkle the extra bacon pieces and green onions on top as a garnish.
- You can enjoy the salad while it's still warm, or you can put it in the fridge to chill until you're ready to eat. If you choose to refrigerate it, make sure to store it in a container with a tight lid to keep it fresh.
Notes
Nutrition
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Steve says
Wow, this potato salad was next-level! The jalapenos added a perfect kick, and the creamy dressing tied everything together. I’m definitely making this for my next BBQ!
Tatiana says
Thanks, Steve! I’m so glad you loved the spicy kick. This potato salad is always a BBQ favorite!