Jalapeno-Cheddar Potato Salad with Bacon
Creamy potato salad featuring tender baby potatoes tossed with crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, pickled jalapenos, and a tangy cream cheese dressing. Bright scallions and garlic powder add depth to this bold, zesty side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs baby potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
- kosher salt, to taste
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 ¾ cup shredded cheddar
- 4 scallions scallions, chopped
- ¾ cup pickled jalapenos, thinly slicedfresh jalapenos1:1different_profile
less vinegary
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup Duke's Mayonnaisestandard mayonnaise1:1no_change
less tangy
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 1
Cover potatoes with 2 to 3 inches of water in a large pot and season generously with salt.
- 2
Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until tender, about 18 minutes.
- 3
Drain potatoes and let cool slightly.
- 4
While potatoes cook, whisk cream cheese with Duke's Mayonnaise, vinegar, and garlic powder in a medium bowl.
- 5
Season dressing with salt and pepper.
- 6
Transfer slightly cooled potatoes to a large bowl and add most of the bacon, most of the cheddar, scallions, and jalapenos.
- 7
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss to combine.
- 8
Garnish with additional scallions, jalapenos, remaining bacon, and remaining cheddar.
Tips
Let potatoes cool slightly before dressing to prevent the cheddar from melting excessively.
Use Duke's Mayonnaise for authentic tangy flavor, though standard mayo works as substitute.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Salad may release liquid over time; drain before serving.
Potatoes can be cooked up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Assemble salad no more than 4 hours before serving to prevent sogginess.
Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish for barbecues, picnics, or casual dinners.
Common Mistakes
Do not overcook potatoes to avoid a mushy texture that falls apart when tossed.
Do not dress the salad while potatoes are too hot to avoid excessive melting of cheese and cream cheese breakdown.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
less tangy
less vinegary